Introduction
"I like good strong words that mean something," says Jo March in Little Women. The same could be said of that beloved novel's author, Louisa May Alcott, who was born in 1832.
In addition to being a writer, Alcott was a suffragist, abolitionist, and feminist. She grew up in the company of luminaries like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau, who fostered in her a strong sense of civic duty. Alcott volunteered as a nurse during the American Civil War, and her family's home was a station on the Underground Railroad. She was active in the women's suffrage movement and became the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts.
This WebQuest will help you gain a deeper understanding of Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women (1868) as well as of the times in which the book was written.
Upon completion, you should be able to begin the reading task with a deeper understanding and background knowledge about the novel and the author.
Task
The class group will be organized in teams of 4. Each team will have to make a presentation containing reliable and complete information on one of the topics proposed.
The group will present its project work for others to see and hear. The project can be presented in various ways. You may use a slide player, a movie, or choose another interactive tool to present your findings. Use your imagination. Be as creative as you wish.
Your presentation should be planned and organized. Your group should spend time rehearsing for it like you would a performance. Practice your presentations until you feel that all the members of your group know their parts perfectly. Everyone must participate in the final presentation. Send the teacher your final product before presenting to the class.
Each group will be assigned one of the topics below:
- The USA Massachusetts, Novel Geographical Context
- Historical Context American Civil War
- Louise May Alcott bio
- Women and femininity: Character analysis: Jo
- Morality & Protestant Religion
Process
Using the resources provided in the Teacher Page section, look for information about Louise May Alcott's novel.
The following guidelines will help you and your team:
1. Students in the class will work in teams ( 4-6 people ) and each team will be in charge of a different section.
2. Make sure everyone on the team has read the book assigned. You should refer to the novel as you work on the project. Provide at least one example or quote from the text.
3. Read the Task section and divide your work among the team members.
4. You are encouraged to present your work in a creative way. You can use visual aids and other multimedia techniques such as video, PowerPoint presentations, podcasts, websites, or one of the many free interactive tools available on the net: Prezi, thinglink, Genial ly, Powtoon Slides or Raw Short
5. Plan your presentation. Make sure all group members contribute and have an equal amount of speaking parts when presenting.
Evaluation
The team will present their findings to the class by visual means.
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The team presentation will be at least 20 minutes long.
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One member will introduce the topic.
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Each member of the team will speak about their individual work.
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Another member will add the conclusion.
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You may present your work by means of PowerPoint, video, poster work and other multimedia techniques.
Take into consideration the structure and content:
Structure:
- Did the presentation have an effective introduction?
- Were the major points illustrated, explained and summarized?
- Was there an effective transition between the main points?
- Did it have an effective conclusion?
Content:
- Was the content accurate?
- Did the presentation hold the class' interest?
- Were presentation media used effectively?
I will evaluate your final product in groups as well as your behaviour and attitude when working together.
The final product will be a 30% of your mark and behaviour, attitude and participation will account for 20% of your mark. The remaining 50 % will grade your individual work and speaking skills.
Check the team evaluation rubric for your presentation here.
Individual evaluation rubric here
Conclusion
Congratulations!! You have successfully completed your second WebQuest.
After making this WebQuest, you know the contents of the book and you are able to see similarities between a book and a certain period in literature.
With this activity, students learn to summarize and select the information they find on the internet while learning more relevant information about a well-known novel, which will help them understand it better. It will also help them improve their level of English in terms of writing, reading and learning new vocabulary. Another benefit of this activity is the fact that students will be working in groups learning how to cooperate and also, using ICT presentation tools.
You and your fellow researchers are now "experts" on the work of Louisa May Alcott. You have worked independently and as a team to create your presentation board. You will have a chance to learn more about the Victorian Age as they are presented by each team to the class.
Hope you have enjoyed the ride!
Teacher Page