Introduction
Welcome to your Elizabethan Life Webquest for Mrs. Hall's Class!
Before we begin reading the works of Shakespeare, it is important that you have a culture context for his writing. Basically, this means I want you to understand where he was "coming from" when he wrote his plays.
Throughout the next several activities you will be exploring the various aspects of general daily Elizabethan life (the time period in which Shakespeare did his writing). You will then use your previous writing knowledge along with your newly gained knowledge on Elizabethan culture to create a short story which includes details from your Quest - so take good notes!
Think you're ready? Click "Task" below to get started!
Task
1. You will read and view all provided information on the three given aspects of Elizabethan Life
2. As you work through the material, you will take Cornell style notes for each section (to be collected as a daily participation grade)
3. As your final grade for this quest, you will use your notes to write a short story with yourself as the main character, set in Elizabethan England. You will need to use sensory details which you uncovered in your Quest as part of your story - so take your questing seriously! Both your notes and short story will be due at the end of the Quest. Participation grades will be given daily.
Process
Directions: Follow each of the following steps in order to work your way through some of the basic aspects of daily Elizabethan Life.
Step One:
Begin by downloading a copy of the Cornell Notes from here:
http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/cornell-notes-template/
Print three copies of this paper and bring them back to your work desk. You will fill out one of these Cornell Notes as you work thorugh each of the aspects of Eliabethan life outlined below (for a total of three pages of notes, one per section).
Step Two:
So - you think there are some jobs that suck to have now? Just wait until you start working through this information! By the time you're done, you'll know all about many of the most common jobs held by people living in the Elizabethan era....and trust me, some of them are just plain horrifying!
Using your printed Cornel Notes as you go, view the following website and videos regarding Elizabethan Job Types. Please ensure you have your headphones ready for the video before you begin playing it! Your notes should be a reflection of your comprehenion (and ye, I'll be collecting them!)
Website with an alphabetical list and descriptions of some types of jobs from Elizabethan times:
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-occupations-and-jobs.htm
Video detailing types of Elizabethan Jobs according to social status:
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t7Rv3Akbk4 align:center]
Do you have your Cornell Notes done for the Elizabethan Jobs section? Then move on to Step Three!
Step Three:
This section will be a favorite amongst the ladies - fashion! That's right - once you're through with this step, you should be able to tell me all about the types of clothing worn during this era. You'll be a regular Elizabethan Fashionista!
Using your printed Cornell Notes as you go, view the following website and video regarding Elizabethan Fashions. Please ensure you have your headphones ready for the video before you being playing it! Your notes should be a reflection of your comprehension (and yes, I'll be collecting them!)
Here is a website with a huge amount of information about clothing worn during this time period. You must explore this site on your own a bit to get everything out of it! I especially recommend you click on the links in the "Middle Ages: Clothing, Costume, and Fashion" box and read the information there!
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-clothing/
Here is a video with great information on Sumptuary Laws and the types of clothing the various social classes wore. MAKE SURE YOU SKIP TO 1:53 OF THE VIDEO! The first two minutes are giving information on money, which you do not need to concern yourselves with (unless you just really want to know!)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnlg8f7aLi0 align:center]
Are you all finished with your Cornell Notes for the Elizabethan Fashion section? Then you can move on to the next step - number four!
Step Four:
I've saved the best part for last - Elizabethan Food! By the time you have finished this section, you should know all there is to know about the types of food which were common amongst the people living in this era. Make sure to focus on not only the food types, but also what social groups were allowed to eat what! (That's right - some social groups weren't allowed to eat whatever they wanted!).
Using your printed Cornell Notes as you go, view the following websites regarding Elizabethan Foods. Your notes should be a reflection of your comprehension (and yes, I'll be collecting them!) Note that there is a video and multiple websites. Make sure you check them all!
First Website:
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-food.htm
Second Webite:
http://www.walternelson.com/dr/elizabethan-feast
Third Website:
http://www2.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/springfield/eliz/foodanddrink.html
Video showing the kitchen at King Henry VIII's Hampton Court Place (his "small" summer home) - you can watch how food was made!
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwr68gROYM0 align:center]
So - are you a regular Elizabethan Foodie now? Make sure you've got good notes - then move on to the next step!
Step Five:
Now that you know the types of jobs people did, the clothes they wore, and the food they ate, it's time for you to put your information to good use!
Write a short story wherein you are the main character and the setting is Elizabethan England. Use the following Sensory Details graphic organizer to help you. It is important that you use these sensory details in your writing, as this becomes the evidence that you have been able to effectively use the information you discovered during your Quest!
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/30754_sensory.pdf
Evaluation
Your Cornell Notes will be collected and checked throughout the Quest process for a participation grade as well as part of your final story grade.
Here is the rubric which will be used to evaluate your short story:
| Writing a Short Story Students will write a short story that demonstrates their understanding of the stages of plot and the characteristics of a short story. | ||||
| Excellent 5 pts Exceeds standards | Good 3 pts Meets standards | Fair 2 pts Almost Meets standards | Poor 1 pts Fails to meet standards | |
| Sensory Details 15 pts Student uses a variety of sensory details from their WebQuest background to enrich their story. | ExcellentSensory details include a variety of accurate information gleaned from the WebQuest which reflect a myriad of aspects from Elizabethan Life. Examples should include those from jobs, fashion, and food. | GoodSensory details are present from all three areas of Elizabethan life as outlined in the class WebQuest. | FairSensory details from two out of three of the areas of Elizabethan life as outlined in the class WebQuest. | PoorFails to exhibit an adequate usage of sensory details from the Elizabethan Life WebQuest, OR, details are inaccurate. |
| Plot 4 pts Student uses the main events to advance the plot of the story. Plot focuses on something that the character battles | ExcellentPlot is clearly depicted in the story and the story is developed around three key events that lead to a climax and one key event before the resolution. Plot focuses on something that the character(s) battles. | GoodPlot is depicted in the story and the story is developed around key events that lead to a climax and one key event before the resolution. Plot focuses on something that the character(s) battles. | FairPlot is depicted in the story and the story is somewhat developed around a few key events that lead to a climax followed by one key event before the resolution . Plot mentions something that the character(s) battles. | PoorPlot is vague or unclear. The story fails to include key events that lead to a climax and/or one key event before the resolution. Plot fails to include something that the character(s) battles. |
| Resolution 2 pts Student includes a clear resolution to the story. | ExcellentThe story depicts a clear resolution of the conflict. | GoodThe story depicts a resolution of the conflict. | FairThe story depicts a resolution of the conflict, but it is somewhat vague. | PoorThe story fails to depict a resolution of the conflict. |
| Dialogue 2 pts Student uses dialogue to tell the story. | ExcellentThe story includes a sufficient amount of dialogue that is correctly written and easily read. Dialogue is correctly punctuated. | GoodThe story includes a dialogue that is correctly written and easily read. Dialogue is correctly punctuated. | FairThe story includes dialogue . Most dialogue is correctly punctuated and easy to read. | PoorThe story does not include a sufficient amount of dialogue that is correctly written and easily read. Dialogue is not correctly punctuated. |
| Characterization 2 pts Student provides enough details to develop the character. | ExcellentStudent uses descriptive details to develop the character. Characters are interesting and have depth. | GoodStudent uses descriptive details to develop the character. Characters are interesting. | FairStudent uses some descriptive details to develop the character. Characters are somewhat interesting and have some depth. | PoorStudent fails to use descriptive details to develop the character. Characters lack depth. |
| Evidence of Proofreading 4 pts Student demonstrates careful attention to rules of grammar, punctuation, and spelling | ExcellentStudent demonstrates significant evidence of proofreading. Story contains few errors in spelling, punctuation, and/or grammar. | GoodStudent demonstrates significant evidence of proofreading. Story contains few errors in spelling, punctuation, and/or grammar. | FairStudent demonstrates some evidence of proofreading. Story contains some errors in spelling, punctuation, and/or grammar. | PoorStudent demonstrates little evidence of proofreading. Story contains many errors in spelling, punctuation, and/or grammar. |
And here is a link to the document, should you wish to download or print your own copy:
http://www.RCampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=ZX64B3W&sp=yes%20&nocache=1470630112339
Conclusion
Congratulations -you've completed your Quest to becoming experts on aspects of Elizabethan Life! if you want to continue your quest, the following website has a tremendous amount of information on the time period which you might find interesting:
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/