Ben brought in his homework. He answered correctly, albeit succinctly, and he used representational images to respond to two of the questions. While creative and resourceful, I clarified expectations that his responses be expressed in complete sentences; the pictures can be added to further illustrate the points he wishes to make.

We reviewed the mounting hysteria developing amongst the townspeople of Salem and how it is represented in Act II. Ben was prompted to discuss the change in the balance of power amongst the characters introduced in the act and discuss the reasons why the changes evolved. Homework was given, and expectations clarified. It was also emailed to Ben's mom. She's asked that HW also be sent to the attention of Ben's dad and Ben in the future. I let his other teachers know via email.

We reviewed the major theme in Miller's 'The Crucible,' and explored the reasons why a wave of accusations of witchcraft swept through Salem in 1692. Ben commented that accusing others is a way to direct attention away from oneself, and Ben was prompted to make predictions of who might be hung based on what we know thus far about the character's personalities and dynamics. We continued to read in Act II and learned that 39 women stand to be hung unless they confess. Ben remembered that even a cat was hung.

We discussed the character development in Act II examining the relationship between John Proctor and his wife, Elizabeth, as it develops throughout the scene. They are amazed to learn that nearly 40 people have been arrested for witchcraft based on the accusations of Abigail and other girls. John Proctor knows the allegations to be untrue but is unsure how to confess without revealing details of his affair with Abigail; however, Elizabeth senses his deception based on an omission that comes out during a conversation between the two. We analyzed the interplay between these two major characters as it develops in the play and how Miler uses language and literary devices to capture the essence of their relationship.

We had a productive session discussing the end of Act I, which Ben read for homework. Ben's comprehension was assessed through a series of queries, which Ben answered effectively, citing examples from the book to justify his responses. We also reviewed Ben's homework assignment, which he completed on time. He answered the question succinctly - but was able to elaborate on it when further questioned. We also researched and examined what inspired Miller to write The Crucible during the height of McCarthyism, and how Miller used the Salem witch trials as a metaphor for McCarthy's communist "witch hunt." We examined Miller's own brush with McCarthyism as he was accused by Senator McCarthy of being a communist sympathizer. Ben made an excellent and insightful connection to topical events and sentiments of today, referencing liberals and conservatives and their views on same sex marriages and homosexuality. It was a candid and relevant reference. I appreciate that Ben shares his opinions and insights so freely in our discussions in class.

We reviewed expectations concerning Ben's homework and I wrote his assignment in his assignment pad. As there was little room in which to write, I gave him an index card and he put it in the plastic insert. We continued to read and Ben commented insightfully on the mounting hysteria depicted between the characters in Act one and how it reflected on the climate in Salem MA at the time.

Ben researched the book by Phillipa Soo entitled, 'Piper Chen Sings'. She is the Grammy winner and Tony-nominated actress from 'Hamilton.' We are participating in a school-wide and global movement to raise awareness around the critical importance of early literacy. The book is a multicultural book that teaches children how to handle their feelings of inadequacy and build confidence. It additionally also shows family relationships and sharing traditions. Ben connected the story to his personal experience appearing in a play when he attended a primary school in Delray/Boca Raton - when he played a blade of grass in a performance of 'The Lion King.' We laughed at his explanation of his role. We related his performance to the book's story line and Ben then looked up 5 Mandarin words in the book - their definitions, and pronunciations, and we wrote them phonetically on an index card. Ben is being encouraged to attend and participate the lunchroom activity planned for this Thursday, 10/24.

We identified different literary devices used by Arthur Miler in selected excerpts from Act 1 and was prompted to write down his responses when identifying them. He requested and was afforded supports as needed. We closed out today's session by watching the beginning of Act ! of the play which reinforced prior knowledge about the characters.

We reviewed the character of Abigail Williams, who seems to figure prominently in the play. Ben contributed his opinions about Abigail and was able to cite references and examples in the book about her moral character. Ben participated in guided reading as we near the end of Act 1. Ben noted that there is a lot of animosity between characters based on greed and envy. We discussed how these elements contribute to growing the hysteria that begins to mutate amongst the people of Salem. Subject specific vocabulary included the word "inequity" which which was relevant to our study of the climate in Salem Massachusetts as it pertains to grossly unfair or immoral behavior. Ben demonstrated effective inferential reasoning skills based on his responses to character analysis inquiries.

Ben enthusiastically shared how he spent the time we were off school for the preparation and recovery of the hurricane. He excitedly showed me the computer keyboard he built and explained its components. We then reactivated prior knowledge about the characters in Act 1 of 'The Crucible' and Ben benefitted from the review. He then showed me a new font called bionic font. I asked Ben if he could apply it as we read the Crucible and we are looking into it as it will facilitate his ability to engage in reading exercises. Ben successfully downloaded a copy of 'The Crucible' and shared it with me via Outlook email.