Introduction
Have you ever wondered what a story actually means? Have you ever thought that maybe there is something more that is beneath the surface? You and an elite team will dive into a story and figure out if what you suspect is actually
true! Is there a hidden meaning? Can you find the clues to figure it out? Move on to the next page to hear your mission - should you choose to accept it.
Task
Task: Your Mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find the message hidden in these stories. An elite team has been chosen for you to help you complete this task. You will be watching videos, reading articles, and using the skills of your teammates to determine what hidden message these stories have. You are to investigate the stories and articles, using all the knowledge your team gains during this mission, and expose the theme of these stories. You will create an "exposé" to reveal the theme in Google Slides, using evidence to support your teams' conclusions. Work together as a team to investigate and follow the process on the next page to complete your mission!
Process
You know your mission, but how do you complete it? You have a team, carefully chosen for their skill sets, to work with you on your mission! The task is your final project, but don’t forget the importance of knowing your “enemy” and completing your research before you head out. These steps will help you and your team be fully prepared to jump in to the articles and tackle the theme!
*All the resources you need for this project are listed at the bottom of this page.
Step One:
Each of you has been assigned a job. Make sure you aren’t letting your team down by failing to complete your part of the mission. Read your job description carefully and make sure you understand how you are contributing to the team.
1: The Mastermind: Your job is to keep group members on task, and make sure your group is managing their time well. As the Mastermind, you need to help each member of your group complete their job. This job may look easy, but you need to give assistance to each member of your group! Help your group members complete their jobs and stay on task in order to finish in the allotted time!
2. The Locksmith: Your job is to unlock the secrets of the websites - you need to go to the websites listed and discover how to “break into” the stories and figure out the theme. Your group members will be helping your and working with you.
3. The Code-Breaker: Your job is to determine what information the videos are giving you. You need to watch the video, figure out what important information is hidden inside, and share that information with your team.
4. Secret-Keeper: Your job is to keep track of the information the Locksmith and Code-Breaker are discovering, and organize it on the worksheet. Work with them to determine the information, don’t just sit back and wait for them to share it. This project will need all team members to work together and help each other to succeed!
Step Two:
Using the websites provided, read and view the information on theme (remember your assignments!) and discuss the information as a group.
Step Three:
Create a Google Slides Presentation containing the following information:
A definition for theme (in your own words)
An explanation (bullets or list) of how to determine theme in a story or article
2 examples of theme from popular stories, including evidence for why this is a theme from the story (one must be your own example, not from the resources)
Step 4:
Re-read the two articles provided to your group. One is a story, one is an informative essay. Using the information you learned about theme and how to identify it, determine the theme of each of these articles. Add 1-2 slides to your presentation for each article and include for each article:
-A one-sentence explanation of the theme
-Two pieces of textual evidence supporting this theme
- a short (2-4 sentence) explanation of how you determined this was the theme
Remember, each person needs to contribute to the group - only then will your mission be successful!
Resources:
-
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/04/AR2010040402828.html
-
https://learnzillion.com/lessons/753-find-the-main-idea-of-a-section-of-nonfiction-text
Evaluation
For this WebQuest, you were to create a Google Slides Presentation. The presentation should include your explanation of what a theme is and how to determine it, two examples of themes with support, explaining what the theme of two texts we’ve read this year are, and organizing this all into a smooth presentation. In your Google Slides, choose a theme and stay consistent throughout the presentation. Use color and font to help emphasize key ideas. Organize your information into paragraphs or bullets, whichever is more appropriate. Work together with your group, focusing on your role in the task. Finally, be create and have fun!
|
Score: |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Definition/skill steps for theme |
-An accurate definition is written in the students’ own words -Lists a 3 or more step process to determine the theme of a text |
Includes a definition and steps to determine a theme, but one or both is lacking detail or clarity. |
Includes either a theme or steps to determine one, but the other is missing. |
Both skill steps and theme are missing, or are poorly completed. |
|
Examples of theme |
Slides contain at least two themes from different stories (one not from the resources) Each slide contains evidence from the story to support the theme you have identified |
Includes two themes and evidence to support them, but some requirements are missing (one theme is not found on your own, or the evidence does not support the theme well) |
Includes only one theme with evidence, or two themes but without evidence to support them both. |
Both themes and evidence are missing, or are poorly completed. |
|
Explanation of theme in article and story |
Slides contain an accurate theme determined from the nonfiction article, AND one from the fiction story. Each are supported with evidence. |
Includes two themes and evidence to support them, but some requirements are missing (themes are inaccurate, or the evidence does not support the theme well) |
Includes only one theme with evidence, or two themes but without evidence to support them both. |
Both themes and evidence are missing, or are poorly completed. |
|
Organization of Slides |
Slides are well-organized - font is not too small and crowded, but each slide has large, readable font that is organized into paragraphs or bullets. Color and images are used to improve our understanding, and not in a distracting manner. |
Slides are well organized, but a few elements are not done well (font is too small, colors or images are distracting) |
Slides are missing organization - the information is not divided into organized pieces, and/or the colors, font, and images distract and do not connect to the content. |
Slides are completed, but with little or no organization. Font is all one size, no color use or division of information. |
|
Group Aspect |
All group members contributed the tasks assigned to their role and supported the other group members with theirs. Each student had a positive, team attitude and was focused on completing the project. |
Group was mostly focused on completing the task - some small distractions or goofing off, but each member did contribute what their role asked of them, and it was fairly well done. |
There was a significant lack of focus, and all group members were not contributing. Some group members had to cover for others who did not complete their tasks (the ones who did not fulfil their role will be penalized). |
There was little group effort into completing the project. It was poorly completed, and/or group members did not focus on completing their job within the group. |
Conclusion
Congratulations, you’ve completed your WebQuest! Now that you know that theme or central idea is what the text is trying to teach us, you can apply this to anything you read. Think of a book or article you have read? What lesson or message was that trying to teach you? In a novel, there are usually several themes, but we can always look for what the author teaches us. This new knowledge will help you transform a simple story into a life lesson. Think about these popular novels… each of these has a lesson relevant to teenagers. What can we learn from these books and what the characters experience?
Divergent
Ender’s Game
Harry Potter
Maze Runner
Credits
I would like to give credit to the following Disney Movies I referenced in this WebQuest:
Beauty and the Beast
The Lion King
Aladdin
I would also like to give credit for the videos that I linked to in this WebQuest:
Jaeger, Julie. "Theme." Online Video Clip. Youtube. October 23, 2013. Web. June 4, 2015
Morris, Emily. “Find the main idea of a section of nonfiction text”. Learnzillion. Web. 28 May 2015.
Sobrinho, Thiago. "Disney Lessons." Online Video Clip. Youtube. November 4, 2013. Web. June 4, 2015
Next, I would like to give credit for the blogs and articles I linked to in this WebQuest:
Hill, Beth. "What is Theme?" The Editor's Blog. October 24, 2010. Web. June 4, 2015.
Letourneau, Sara. "What is Theme, and Why is it Important?" diyMFA. November 17, 2014. Web. June 4, 2015
McLaughlin, Moira E. "Ever Wondered: Who Invented Pizza?" The Washington Post. April 5, 2010. Web. June 4, 2015.
Finally, I would like to give credit to the WebQuest class at Fresno Pacific University for introducing and guiding me through the process of WebQuests.
Teacher Page
This WebQuest was created for a 7th grade English Language Arts class. It meets the following Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.2
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.5
Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
Lesson Plan:
Prior Activities:
Students need to have previous fiction and non-fiction texts read to complete this WebQuest. From their previous units, my students will be referencing the story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" and "Anne Frank: The Girl Who Lived Forever". The links are posted below.
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mongoose/rtt.html
http://scope.scholastic.com/issues/04_01_15/Narrative-Nonfiction
*** Any non-fiction and fiction texts you have used and deem appropriate will work, as there are not specific questions about these texts but students simply need to identify and support the theme/central idea.
Schedule: This WebQuest takes 6 class periods.
Day 1: Introduce students to the concept of a WebQuest (we have not completed a WebQuest in ELA yet). Go through some examples of WebQuests, and explain what each part of the WebQuest is, the purpose of the WebQuest, and the team function. Give students some time to explore WebQuests and ask questions, if you have time.
Day 2: Introduce the current WebQuest to the class, remind them of the process and how each section works. Once students are clear on what they need to do and how to do it, let them work in their predetermined groups.
** This may depend on your level of students how much time you need to spend introducing it. I have a lot of lower-level students, so even though the instructions are all in the WebQuest itself, they may need some direction getting started.
Days 3,4, and 5: These days are work days for the groups. They will work through their task, following the process, and prepare their Slides Presentation.
Day 6: Each group will present their group's findings to the class. There will likely be some similarity between the themes of different groups, but it will be helpful for each group to see the different perspective other groups had.
** I offered extra credit to students who followed up and read a book from the Conclusion page and wrote up an analysis on the theme, supporting their ideas with evidence. This worked well for a Language Arts class.