Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits  

A WebQuest for 12th Grade British Literature

Designed by
Dorothy D. Shilow
shilowd@archbishopspalding.org

Thanks to
www.georgetown.edu/departments/ medieval/Fall2002.html

Geoffrey Chaucer lived during the Middle Ages, a time when the western world was ravaged by plague and technology was at a near stand still.  All areas of life stagnated.  Life was not easy and medieval man had to think of ways to bounce back from the disastrous times. 

In this WebQuest you are a time traveler who travels back and forth between
Geoffrey Chaucer’s World: England in the 13^th century and life in 2003 in the United States. In Chaucer’s time life was different.  The plague showed its ugly face and man did not have the conveniences of today.  Getting to know the culture and maybe a pilgrimage to find favor with God might be interesting to do.  You will write diary entries for the pilgrimage, map your journey to the Holy Lands and create a Power Point presentation about the plague to show your journey into the past.

          Thanks to

www.nature.com/nsu/011004/ 011004-12.html

Day 1

 

1. Today you are on a fact-finding mission.  You are going to find information for your friend who is back in the year 2003. Your friend loves the Middle Ages and he wants to know about the culture of England during the 13^th century.  You are going to write him a letter using Word.  Your letter must include the following information:
   • Who are the political leaders?
   • Who are the important writers of the time? (Hint – His initials are GC.)
   • What is the major religion of the country?
   • What is the educational system like?
   • What forms of entertainment do the people engage in?
   • What form of travel do the people use?
   • What was the major medical disaster that affected medieval man?
   • What were the marriage customs?

 

  

     http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon33.html    

 

     http://icg.harvard.edu/~chaucer/ 

 

     http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Knights_and_Fights.htm

 

      http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/history/middleages/trade.html

 

Day 2 & 3

 

Directions for the Power Point:

 

1. You are going to produce a Power Point presentation on the plague (Do not deal with modern plagues).
2. There are various topics on the plague that you can choose for your presentation.
3. You must print a copy of the outline
4. You must print the slide show with six slides on a page.  Make sure you print the slides in black and white.
5. You must have the following in your presentation:
   • a title page.
   • at least ten information slides.
   • a work cited slide.
   • a closing slide
   • two different types of slide formats                            
   • eight art/graphic images on the slides 

 

                                                                         

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/2/8/article_01.htm

 

http://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval/black-death.htm

                                                                                           
Day 4 & 5

 

Directions for the pilgrimage:

 

1.               You are going on a journey, a modern day pilgrimage; beginning in England at Big Ben, your destination is The Holy Lands.  Print the map because you are going to plot your journey.  Then you are going to stop at modern and possibly ancient Christian shrines and describe each stop. You must document at least one holy shrine for each country you pass through. Include two shrines from the Holy Lands that are not listed below.  You will have to look for some of the countries yourself; however, I have given you some of the major shrine in some of the countries.  Be creative when plotting your journey.  For example, use color, pictures, etc.

2.               Now it is time to briefly describe the shrines you have made on your journey.  This section should be done in Word in the form of a diary.  Remember, since this is a diary, you should include personal observations about what you have seen on your way. Also, date the entries. 

 

http://www.cptryon.org/compassion/mary/chartres.html

 

       http://www.sacredsites.com/2nd56/165.html  

 

     http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06221a.htm

 

     http://catholicgirl.faithweb.com/st__bernadette.htm 

    

     http://www.stfrancisvernon.org/fatima.htm

    

 

       

 

Now that you have traveled back in time to Chaucer’s 13^th century England, you have seen what Chaucer’s world was like.  Are we very different than Chaucer’s contemporaries?  Did medieval man face the same trials and tribulations that we face today?  If you went to 3003 England or America, what might men in 3003 say about us?

 

 Black Death. Available Online. July 18, 2003. http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/2/8/article_01.htm

 

Knights and Fights. 2003.  http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Knights_and_Fights.htm

 

Map of the Crusades. Available Online July 17, 2003. http://icg.harvard.edu/~hsb11/Crusades1.jpg

 

Our Lady of Fatima. Available Online July 18, 2003. http://www.stfrancisvernon.org/fatima.htm

 

Richard II of England. Available Online July 18, 2003. http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon33.html

 

Ross, David and Britain Express. The Black Death in England 1348-1350 http://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval/black-death.htm

 

Santiago de Compostela. Available Online July 18, 2003.  http://www.sacredsites.com/2nd56/165.html

 

St. Assisi. Available Online. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06221a.html

 

St. Bernadette. Available Online July 18, 2003. http://catholicgirl.faithweb.com/st__bernadette.htm

 

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres. Available Online July 18, 2003. http://www.cptryon.org/compassion/mary/chartres.html

 

Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. 2002 Trade and Travel in the Middle Ages. http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/history/middleages/trade.html

 

Last updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page