Project Synergy
Enhanced Learning Object Activities
Activity 1: Famous Trials: Salem Witch Trial for Women’s History
Learning Objectives addressed by this assignment:
1. Practice reading primary documents, finding information, and identifying major and minor
themes
2. Use critical thinking to evaluate historical interpretations of an event, a group of
documents, or a historical period.
3. Compare historical resources and identify the different information and insights that they
offer about the past
Assignment:
1. Survey documents on learning object : “Famous American Trials-- Salem Witchcraft Trials:
1692” http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm
2.
Review the website to get an overview of what happened at the trials. (Douglas Linder)
(Secondary source).
3.
Create a concept map of the trials. Show the relationship between actions, persons, dates.
Share concept map with classmates.
http://worksheets.teach-nology.com/graphic/conceptweb/
http://worksheets.teach-nology.com/graphic/conmap/
http://www.utc.edu/Teaching-Resource-Center/concepts.html#steps
4.
Review historical documents on web site.
Historical documents on this Learning Object include: Cotton Mather's Memorable
Providences; Arrest Warrant; Examinations and Evidence; Petitions of Accused Witches;
Death Warrant & List of Dead; Letters of Governor Phips; Petitions for Compensation
5. Either
a. In your study group, choose historical personages, e.g., Rebecca Nurse (accused),
Putnam, (accuser) ; Hathorne (judge), Parris (village minister). Re-enact the basics of
the trial according to historical documents. Appoint a facilitator who will oversee
interaction and write a closing summary for the group. Change personages. Re-enact the
same or another portion of the events:
And
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Enhanced Learning Object Activities
b. What did you learn from the historical documents and the re-enactments? In a few
paragraphs, detail new knowledge and any remaining questions you might have about the
trials.
Or
a. In a brief essay, describe what you learned about Salem society from these documents.
Detail the social order and the world view, as revealed through the documents.
b. Why did these trials happen? Explain at least two interpretations as shown in web sites.
Which interpretation do you support? Why?
Activity 2: Famous Trials: Salem Witch Trial for Abnormal
Psychology
Assignment: Use the following website to complete this worksheet
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/salem


You are about to be introduced to the village of Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1692.
The village is in the throes of hysteria unlike anything seen in the American Colonies.
Please read the Prologue to begin your assignment.
The individuals identified on this site can be divided into three groups based on their
behaviors. Please identify behaviors for the following groups:
Additional information can be gathered from the biographies section of
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/project/ftrials/salem/salem.htm
a. Accused Witches (Tituba, Sarah Good, Sarah Osborn)
b. Accusers (Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam)
c. Community Members (Rev. Samuel Parris, Rev. Cotton Mathers)



Describe which of the behaviors you have listed would be considered abnormal in
today’s society.
As you went through your own trial what was your plea decision? Why?
Discuss with your classmates the connection between culture, societal norms and the
identification of abnormal behaviors.
For more information on this subject you may want to read:
Tituba, William Miller and Leonard Jenkins
I,Tituba, Black Witch of Salem, Maryse Conde
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Enhanced Learning Object Activities
Activity 3: Famous Trials: Salem Witch Trial Writing Assignments
Classroom exercise:
This exercise is designed to help students consider the purpose of a piece of writing, and how
different writers’ perspectives many change that purpose and the supporting details that the
writer selects as well the organization pattern she uses.
Go to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/salem and work through the website. Students may
either do this individually, or the professor may project so that the whole class watches at once.
Divide the class in three (or more groups). One group will be an accused witch, one will be one
of the young girls, and one will be one of the judges.
Individual brainstorming should follow the question: what ideas will be important for your
character to communicate to the rest of the town?
Once each student has had five – ten minutes to write (the time frame will vary from class to
class -- the instructor will have to be the judge of the groups’ level of engagement) the groups
should meet, compare their individual writings, and draft a message to the community.
Each group will share with the class. The instructor may record the points made by the groups as
they read. As each group reads, the class should consider why the points are significant to the
purpose of that speaker, and consider the order in which the points are made.
The instructor may collect the brainstorming notes produced by each student to provide some
individual feedback.
Assignment 1:Short paper assignment:
This assignment is designed to help students consider the role of the audience in determining
how an argument is developed. It may be used with the above classroom exercise.
Students may view the website individually or as a group in class, or the instructor may assign
the student to view the website outside of class.
Having seen the website, students will be assigned to write a reaction from the perspective the
accused witch. One group will be assigned to address the reaction to the judges, one to his
neighbors, and one to a friend living in another colony. The paper should be about 250 words,
and include a thesis statement in the opening, as well as at least three supporting paragraphs
using concrete details from the website.
Finished papers should be shared with the class.
Assignment 2: Researched paper
This assignment will require the student to identify a clear argument arising from an area of
discussion, articulate a thesis statement that addresses that argument, identify major points to
support that thesis, and to incorporate material from research sources as the specific details to
justify the argument. It may be used in conjunction with either or both of the above assignments.
After viewing the website, students may be directed to
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/ftrials.htm and / or other sites previously
identified by the instructor. In addition, they may be asked to locate and evaluate a website on
the topic of the Salem trials.
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Enhanced Learning Object Activities
Having done further research, the class will identify at least three controversial issues raised by
the experience of Salem citizens during the witchcraft trials. Each student may choose one of the
issues to write an essay of 750 – 1000 words, justifying her position with material from
independent research.
Activity 4: Famous Trials: Salem Witch Trial for Criminal Justice
Activity 5: Famous Trials: Salem Witch Trial for American Literature
Forthcoming
Activity 6: Famous Trials: Salem Witch Trial for Drama
Forthcoming