Task
Overview of India
I have created a fun Web Quest to help us discover all the interesting richness of India’s ancient civilizations and culture. Additionally, I have added some modern links to help enhance our image and understanding of India, its people, its geography, its traditions, and its culture. All of the links needed will be provided in this Web Quest – Interesting India Awaits.
This Web Quest will help you practice your research skills, while deepening your knowledge of India and its place among the great civilizations of the world. Your research notes will be graded. You also will be presenting your topic to the class at a later date for a grade, as well.
Your research should include:
- A broad overview of India (this is found in the section labeled GENERAL INFORMATION)
- A summary of the topic (you must choose 2) you have researched
- Facts you found particularly interesting and why
- How the topics you researched relates to other information you have previously studied. (make connections from prior knowledge to new information that is relevant in the real world)
General Information of India
READ this ENTIRE page before you start your research on the individual topics. MAGNIFICANT INDIA
Click here for a timeline of India’s history. I’ve also included a brief overview of the culture and food of India. Lastly, here are some references on the gods and goddesses of India and Hinduism.
You must research 2 of the topics below:
Topic 1– Symbols of India
Look here for some basic facts about India. Do you know the national animal, flower, emblem of India? Have you ever heard the National Anthem of India? Click here to discover these answers and more. More information on Indian Symbols. What does the Indian flag look like and what does it stand for?
Topic 2 - The Vedas
What are the Vedas? How do they relate to Hinduism? Initially the Vedas consisted of four selections. Choose one of the sections (Rig, Sama, Yajur, or Athana) from this long article to read, and learn about it and Harappan Civilization.
Topic 3 – Indian Fashion
What is India fashion? What are the origins of Indian sarees, makeup and jewelry? What is Mehndi? Click here for some detailed pictures and here to learn more. Do you know what a Bindi is and why women wear it?
Topic 4 – Sports in India
There were many sports in ancient India. Many of this sports date back to the Vedic period and are directly related to the ancient Olympics. Explore here to learn more about sports in India. Look on the left side of this page and research one of the ‘Traditional Games’ like ‘Kabbadi’ or ‘Kho Kho’ that are unfamiliar to Americans. Click here to learn more. Do you know any great Indian Sports figures?
Topic 5 – Mahatma Gandhi
Who is Mahatma Gandhi? Why is Gandhi so well liked and studied? More about Gandhi. Read accounts of his life and accomplishments and look at some pictures. Who are some of India’s other Freedom Fighters?
Topic 6 – Indian Art
Start with a timeline of Indian Art so you can see the pictorial evolution of its paintings, architecture and fine art. Look here to learn about some of the themes in Indian Art and its beginnings in the Harrapan Period. Indians were also very interested in clay art and painting.
Topic 7 – The Caste System
What is the caste system and what are its origins in ancient India? How does the caste system relate to Hinduism and what are some of the myths about the caste system? Lastly, does the caste system have a role in modern India?
Topic 8 – Cities in India – Kolkata
What is the history of the name and why it changed? Where is Kolkata? What are some interesting facts and statistics about this city? What is Kolkata’s or Calcutta’s, as it used to be called, history? Click here to view some pictures of modern Kolkata.
Topic 9 – Cities in India – Mumbai & Bollywood
What is the history of the name and why it changed? Where is Mumbai? What are some interesting facts or statistics about this city that used to be named Bombay? Do people from Mumbai and other cities in towns in India like to go to the cinema? Does the modern Indian Film Industry, or Bollywood, as it is commonly called have its roots in ancient customs like the Natya Shastra?? View pictures of modern Mumbai and read the captions underneath to learn about the culture.
Topic 10 – Literature
Learn about early Indian language. Two of its earliest pieces of literature were the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Topic 11 – Indian Music
What is the origin and history of Indian music? Indian music is influenced by geography. Learn about instruments and characteristics of the music from the north and south of India. Learn about Raga and Tala in Indian music. You can even listen to Indian music while you read if you have headphones.
Topic 12 – Festivals and Holidays of India
Let’s start off with a 2014 Calendar. Learn about the three major national holidays: Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti. Indians also enjoy many cultural festivals. Explore the significance and story behind: Diwali, Holi – more Holi, Navratri, Dusshera & Durga Puja, and Rathyatra.