Probst, R. (2004). Response & analysis: Teaching literature in secondary school (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. pg. 71-100Styslinger, M., & Pollock, 

Herz, S. & Gallo, D. (2005). From Hinton to Hamlet: building bridges between young adult literature and the classics, Building bridges: getting students from 

wherever they are to where the curriculum says they should be. (pp. 27-92). CT: Greenwood Press.

Herz, S. & Gallo, D. (2005). What else? Other approaches (pp. 93-130). CT: Greenwood Press.

Richison, J. Hernandez, A., & Carter, M. (2006). Theme sets for secondary students: How to scaffold core literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

Organizing Units With Literature

Say: 
     "You need not stop with a single pairing. Pairing on YA novel with one classic is just one way to accomplish...higher goals. A short story, a poem, a scene from a play, an article form a magazine or a newspaper, or a page from a Web site--or, better yet, several of these" (What Else 93). Some boys may prefer to read nonfiction when discussing themes around wartime. Some artistic-minded students may not have a unit click until seeing poetry of the time. A few visual learners may need a video accompaniment to be able to fully visualize the work because it's so far removed from their reality. A reader is a person who makes intertexual connections, who questions and talks about the text. One of the ways this can be achieved is by simply giving students more time to read, even if it's across genre and style. Students wont do this "if they are not provided with materials they can and want to read," it shouldn't come as a shocker (Richison 3). We've been hammering this home: students need time to read, and choice in how and what to read.
     A problem in classroom is that even strong readers, readers that can effectively guess the teacher's meaning, and make enough of their own to suffice, often doesn't get pleasure or want to read. Like we've mentioned and practiced this semester, text selection (in medium and title) is so important. "readers need to have books that understand them as they are and help them to consider and perhaps outgrow their current points of view. Then they will have the desire to deepen and expand their experience" (Richison 4). This can be done by organizing lessons and units around more than just one canonical text. This allows not just choice and engagement but vicarious experiences and human connections. Even better, units with pairing variety shines ever so brightly next to all the standards that they meet.
     "I see the reader not as submissive, bending to the authors wrill, but as creative, making meaning rather than finding it. Thus the text is not the only text that matters" (Probst 102). Yet another reminder about the strength and importance of Reader Response and what the students are internally bringing to the classroom. Culturally established norms of assuming there is only one important text and one important interpretation breeds complacency when the complete understanding is reached, and a detrimental, laborious drive to dismiss personal responses in order to find the correct vision. Understand the reader response will happen (in some fashion), and that it is valuable and important when planning units around literature. A teacher needs to attempt to consider possible text responses so that text-pairing choices are effective and applicable. These responses should connect to larger essential questions and inquiry standards.
     "We might first make the point that not all poetry is philosophical or ethical in it's intent, and we need  not to assume that the poem has a message." (121). This can be explained by showing emotional photographs, songs, or bad poetry that just really don't mean anything, and help the students come to that conclusion. When students are able to find satisfaction apart from attempting to find the intended author's purpose perhaps, "they may then return to poetry with pleasure and perhaps with sharper perceptions" (123). Students should allow themselves to be led, but not follow blindly; there needs to be a balance between passivity and activity. 
     I like that in From Hinton to Hamlet the author mentions not having to convince students to go to movie theatres--they already know that they are interesting. If teachers pair students up with the right text, then they will hopefully have that same responses that they've had to video entertainment--to novels and other texts as well. They shouldn't have an aversion to a book; students should know that texts can be enjoyable and exciting. That being said, sometimes print isn't the only (or first) medium to recommend. There are other forms of art that share themes and elicit similar responses. Herz and Gallo recommend starting certain units with YA novels and treating them with academic respect: analyzing them appropriately, so when the unit is switched over to something more contemporary, students won't stumble too much and can simply transfer the same skills and tools they've been working with across the different unit texts already. 
     If we accept the value of helping students through self-selected goals and group work, and students have demonstrated their ability to adequately hang in through the YA novel, "then those same students should be able to use the same skills to examine the classic in the same manner. Thus they will decide which are the most important issues to discuss and explore...Remember, out goal is to help students find pleasure in reading and to make them lifelong readers" (From Hinton 29). Using YA novels is a way to do just this--the most simple way seems to be by focusing on themes, and taking a note from Informational texts by using compare and contrast activities. We're teachers of literature, reading, and writing--but we're also teachers of process. If we give students to process by which to proper respond, analyze, and question one text, why shouldn't they be able to apply it everywhere?

Do:

Resource Collection

The Crucible

Hysteria and Intolerance:

Reputations of Morality

Core Text:  

Miller, A. (1953). The Crucible: A play in four acts. New York: Viking Press.

Young Adult Novels:

1. Abbott, M. (n.d.). The fever: A novel.

2. Aronson, M. (2003). Witch-hunt: Mysteries of the Salem witch trials. New York: Atheneum

Books for Young Readers.

3. Cushman, K. (2006). The loud silence of Francine Green. New York: Clarion Books.

4. Howe, K. (n.d.). Conversion.

5. Howe, K. (2009). The Physick book of Deliverance Dane: A novel. New York: Hyperion.

6. Kent, K. (2008). The Heretic's daughter: A novel. New York: Little, Brown and.

Song Lyrics:

1. Dylan, B. (1963). The Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues. On The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob

Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall. Columbia.

6. Donovan. (1966). Season of the Witch. On Sunshine Superman. Epic.

4. Joel, B. (1989). We Didn’t Start The Fire. On Storm Front. Columbia.

5. Rush. (1981). Witch Hunt. On Moving Pictures. Atlantic

2. Springsteen, B. (2005). Devils and Dust. On Devils and Dust. Columbia.

3. Warren, D. (1995). I’d Lie for You (And That’s the Truth)[Recorded by Meat Loaf]. On Welcome to the Neighborhood. Virgin.

Informational Texts (Articles):

1. Blow, C.  (2011, January 14). The Tucson Witch Hunt. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/opinion/15blow.html

2. King, N. (n.d.). What is communism? Retrieved November 9, 2015, from

http://thecasualtruth.com/story/what-communism

3. Lawson, D. (n.d.). The Salem Witch Trials, 1692. Retrieved November 27, 2015, from

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/salem.htm

4. Petitions relating to the trial of Rebecca Nurse for witchcraft. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9,

2015, from http://law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/ASA_TITX.HTM

5. Young, C. (2015, October 20). Campus Sexual Assault and a Modern "Crucible”.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/10/22/campus_sexual_assault_and_a_modern_crucible_128508.html

Informational Texts (Essays):

1. Barack Obama and the Psychology of the ‘Birther’ Myth. (2011, April 21). Retrieved

November 9, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/04/21/barack-obama-and-the-psychology-of-the-birther-myth

2. Blumenthal, R. (2009, June 15). When Suspicion of Teachers Ran Unchecked. Retrieved

November 9, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/nyregion/16teachers.html

3. Miller, A. (2000, June 17). Are You Now Or Were You Ever? Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/miller-mccarthyism.html

4. Miller, A. (1996). “Why I Wrote The Crucible: An Artist’s Answer to Politics” In The New

Yorker (p. 158). NY: New York City.

Movies:

1. Clooney, G. (Director). (2006). Good Night, and Good Luck [Motion picture]. Warner Home

Video.

2. Cowling, T. (Director). (2003). Salem witch trials [Motion picture]. Discovery

Communications ;.

3. Devine, Z. (Director). (2010). Easy A [Motion picture]. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

4. Picker, D. (Director). (1997). The Crucible [Motion picture]. FoxVideo.

5. S3 Ep29: "4 O'Clock" [Television series episode]. (1962, January 1). In The Twilight Zone.

Art:

1. "Examination of a Witch" Thompkins H. Matteson, 1853.

2. “The witch no. 1” Joseph E. Baker, 1892.

3. “Witch Hill” or “The Salem Martyr” Thomas Slatterwhite, 1869.

4. “Arresting a Witch” Howard Pyle, 1883

Poems:  

1. Atwood, M. “Half Hanged Mary.” Diane Carter’s Site. Emery County School District. Web.

2. McKay, C. “If We Must Die.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web.

3. Maurice Ogden- “The Hanging Tree.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web.

Short Stories:

1. Eldridge, T. (2010, November 28). The Crucible:Epilogue. Retrieved from

http://www.booksie.com/other/short_story/tk_eldridge/the-crucible:epilogue

2. Bailey, C. (n.d.). A Puritan School-Day. Retrieved from

http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/5996/

3. Hawthorne, N., & Hawthorne, N. (1996). Young Goodman Brown. Charlottesville, Va.:

University of Virginia Library.

Picture Books:

1. Knudsen, S., & Palmer, R. (2011). Alice Ray and the Salem witch trials. Minneapolis, MN:

Millbrook Press.

2. Schanzer, R. (2011). Witches!: The absolutely true tale of disaster in Salem. Washington,

D.C.: National Geographic Society.

Play/Graphic Novel:  

1. Dunn, J. (2001). Salem Witch Trials: A Graphic Novel. ABDO Publishing Company.

Other:

1. http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/12/teaching-the-crucible-with-the-new-york-times/

2. https://kckliteracycurriculum.wikispaces.com/file/view/The+Crucible.pdf

3. http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/generic.html