Introduction
Hello all,
We are going to start reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in class! Before we begin engaging with the text, you are going to complete this WebQuest to gain a better understanding of the historical context in which the novel is set. The information in this WebQuest is essential in understanding the social climate in the South in the 1930s, the time and place in which the novel is set.
While some of you may have prior knowledge of the Great Depression and other information provided in this WebQuest, know that others might be learning this information for the first time. Utilizing prior knowledge is an essential component of a reader's comprehension, so ALL students need to understand the information in this WebQuest in order to better understand character motivation and action, author point of view, themes, and the overall message of To Kill a Mockingbird.
This WebQuest will be completed in class, and you will be working in groups as you navigate the provided information.
Good luck and happy exploring!
Mrs. VanEngen
Task
You will be working on this WebQuest in groups. Each group will get together, work through the WebQuest, and discuss what they learned after completing their particular task. Then, groups will prepare a brief presentation (5-10 slides) over their assigned topic. Groups will present in class to their peers.
Again, the information provided in this WebQuest is essential in understanding the novel. Group presentations ensure that every student is accountable to their classmates for presenting accurate and detailed information so everyone can learn.
ASSIGNMENT DETAILS
Step One: Read your group responsibilities & research questions.
Step Two: Visit the provided websites and consider the information within each source. Provided websites will give your articles and videos to explore. Look for information that responds to your group's research questions. You can research information on your own, if/when it is necessary or relevant to enhancing your peers' understanding of your topic.
Step Three: Take notes over the information you are learning in your English Notebook. Notes DO NOT need to be in complete sentences, but enough information should be recorded to show understanding and aid in the creation of your group's presentation
Step Four: Design a Presentation (Google Slides, PowerPoint, or Prezi) that presents key takeaways based on your research and responses to the research questions:
- The Presentation must be at least five but no more than 10 slides long.
- Slides should provide information in an organized and clear manner. Information should be provided in short sentences/phrases (You should not just read the slides when presenting)
- Classmates will be taking notes over the information you provide. Indicate "need to know" information in your presentation based on your research
- Ensure that your presentation is neat, free from spelling/grammar errors, aesthetically pleasing, and showcases a deep understanding of the topic.
Step Five: Submit the presentation within the assignment posting on our Google Classroom page. Only one group member needed to submit the presentation, but all group members' names need to be provided within the presentation
Process
GROUP ONE: JIM CROW LAWS
Your job is to become an expert on the history of Jim Crow laws in America. Using the provided resources, answer the questions provided to you. If necessary, you can research beyond the provided resources to respond to the prompts. Be sure to take notes as you research, and remember that you will be teaching your classmates everything you learn about Jim Crow Laws in your presentation.
2. Jim Crow Laws and Racial Segregation in America
QUESTIONS:
1. Where did the term "Jim Crow" come from?
2. What did Jim Crow Laws establish? Explain the irony of the phrase "separate but equal" as Jim Crow laws were established in the South.
3. What ended Reconstruction in the South? What effect did this have?
4. How did Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) uphold Jim Crow laws? What effect did this case have on the lives (transportation, education, social implications, etc.) of southern African Americans?
5. Legally, African Americans had the right to vote. How was their right to suffrage compromised through Jim Crow laws? List a minimum of three ways their right was compromised.
GROUP TWO: THE GREAT DEPRESSION
Your job is to become an expert on the Great Depression. Using the provided resources, answer the questions provided to you. If necessary, you can research beyond the provided resources to respond to the prompts. Be sure to take notes as you research, and remember that you will be teaching your classmates everything you learn about the Great Depression in your presentation.
2. Images of the Great Depression
4. The Great Depression: Crash Course
QUESTIONS:
1. What is "Black Tuesday"? When was this day, and what happened on this day? Why does it mark the beginning of the Great Depression?
2. Who was the President at the start of the Great Depression? How did he respond to the Great Depression? Provide at least two terms that came into existence due to this president's response.
3. What president was inaugurated in 1933? What changes were implemented by this president and his administration?
4. What was the New Deal? What was the most successful program to come out of the New Deal? How did New Deal programs affect Americans?
5. What was the Dust Bowl? What was its effect on agriculture and the economy?
6. What "ended" the Great Depression? How is this event "responsible" for ending the Great Depression (i.e. how did it affect our economy?)?
7. Make an inference about how the Great Depression will impact the characters and setting of To Kill a Mockingbird. What will the community look like? How will different characters interact (think social classes: lawyers v. farmers; doctors v. unemployed; white community members v. African American community members; etc.)?
GROUP THREE: BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION
Your job is to become an expert on the legal case Brown v. Board of Education. Using the provided resources, answer the questions provided to you. If necessary, you can research beyond the provided resources to respond to the prompts. Be sure to take notes as you research, and remember that you will be teaching your classmates everything you learn about Brown v. Board of Education in your presentation.
1. Brown v. Board of Education
2. Brown v. Board of Education Explained (Video)
3. Brown v. Board of Education
4. Brown v. Board of Education
QUESTIONS:
1. Briefly describe the two groups that were opposing each other in this legal case.
2. What other legal cases related to and/or led up to the Brown v. Board of Education case?
3. What was the main issue being argued in the case? Make sure you describe it in enough detail that your peers can understand the case.
4. What was the final decision in the case, and how was it enacted?
5. How did this case change the historical pattern of education in America? How did the public respond to the ruling? What changes in daily life did this ruling have (consider ALL populations)?
GROUP FOUR: GROWING UP IN THE 1930S
Your job is to become an expert on what it was like to grow up in the South during the 1930s (this is when our child narrator, Scout, will be growing up!). Using the provided resources, answer the questions provided to you. If necessary, you can research beyond the provided resources to respond to the prompts. Be sure to take notes as you research, and remember that you will be teaching your classmates everything you learn about growing up in the South during the 1930s in your presentation.
1. A Child's Life in the 1930s Compared to Today
2. Looking Back: Growing up as a Child of the Great Depression
3. Growing up in the Great Depression
QUESTIONS:
1. What were living conditions like for families (homes, clothing, food, cleanliness, etc.)?
2. What were the psychological effects of the Great Depression on families? Who was psychologically affected most, men or women? Why?
3. How would segregation affect interactions among youth? Think of Scout, our narrator in To Kill a Mockingbird. What types of people will Scout mostly interact with? How will that change how she sees her community and/or the world?
GROUP FIVE: THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS
Your job is to become an expert on The Scottsboro Boys and their legal proceedings. Using the provided resources, answer the questions provided to you. If necessary, you can research beyond the provided resources to respond to the prompts. Be sure to take notes as you research, and remember that you will be teaching your classmates everything you learn about The Scottsboro Boys in your presentation.
2. The Scottsboro Boys (Video)
QUESTIONS:
1. Who are the "Scottsboro Boys"? How old were they? Be specific!
2. What were the Scottsboro Boys accused of? By whom? When were they accused of this?
3. Explain the legal proceedings for the Scottsboro Boys. What was the penalty for the verdict found against the boys? What is the significance of this verdict? Make sure you describe it in enough detail that your peers can understand the case.
4. What outside organizations supported the Scottsboro Boys? Why did these organizations feel they needed to step in?
5. What did the legal proceedings of the Scottsboro Boys reveal about the justice system in America in the 1930s?
6. What ended up happening to the Scottsboro Boys?
Evaluation
Group WebQuest Research + Presentation Rubric:
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8-10 points |
5-7 points |
2-4 points |
0-1 points |
|
|
Process |
Student actively participates in small group discussion and stays on topic throughout work time. Student is prepared and has materials to participate. Student is familiar with content. |
Student actively participates in small group discussion and mostly stays on topic. Student is prepared and has most materials to participate. Student is mostly familiar with content. |
Student is somewhat active in small group discussion and has trouble staying on topic. Student is somewhat prepared, missing some materials, and struggles to find information to help group. |
Student barely participates in small group discussion. Student is often off task during work time. Student is missing materials needed to help group and is not familiar with the content. |
|
Product |
Presentation is visually appealing with edits made by each group member. Each slide is easy to read with relevant text and images. Student is able to present information without reading directly from slides. |
Presentation is visually appealing with edits made by most group members. Most slides are easy to read with relevant text and images. Student is mostly able to present information without reading directly from slides. |
Presentation is somewhat visually appealing with edits made by most group members. Slides aren’t consistently easy to read and there is some irrelevant information. Students spend a lot of time reading from the slides. |
Presentation is incomplete or completed by only one group member. Slides cannot easily be read and most information is incorrect or irrelevant. Students are unable to present without reading from slides. |
|
Audience |
Student actively listens and takes notes during other group presentations. Student is focused and on topic during all presentations. |
Student is on task and focused for the majority of presentations. Notes are taken, but not thorough. |
Student is distracted during some of the other groups’ presentations. Some notes are taken, but they are incomplete. |
Student is distracted for the majority of other presentations. Student is unfocused and does not take notes. |
This assignment is worth a total of 30 points.
Conclusion
You have now learned SO MUCH about the historical context that will impact characters and events throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. Fill out the Google Form (LINKED HERE) as a reflection over your learning, group work, and overall engagement throughout this WebQuest