Introduction
Change is something everyone experiences, but people navigate it in different ways. In this WebQuest, you will begin exploring the concept of change by investigating how different types of change affect people’s lives. This activity will prepare you for our unit readings—Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Mohja Kahf’s “The Caul of Inshallah”—where we will analyze how characters respond to change, how authors portray conflicting ideas, and how perspectives shape our understanding of human experiences.
Task
Your task is to work collaboratively in a small group to investigate one type of change that people may experience. Each group will choose a different type of change—such as age, family, school, friendships, maturity, cultural change, or community change.
You will use your Chromebooks to research real‑world examples, stories, or information that help explain how people navigate your chosen type of change. Your group will gather information, discuss your findings, and prepare to share your insights with the class.
This WebQuest will help you build background knowledge that you will later connect to our unit texts and use in your final essay.
Process
Step 1: Form Groups Create groups of no more than five students. Each group must choose a different type of change to investigate.
Step 2: Choose Your Type of Change Select one type of change from the following examples or propose your own: • age • family • school • friendships • maturity • cultural change • community change
Step 3: Research Using Chromebooks Use reliable websites, articles, videos, or interviews to gather information about how people experience and navigate your chosen type of change.
Step 4: Take Notes Record examples, quotes, vocabulary, and ideas that help explain how people respond to change.
Step 5: Group Discussion Share your findings within your group. Identify patterns, challenges, and perspectives related to your type of change.
Step 6: Prepare to Share Your group will briefly present your findings to the class. This will help everyone build background knowledge before we begin reading Achebe and Kahf.
Evaluation
Your WebQuest work will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
1. Collaboration • Worked cooperatively with group members • Contributed ideas and listened respectfully
2. Research Quality • Located reliable information • Identified meaningful examples of navigating change
3. Note‑Taking & Organization • Recorded clear, relevant notes • Organized information in a way that supports understanding
4. Presentation • Shared findings clearly • Explained how people navigate your chosen type of change
5. Connection to Unit Theme • Demonstrated understanding of how your research relates to navigating change
This WebQuest prepares you for analyzing how authors portray change in our unit texts.
Conclusion
You have explored how people navigate different types of change in real life. This background knowledge will help you better understand how characters in literature respond to change and how authors portray conflicting perspectives.
As we move into our unit readings, you will use what you learned today to make connections, analyze ideas, and build strong evidence‑based claims in your writing.
Credits
This WebQuest was created for an 8th grade English Language Arts unit aligned to the 2023 Arkansas ELA Standards.
Unit Theme: Navigating Change Through Different Perspectives
Texts: • Chinua Achebe — Things Fall Apart • Mohja Kahf — “The Caul of Inshallah”
Teacher Page
Purpose: This WebQuest introduces students to the concept of navigating change, which is the foundation of the unit’s essential question and conceptual focus.
Standards Alignment: • 8.RC.3.RF — Text evidence & inference • 8.RC.11.RI — Connecting ideas • 8.RC.16.RI — Conflicting information • 8.RC.15.RI — Evaluating arguments • 8.V.3 — Vocabulary strategies
Instructional Role: This activity builds background knowledge and prepares students for analyzing Achebe and Kahf. It supports Week 1 of the Instructional Arc and scaffolds toward the final essay assessment.
Materials Needed: • Chromebooks • Hard copy of WebQuest prompt • Internet access • Group note‑taking sheets
Teacher Notes: Encourage students to choose diverse types of change so the class can build a broad understanding of the concept. Guide groups toward reliable sources and support students who need help navigating online research.