MarcoGram November 2004 -- Believe It or Not!

Believe It or Not!
After being passed down through the generations, many traditional stories end up a combination of fact and fiction -- and you might not be sure what to believe. This month, the MarcoGram explores the truth about deception and how inaccurate information might cause problems further down the line. Use the activities below to examine what's real and what's imagined, then scroll down for links to more lessons and resources.

"Trial of George Jacobs of Salem for Witchcraft" by T.H. Matteson courtesy of American Memory, Library of Congress (Digital ID: det 4a26640).

1. During the late 1600s, irrational fears of the unknown caused some community members of Salem, Mass., to seek out and persecute those suspected of practicing witchcraft. Since then, the term "witch hunt" has been used to describe a public investigation conducted against persons who maintain viewpoints different from the norm. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible draws a parallel between the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism in the 1950s, a period when Hollywood actors were blacklisted from the industry after being accused of supporting communism.

Before or after reading The Crucible in class, hold an open-forum discussion with your students and ask the following questions: What do you think causes a "witch hunt"? Is it often based on factual or fictional events or a little of both? What might be a good method for stopping a witch hunt from happening? Have you seen any elements of a witch hunt in this year's presidential election or any other news events? Have each student write a short story that describes the emotions of imaginary persons involved in a witch hunt.

Examine the causes and effects of witch hunts in:

"Arthur Miller and The Crucible" (9-12) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller's The Crucible" (9-12) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

Image courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation website (www.fbi.gov/fbikids.htm).

2. After rounds of testing and research, scientists have identified a handful of people who act as human lie detectors. By watching body language and listening carefully to verbal cues, these people seem to be better than others at sniffing out when a person is not telling the truth.

Why is it important for police officers to determine if a person is lying or telling the truth? Is it ever a good idea to tell a lie? In what situations might the truth hurt someone's feelings? Do you think a photograph can tell a lie?

Supply groups of students with lists containing factual and fictional statements -- for example, you could give them a list of true and false statements about the characteristics of wolves, the traditions of Thanksgiving or the capital cities of countries around the world. Ask the students to indicate which statements they think are true and those they think are false. Then have students use primary and secondary resources to find the truth. As a culminating activity, each group can quiz the rest of the class and then present the true answers.

Separate truth from lies in:

"Don't Be Fooled By a Photograph" (6-8) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Lying" (6-12) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving" (6-8) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"The Big Bad Wolf...Is This a Fact?" (6-8) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

3. Oscar Wilde once wrote, "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." Theatrical performers, partygoers and villains often wear masks to disguise themselves. Masks also can be worn for protection, often by doctors, athletes, astronauts and scuba divers.

Why might a person wear a mask? (To hide, to protect, to scare, to make someone laugh) Do you think it is easier to tell the truth if you wear a mask? Why or why not?

Supply students with papier-mache materials and inflated balloons. Fold and affix a small piece of cardboard to the balloon to act as a nose, and have the students use the papier-mache materials to create a mask. Suggest they bunch up strips of material to make cheeks, brows, lips and other facial features and to leave holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. After the masks have dried completely, deflate the balloons, and have students use paint and such trimmings as feathers, beads and sequins to customize their masks. Create a handle by stapling or gluing a paint stick or tongue depressor to the bottom or side of each mask.

Create different types of masks in:

"Nifty Disguises" (K-4) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

4. Although it's illegal, counterfeiting money is big business. Aside from special designs and materials used, the sizes and weights of each bill are also specified as anti-counterfeiting measures. According to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, one currency note weighs one gram, measures 2.61 inches wide by 6.14 inches long and is 0.0043 inches thick. A stack of currency one mile high would contain over 14.5 million notes!

If each currency notes weighs one gram, and there are 454 grams in a pound, how many notes are in five pounds? (2,270) How many currency notes would neatly stack in a suitcase with interior dimensions of 30.7 inches long by 21.5 inches wide by 13.05 inches tall? (125,000)

Provide groups of students with different sized boxes (cardboard, wooden or plastic) to act as their suitcase. Before starting the activity, ask students to guess how many currency notes would fit in their suitcases. Students should use a ruler to determine the dimensions of their suitcase, then determine how many bills would fill the suitcase using the dimensions of a single currency note provided above. If one group with a small suitcase packed it with $1,000 bills and another group with a larger suitcase used $100 bills, which suitcase would be more valuable?

Explore the truth about money in:

"Bill, Are You Bogus?" (3-8) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"Developing Number Sense" (6-8) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics