The Crucible Note Taking Log: Act I
(28 points)
As juniors in high school, it’s important that you develop some skill in taking notes. Note taking will be your key to
academic success in college or technical school. As we begin our study of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, you will
keep a note taking log for EACH ACT.
Purpose of This Assignment: In addition to learning how to take thorough and detailed notes, you will use the
information recorded to help with writing assignments. Throughout this unit, you will also be required to write a
series of analytical paragraphs where you discuss character, the cause and effect of certain actions, tone, or the
theme. These paragraphs will require that you embed quotations from the play, and your notes should provide
you with quotations you use if it is done correctly.
Directions: Put the following categories on the sheet of paper indicated below.
Setting: page 1; top half of page (3 points)
Explain the setting of this act with as much detail as possible. Also remember that the setting includes both the
TIME and the PLACE. Typically the setting for each act will be in the opening stage directions. For act one, you will
find the opening stage directions on page 166.
List of Plot Events: page 1; bottom half of page and back of page 1 (10 points)
Create a chronological list of the plot events from this act. You should have a minimum of 20 events on your list,
and the events must cover the entire act. This means if you get to 20 you, but have not covered the entire act, you
need to add more events. Points will be deducted if the events are not in chronological order, if the events are not
numbered and/or if you forget a major event from this act.
Key Characters: page 2 (15 points)
Select three main characters from this act and provide a description of their personality traits based on quotes from
the play. Create a chart on your paper like the one below. You must use at least two different character traits per
character, and you must use at least two quotes in this chart to support those character traits. This should be easy
because you are analyzing a main character. Since you are to analyze three different characters, this means you will
have three separate charts to complete to receive full points. Be sure to record the page number on which the
quotation appears in the text.
Character Trait
Character Name
Quote to Support Character Trait
with Page Number
Explanation
1.
2.
Grading:
Each act’s notes are worth between 28 and 36 points a piece, for a total of around 132 points by the end of the
unit. Note taking is very much an individual activity: copying from each other will not be accepted and will result in
zeros for all participants. Remember that if you fail to turn this assignment in on the due date, it will only be taken
for half credit. If you are absent the day before this assignment is due, you are still responsible for turning it in on
the date it is assigned.
**You will be given time in class many days to work on the logs. If you use this time, you should not have problems
completing this on time.