Teacher Notes
The decade of change...the 1960s
Welcome to the amazingly tenacious, yet tumultuous decade of the 1960s! This WebQuest is an interdisciplinary unit study designed for 8th grade Language Arts, to provide background information on the theme of "conflict" while reading several novels in literature circles during class. Due to limited access of computers at our school, this WebQuest is designed as a work in progress to be completed over an extended period of time, roughly a six to seven week timeframe. We will look at literature from and about that period of time in history through intensive literature circles, while investigating additional information about the 1960s by way of our WebQuest. Novels which will be allocated to read and discuss in the classroom are listed as follows:
A Raisin in the Sun
The Red Rose Box
Secret Life of Bees
Devil on my Heels
Students will conduct literature circles based on the recommendations of Harvey Daniels' work Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs & Reading Groups, 2002.
During the course of this WebQuest, students will have a choice between the following topics of exploration:
Music of the 1960s (Rock and Roll, R & B, Folk)
The Civil Rights Movement
JFK: The New Generation
Vietnam War
Setting up the WebQuest, you will want to start by allowing students to work together in groups of 4 people, each researching one of the topics listed above. When the research is complete, students can come together to share their findings and present a consolidated overview of the decade by way of a group Wiki. One of the advantages to working in groups is that students, as a group, will cover all aspects of the 1960s and will be able to synthesize their learning together, coming away with a more complete understanding of the decade. You can also allow the "experts" from each group to meet with their counterparts in other groups to share ideas, either by way of grouping sessions or on the Wikis, themselves. For example, all the individuals from each group who studied the Music of the 1960s could share their findings amongst themselves, collaborate about similar problems they are encountering, and so forth. This builds a true sense of collaboration both vertically and horizontally, both technologically (through the Wiki) and socially (through grouping). The WebQuest has been set up for this kind of group interaction.
Site Navigation:
Each exploration topic will have its own page. Students can click on the page to read about that particular topic in an effort to help them decide which topic sounds most appealing to them. From that page, they will embark on an adventure of discovery as they explore the depths of their WebQuest.
Applicable Standards Related to this Unit of Study:
Applicable Georgia Performance Standards
Applicable National ISTE Standards for Students
A Raisin in the Sun
The Red Rose Box
Secret Life of Bees
Devil on my Heels
Students will conduct literature circles based on the recommendations of Harvey Daniels' work Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs & Reading Groups, 2002.
During the course of this WebQuest, students will have a choice between the following topics of exploration:
Music of the 1960s (Rock and Roll, R & B, Folk)
The Civil Rights Movement
JFK: The New Generation
Vietnam War
Setting up the WebQuest, you will want to start by allowing students to work together in groups of 4 people, each researching one of the topics listed above. When the research is complete, students can come together to share their findings and present a consolidated overview of the decade by way of a group Wiki. One of the advantages to working in groups is that students, as a group, will cover all aspects of the 1960s and will be able to synthesize their learning together, coming away with a more complete understanding of the decade. You can also allow the "experts" from each group to meet with their counterparts in other groups to share ideas, either by way of grouping sessions or on the Wikis, themselves. For example, all the individuals from each group who studied the Music of the 1960s could share their findings amongst themselves, collaborate about similar problems they are encountering, and so forth. This builds a true sense of collaboration both vertically and horizontally, both technologically (through the Wiki) and socially (through grouping). The WebQuest has been set up for this kind of group interaction.
Site Navigation:
Each exploration topic will have its own page. Students can click on the page to read about that particular topic in an effort to help them decide which topic sounds most appealing to them. From that page, they will embark on an adventure of discovery as they explore the depths of their WebQuest.
Applicable Standards Related to this Unit of Study:
Applicable Georgia Performance Standards
Applicable National ISTE Standards for Students