Modern Day Witch Hunt Tag Team Seminar

While watching ​The Crucible, ​you have learned a great deal about our 
country’s need for scapegoats over the course of history. When discussing “the 
poetry of the hunt” Miller details a systematic cycle that plagues these periods 
of paranoia. 
 
Review the graphic organizer you used while watching the film. Now, consider 
what groups, specific people, or even objects/ideas are undergoing the same 
systematic cycle of the hunt. In other words, who/what does America view as 
the modern day witch or the modern day witchcraft? 
 
This week, we will be having a Rogerian style debate about our modern day 
“witches.” 
 
STEP ONE​:​ Class submits questions for topic of debate. The class will be split for 
two debates, so two questions will be chosen. 
 
Question Example- “Are new gun laws the best way to stop gun violence in 
schools?” 
 
STEP TWO​:​ You will choose which debate you want to participate in and whether 
you will be arguing the affirmative or the negative. You may not get your first 
choice due to logistics. 
 
STEP THREE​:​ Debate Lesson: What is reasonable, and what is valid? 
 
STEP FOUR​:​ You will conduct research for the debate. You must find 2-4 sources 
that support or refute your position and complete the graphic organizer. 
 
STEP FIVE​: ​Each group will have 25 minutes to debate their issue. 
 
IMPORTANT DATES: 
Tuesday: Choose a topic/side  
Thursday: Sources are due at the start of class 
Thursday: Debate 
 
WARNING: ​There won’t be any guiding questions for this debate. You may use 
your poetry of the hunt graphic organizer, your research graphic organizer, or 
your own questions/ideas to guide discussion. Also, and perhaps more 
importantly, seminar rules do not need to be followed during this debate.