Elizabethan World | Create WebQuest

Introduction

You are about to journey back in time to Elizabethan England (1558-1603). You will become a member of that society--perhaps you will be royalty or maybe just a peasant. You may be an unknown citizen or Queen Elizabeth herself. In order to "live" in another time period, you and your group must learn about the daily life in those times. You will be especially interested in an accomplished young playwright named William Shakespeare and his newly opened Globe Theater. Come, your journey begins...

Task

The Task

You and a partner will be assigned a topic with two roles. Two partners will form a group for research and editing help. You will find that by investigating one topic from two different perspectives that you will have a better understanding of the people, places and events of Elizabethan times.

The Topics and Roles

Topic 1: design of the Globe Theater: possible sub topics -- parts of the Globe Theater (platform, tiring house, pit (yard), galleries, trapdoor, heavens, Lord's Room, balcony, inner stage, tiring house, hut), personal facts about Richard Burbage, groundlings

Roles: groundling or Richard Burbage (one of the owners of the Globe Theater)

Topic 2: Shakespeare as a playwright and actor: possible sub topics -- personal facts about Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth's support of the arts, Shakespeare's acting, play writing, involvement in the Globe Theater

Roles: Shakespeare or Queen Elizabeth

Topic 3: everyday life: possible sub topics -- medicine, education, housing, transportation, food (or other topics of your choice)

Roles: commoner or nobleman

Topic 4: attending a performance at the Globe Theater -- possible sub topics: activities in the yard, raising of the flag, props and scenery, admission, intermissions, women in the theater

Roles: groundling or nobleman

Topic 5: everyday life -- possible sub topics: occupations, amusements, sports, hairstyles/clothing, superstitions (or other topics of your choice)

Roles: man or woman

Topic 6: Shakespeare's life -- possible sub topics: boyhood, education, marriage, children, occupations outside of drama, appearance

Roles: John Shakespeare (William's father) or Anne Hathaway (William's wife)

Topic 7: everyday life -- possible sub topics: education, family life, amusements, hairstyles/clothing, punishments (or other topics of your choice)

Roles: adult or child

Process

Instructions

Step 1 - Before you begin your research, if you are not a well known person like Queen Elizabeth, give yourself an Elizabethan name. Then create other personal details about yourself, like your occupation and appearance, based on your research of the Elizabethan era. Remember the "facts" you create should be as authentic as possible. NOTE: If you are a famous person, then you cannot "create" facts. Record this information, your name, on your first electronic note card. By keeping the note card page open, you can easily cut and paste or summarize information onto the note card.

Step 2 - So that your understanding of life in Shakespeare's time will be complete, you will need to find information on several of the suggested sub topics. Remember to work cooperatively with your partner. You may want to divide the list of sub topics or each search different sources for the same sub topics. NOTE: Don't confuse the topic with the role you are assuming. Gather just enough information about yourself so that you sound like a real 16th century person writing a journal about your assigned topic.

Step 3 - Create at least FOUR electronic note cards with SIXTEEN facts. Continue to complete cards by filling in information in the designated spaces. For example, if you have been assigned Topic 3 and have found information on the Plague, you would place those facts under the subject heading of MEDICINE. Be sure to record the sources you used as you record your information. Following the MLA style of documentation as you do your note cards will greatly facilitate the task of listing your sources on the Works Cited page that will follow your historical journal. NOTE: It may be best to print your electronic note cards before you begin writing your journal so that you can refer to the information as you write your narrative.

Step 4 - Once you have gathered information on your topic, write a personal journal entry that is at least one page in length including AT LEAST five facts from your research. For each "borrowed" piece of information you must include an in-text note following the MLA style of documentation. Remember to use quotation marks if the information is taken directly from a source. Your journal page should reflect the role you are playing and will be naturally biased. For example, women may very well have resented being excluded from the theater. Perhaps the woman you have "become" for this project will complain bitterly about this in her journal. Either include your fictitious name in the journal or sign it at the end. Your journal should be a personal interpretation of historical facts.

Extend your learning, find clip art or graphics from the Internet that will enhance your journal on Zunal You could also prepare a short quiz to challenge the class's memory of specific details after they listen to your journal being read. If you have "extra" facts that you didn't include in your journal, make a "Fun Facts About Elizabethan England" PowerPoint.

Your journey ends... After we share our historical journals, we will read Romeo and Juliet with a better understanding of the times in which Shakespeare wrote his finest plays.

Step 5 – Post your information on your webquest by creating informative pages so your class can read the work and come to understand the Elizabethan Age, which we help prepare for our study of Romeo and Juliet.

Evaluation

Grading Rubric for the Journal

1=Weak 2=Somewhat Weak 3=Average 4= Strong 5=Very Strong

1. The topic of the journal entry meets the requirements of the assignment.