WebQuest: The Dead Poet’s Society

I found an awesome Webquest entitled The Dead Poet’s Society: http://web.archive.org/web/20040414161243/www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/webquests/spring2000/fisd3032k/rmwq/default.html>.

The WebQuest is designed for a middle school poetry unit. In groups of three, students choose a poet from another era as well as a specific poem by that author. Then, via "time machine", they are then transported back to that poet's age.

The group must research the time and locale that their poet lived in and analyze how that culture may have played a part in the work their poet created. One member of the group may examine the culture; another the era; while the third deals with specific biographical elements of that poets life. Then all three are to examine the poem and analyze it in the context of what they have learned. Examine the vocabulary, the imagery, the topic, the tone.

Finally, the findings are to be presented as journal entries, as if sending a message through time from the poet’s era to someone receiving the info in the present. They must try to match the language and style of the era when posting.

In class, aach group will discuss their findings in class and see if there is a present-day relevance to what their poet communicated. How do they see themselves reflected in the poetry; or how is it different from their lives.

This is a great assignment because it presents students with multiple tasks: research, analysis, creative writing, presentation of exposition and critical thinking. Each member of the group has a task; each smaller group has a communal task; and the class as a whole then works together presenting to one another, creating a terrific opportunity for cooperative learning. Not only will this foster some great discussion, but it will give each group a stake in defending the life, time and works of their assigned poet.