Exploring Literature: A Twelfth Grader's Guide

This webquest is designed to help you, oh twelfth grader, have a solid range of understanding when it comes to literature from around the world. Specifically, we will be looking at American, British, and Russian/Norwegian (World) selections. 

What makes an author from one part of the world different than another, if anything at all? What types of stories are told based on the culture of origination? What timeless themes of love, acceptance, betrayal, and power transcend geographical boundaries and can be found in books from all over? 

Once you have completed this webquest, you should be able to answer these questions as well as have a clear idea about what types of texts you would like to be reading this year.

Your task is to follow instructions through a series of web pages and to complete the corresponding activities.

First, you will read and analyze informational texts about each type of literature: American, British, and World. Second, you will review several books/plays and watch corresponding video clips. Third, you will compile lists of information about these pre-selected pieces as well as others you've explored. Last, you will write a paragraph on each type of literature based on the research and writings you've completed. 


Please go to "Process" in order to begin. 

Part I. 

1. Go to http://tinyurl.com/n7rooul

2. Here you will find an "American Literature Timeline". Print this document and go through the nine periods. Highlight any of the book titles you are already familiar with. We will come back to this paper so don't lose it. 

3. Go to Timeline and Characteristics of British Literature from Javier Aguirre

4. Copy the content on each slide and paste it into a blank word document. Re-format the contents so that they fit into four pages or less. Make sure to include all of the author's information. Print this out. We will need this later. Do not lose it. 

5. Go to http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/

6. Here you will find an interactive list of some of the greatest pieces of literature around the world. Choose two to click on and explore. You will find historical and geographical information about the text as well as text samplings, key terms, video, and more. Spend about 10-15 minutes on each. In a separate word document, type the names of each of the pieces you explored. Include eight facts and/or interesting points on each of the pieces, making sure to cite where you found the information. Save this to your student folder, print the document, and keep it with your other materials. 

Part II. 

Go to http://padlet.com/wall/bww0qo7jcv 

Here, you will find instructions for the next part of your quest. You will read the instructions on the left side of the page and use the links on the Padlet wall to complete this portion of the task. When you have completed the instructions from the Padlet wall, return to this webquest and continue to Part III. 

Part III. 

Visit each of these web links below where you will find a list of popular works of American, British, and World literature.

Using the same process as in Part II, you will choose two additional works from each genre and answer the same questions. You may sift through each list for the works that seem most interesting to you. Be sure to answer all of the questions that you answered in Part II in your writing journals. 

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/american-literature

http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/british-literature

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/world-literature

Part IV. (Evaluation)

Using the information from the documents in Part I and the information gathered in your writing journals from Parts II and III, write one paragraph each on the most common characteristics of American, British, and World literature.

What did the books you researched in each genre have in common with one another? What themes or attitudes do they share? What do the authors have in common? What type of audience are they reaching? Et cetera.

Use the information from Part I to guide you in what to look for. Please highlight and make notes on the documents along with working in your writing journals. You will need to cite examples from these documents in your paragraphs. These notes as well as your writing journals will be collected. 

By the end of this assignment, you will turn in the following:

- All documents from Part I showing notations, highlights, etc. 
- Writing journal with completed Parts II and III 
- Writing journal with one paragraph each on the common characteristics of America, British, and World literature. 

You will be graded as follows:

Congratulations, you have completed your twelfth grade literature exploration. 

Please turn in all requested materials to your teacher and be prepared to start reading some of these texts very soon. 

References

Aguirre, J. (n.d.). Timeline and Characteristics of British Literature. Timeline and Characteristics of British Literature. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://www.slideshare.net/jeaguirre/timeline-and-characteristics-of-bri…

American Literature Timeline. (n.d.). Pope High School . Retrieved April 7, 2014, from http://www.cobbk12.org/pope/Academics/EOCT%20Review/EOCT%20American%20L…

Creating and Sharing WebQuests is Easy.. (n.d.). Create WebQuest. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from https://www.createwebquest.com/

Doyle, D. (2014, April 6). Exploring Literature: A Twelfth Grader's Guide. Exploring Literature. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from http://padlet.com/wall/bww0qo7jcv

English Language Arts Standards Â- Reading: Literature » Grade 11-12. (n.d.). CoreStandards.org. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/

Invitation to World Literature. (n.d.). Invitation to World Literature. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/

Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia. (n.d.). Goodreads. Retrieved April 5, 2014, from http://www.goodreads.com/