WebQuests Based on Literature

What follows is a preliminary analysis of existing WebQuests that are built around one or more examples of literature. I've identified a number of design patterns that might be used to categorize these WebQuests. By abstracting what each group has in common, we'll be able to suggest ways to build new WebQuests that are similar.

 

Behind the Book

These WebQuests guide students to learn more about the setting and characters in the book.

 

F. Scott Fitzgerald and the 1920s Research and present a plan for a 1920s party including music, food and guest list.
Farewell to Manzanar Deals with issues surrounding Japanese-American internment during WWII
In Search of Stellaluna's Family Learn about bats and write a letter to Stellaluna.
Night Complete five tasks that will increase your knowledge about the complex events of W.W.II and the Holocaust. Builds on Weisel's book Night.
Roll of Thunder: Hear My Cry Write an entry that might be found in Cassie's journal that reflects your understanding of the events and the impact they may have had on the Logan family's life.
The Real Johnny Tremain Read Johnny Tremain and compare the events depicted in the book to actual historical events.
The Salem Sentinel Students, prior to the study of The Crucible, use this to learn about Salem pre-witch trials.
The Watson's Go To Birmingham Document life in the segrated South of 1963.
Their Eyes Were Watching God Create an oral history for a character in the novel.
Sarah, Plain and Tall Align yourself with one of the main characters in the story Sarah, Plain and Tall and create a journal as one of the characters in the story.
Telling the Samurai's Tale While reading "The Samurai's Tale" students research Japanese culture.

Beyond the Book

Use the book as a starting point and go beyond it.

Give Jonas a New Home Create the details of a utopian community to extend the ending to the book The Giver.
Odyssey Theme Park Create a new theme park based on the epic.
Rewriting Romeo and Juliet Rewrite a scene from Romeo and Juliet and create a Theatrical Porfolio.
Rewriting Wuthering Heights Rewrite Wuthering Heights in a new time period.
Updating the Classics Write and videotape an updated version of one of 5 short stories. Review someone else's product.
You Are Famous! You are author Beverly Cleary. At your book signing in three days you will need to present the idea of your next new book and answer questions about the new and old characters it will include.
Genre Analysis Magical Fairytale Moments Analyze fairy tales and write a new one.
Realm of Fairy Tales Analyze existing fairy tales and create a new one. Exemplary scaffolding!
Writing Your Own Fantasy Story Write a critical review of a fantasy story as preparation for creating one yourself.
Literary Analysis Evil in Literature Directs students to realize imagery that Shakespeare uses to portray Macbeth as an evil chararacter.
Heart of Darkness This web quest introduces high school students to five schools of literary criticism, and asks them to apply what they have learned to select passages from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Students should use this web quest after reading and studying Heart of Darkness is a classroom environment.
Literary Judgment Creating an Anthology of Literature Select an author and create an anthology of their work. Persuasive arguments must accompany each selection.
Edgar Allan Poe: Father of Horror Take a creative look at Poe's troubled life and how it shaped his stories of horror.
Great Expectations for a Creative Textbook Design a textbook - an anthology of British literature. Learn about textbook selection as well.
Relating Literature to Life Farenheit 451 Accomplish three tasks that relate themes from the book to historical events.
Studying the Background of Arthur Miller's The Crucible Study various persecutions of people groups throughout history and develop a solution to prevent such persecutions for happening in the future.
The Crucible: Timeless Persecutions Research persecutions in history and then write a play on the subject.

Things Fall Apart

Examine the culture and history behind this African novel and relate it to larger questions.
What's the Worth of a Person? Explores India's caste system, equality, and gender roles with Harper Lee's <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> as background.