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Teacher Page
A WebQuest for 9th-12th Grade Language Arts
Designed by
Susie Krzywicki
and
Jennifer Rody
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Introduction |
Learners |
Standards |
Process |
Resources |
Evaluation |
Conclusion
| Credits | Student Page
Introduction
This lesson was developed in partial
fulfillment of a Technology in the Classroom course at the College of Saint
Mary, in Omaha, Nebraska. The lesson is directed towards secondary
language arts students.
This lesson integrates using Greek
Mythology with Greek History. In it, the students learn about both and
then do a creative project by combining their knowledge of both.
Learners
This lesson is anchored in 9th-12th grade
language arts and involves also history. This lesson can best be put
into practice in a world literature or world history course. The
lesson can also be extended to middle school students who are studying Greek
Mythology or World history.
Learners should have a knowledge on basic
Greek Mythology before this lesson. Also, learners should be aware of
a variety of different customs that other cultures practice.
Nebraska
State Reading/Writing Standards
Addressed
12.1.2
By the end of the twelfth grade, students will locate, evaluate, and
use primary and secondary resources for research.
12.2.4 By the end of the twelfth grade, students will use multiple forms to
write for different audiences and purposes.
12.2.5
By the end of twelfth grade, students will demonstrate the ability to
use self-generated questions, note taking, summarizing, and outlining while
learning.
Other Curriculum
Standards Addressed
In addition to the traditional subject area
learning, the students will be encouraged to link mythology to history.
This lesson will also encourage teamwork and compromise when students are
working together, and it will also encourage creative production because
students are creating a product from their knowledge which doesn't directly
relate to Mythology or History.
Process
- First, you will be assigned to a team of 4 Party Planners
- Once you have chosen which role you will play, visit the websites
provided below for party inspiration
- You may also use books to collect information for your party.
You will need to properly site your resources, however.
- Meet with your team to discuss your findings and decide upon
individual assignments.
- Create an invitation either by hand-drawing it, or by using the
computer. The invitation should include appropriate party
information (ie: date, time, place, etc) and be visually appealing (ie:
use color and have some sort of picture or decoration).
- Create an action plan for the party. This should include a menu,
guest list, seating arrangement, and entertainment.
- Write your story or skit over the evening. What happened at the
dinner party? If you are performing a short skit, be sure to sign up
before the due date.
- Compile all of your evening's mementos and place them into a folder to
turn in.
This lesson should take one class period to teach. In the first
class period, the teacher should introduce the lesson by discussing various
Greek Myths and customs that the students know about. The teacher
should then demonstrate for the students by way of projector how to navigate
around the WebQuest.
The teacher can either allot time in-class for the students to complete
the WebQuest or assign it as a project for the groups to complete outside of
class. It would be appropriate for the project to be due one week
after assigning it.
Since the students will be divided into groups of 4, it will be important
to discuss the different roles, but also, point out that no one student is
in charge of anything alone. Everyone is involved in deciding upon the
final product.
A stumbling block that a teacher would run into would be class time
if the groups all decide upon performing their dinner party. It would
be wise to suggest the students videotape themselves doing their reenactment
of the dinner. This way, the students can have props and costumes
easily and if a student is ill, the group can still show their performance.
This lesson is suitable for a teacher with any amount of experience.
No special skills are needed to teach this lesson other than a knowledge of
computers and the Internet.
Variations
If this lesson were carried out in-class, it would be
appropriate to assign groups different times to meet together after
individual research. Possibly on the first day, the students can
simply assign roles. From this point, it would be up to the students
to find time to research on what their roles dictate. After gathering
their research on whatever area the students were assigned to, the groups
can meet together, in-class, to organize their findings and create their
final products.
If this lesson were conducted inside of a computer lab,
however, the students could all meet together as they carry out their
individual research. They will be more likely to learn about all
aspects this way because they can help each other out by researching all
aspects of their projects (food, mythological stories, characteristics of
the different gods/goddesses, etc). After gathering all of the
necessary information, the students would continue in the same manner as the
in-class method.
Resources Needed
- Access to the Internet
- Access to a camcorder (if students choose
to act-out their scene).
- Access to a TV and VCR (if students choose
to act-out their scene).
- A projector to hook up to the computer, or
a video card for the computer (and TV) to demonstrate the WebQuest for the
students as a class (if computer lab isn't available).
- Only one teacher is necessary for this
lesson, but a media specialist would be helpful to assist students in
finding other resources to complete their projects.
The Links provided to the students are:
Evaluation
If this lesson was successful, the students will show an enthusiasm for
presenting their final products. Also, if the students receive most of
the points available on the rubric seen below, it's a good sign that the
lesson was successful.
Each student will be graded based upon the group's performance. However,
if there is any student who is not putting in his or her fair share of work,
that student will be dealt with on an individual basis.
See the rubric for precise grading information:
|
Element |
Requirements |
Points
Possible |
Points Earned |
| Invitation |
1. Is read-able
2. Contains all info (To, From, Date, Time, Place, Reason)
3. Color is used and/or invitation contains a picture |
10 |
|
| Action Plan |
1. Is typed
2. Is easy to follow (sections are separated by headings)
3. Contains guest list with at least 6 gods and/or goddesses.
4. Contains a seating chart
5. Contains an appropriate menu
6. Contains evening entertainment
7. All aspects are relevant to Greek Mythology and History |
20 |
|
| Story/Script |
1. Is typed
2. Contains a conversation of the gods/goddesses.
3. If this is a written story, 4-6 pages
4. If this is performed, 3-5 minutes |
20 |
|
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Total Points |
50 |
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Conclusion
This lesson is definitely worthy of being taught to students of
Mythology. Many teachers will discuss the gods and goddesses, but
never make the connection between how Mythology and history are
interrelated. The teacher can also use this lesson as a springboard
into more in-depth discussion over Mythology, or even as in introduction as
to how Myths are used to explain why things are the way they are (ex: why
are there different seasons? -Story of Persephone).
Credits &
References
Standards taken from
Nebraska State Reading/Writing Standards Page
Template for WebQuest taken from
The WebQuest Page
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Email
Susie