Unit Title: The Middle East

Lesson Title: The Power of Fear

Curriculum Area (s): Social
Studies
Grade Level:7th
Time Required: 45 minutes

Author: Garrett Martin

Author Contact: gjmart0257
Instructional Groupings:

Are you using whole group, small group,

partners,
quads, homogeneous, heterogeneous?
Whole group and partners
Standards: List the state standards that you are using in this unit/lesson.
SS7H2 The student will analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia (Middle
East) leading to the 21st century.
d. Explain U.S. presence and interest in Southwest Asia; include the Persian Gulf
conflict and invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Objectives: SWBAT compare and contrast the Salem witch trials to the
events leading up to, and during, the United States invasions of Iraq and
Afghanistan in the early 21 century.
Materials: Copies of Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem,
notecards, PowerPoint capabilities, internet capabilities, and a dry erase
board.
Overview: What is the purpose of the lesson?
The purpose of this lesson is for students to find similarities in the mass
hysteria of the Salem witch trials and the hysteria that grasped the United
States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in regards to Muslims, and Muslim
Americans. Students will understand how that fear fueled the deaths of
twenty people in Salem Massachusetts and the invasions of Iraq and
Afghanistan.
What will I differentiate? Content Process Product
The content for this lesson will be differentiated by utilizing previous lexile
and reading level assessments to assist in selecting paired readings and
ability grouping.
The process will be differentiated by grouping students as whole class and
small groups during different periods of the instruction process. Students will
participate in whole group and paired conversations, as well, as paired
readings. These paired reading will be comprised of stronger reader with a
weaker. Materials will be presented in a written, visual, and auditory manner.
Students with hearing or visual impairments will be seated closer to
instruction, and may need direct explicit instruction. Any ELA students will

be provided with a corresponding vocabulary and pronunciation sheet that

corresponds to the article, and will be paired with a native speaker during
paired readings.
The product will be differentiated by administering differing levels of written
prompts during the written formative assignment at the conclusion of the
lesson. The summative assignment at the end of the unit will have differing
options as to the student displaying his or her knowledge of the subject (i.e.
written, oral , visual)
How will I differentiate? For readiness interest learning profile
affect/learning environment combination
This lesson will be differentiated by utilizing paired reading. This will entail a
stronger reader to be paired with a weaker. These students will also
collaborate as they pick out what they believe to be key points, words,
themes, etc.
As a result of this lesson/unit students will
Understand ((big ideas, principles, generalizations, rules, the point of the discipline or
topic within
the discipline)
Students will understand the similarities and differences of the hysteria surrounding the
Salem witch trials and that of post 9/11 America. Students will understand how that fear
fueled the deaths of twenty people in Salem Massachusetts and the invasions of Iraq and
Afghanistan. Students will understand how witches and terrorists were considered to be
anyone, and that helped foster a feeling of fear. Lastly, students will understand the power
that hysteria can have and the impact it can have on history.
Know (facts, vocabulary, howtos, information that is memorziable)

Students will know the key figures, dates, and events of the Salem witch
trials. Students will understand terms such as: invasion, terrorism, terrorists,
Al Qaeda, hysteria, Muslims, Islam, Christianity, Puritans, exorcism, and
persecution. Students will know key figures such as: George W. Bush,
Osama Bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein. Students will know the geographical
locations of Salem, Massachusetts; New York City, Iraq, Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba; and Afghanistan.
Do (Skills) (thinking skills, skills of the disciplineskills you will assess)
The students will be able to find similarities and differences between the
Salem witch trials and the events leading up to the United States invasion of
Iraq and Afghanistan. Students will be able to make inferences, form
opinions, and be able to articulate their views on these subjects.
PreAssessment (How will you find out about where your students are at for this
lesson? What will
your preassessment look like?)
The pre-assessment will consist of a questionnaire with questions regarding the events and
times of Salem witch trials and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The questions will be
multiple choice and open-ended as to allow the student to write any knowledge they may
have of the subject.

Steps in the Lesson: Include ideas for wholeclass instructions, if any; differentiated

activities;
sharing, etc.
The lesson will begin with an activity. Each student will receive a note card. They will take
care not to show it to anyone else, and carefully note whether it has a dot or is blank. There
are fewer dots than non-dots, but students will not be informed of the exact numbers.
Students will form as large a group of non-dot students as possible. The largest group of
non-dots will win points. The whole group will lose if even one dot made it into the
group. Dot students will receive points for each person they are able to fool. Since
everyone in the class will deny being a dot, students must look for people who, by any
indication, seem suspicious. If a student suspects someone of being a dot they should tell
the instructor who will mark that student with a sticky not on their shoulder (10-15 minutes)
Students will then come together as a class and discuss what they witnessed. Prompts will
be given to stimulate conversation such as: How did you feel when you discovered you were
not a dot? What methods did you use to determine who was a dot? How did you feel when
you discovered you were a dot? How did you convince others that you were not a dot? For
those accused of being a dot, how did it feel? Was it harder to be accepted into a group
once you had been tagged? Given that there was no way to know for sure who was a dot,
why did you try so hard to convince others that certain class members were dots? What
emotions fueled this activity? (5-10 minutes)
Students will then be presented with then be shown a PowerPoint that depicts the accounts
of the Salem witch trials and also the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Students will be instructed on
how mass hysteria and fear played a role in both events in history. (5-10 minutes)
Students will then be introduced to the text, Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in
Salem and will independently, or in pairs, read at least the first chapter. (10-15 minutes)
Closure Activity/Wrap up: This may be in the form of independent practice, a
chance to share, or
explicit restatement of the goals of the lesson.
Following the reading, students are to return to their seats and answer an open ended
question and turn it in before they leave. The prompt will read, How might the Salem witch
trials be similar to events after 9/11? (5-10 minutes)

PostAssessment: How will you use this data to inform your next learning experience?
The need, or lack thereof, to revisit key facts could be based off of these
formative assessments. This assessment will gauge whether or not he
students can infer the similarities of these two events in history or if more
direct instruction is needed to make that connections.
Additional Resources: Any websites or materials that you used?
None