WebQuest
Exploring the life and times of Shakespeare
Process
Part 1
Create a Google Doc that you all can share. Be sure to include me!
1. We all need a basic understanding of Shakespeare before diving into many aspects involving the time period in which Shakespeare lived, and the influence he had on us today. Look at this biographical page of William Shakespeare and answer the questions below.
a. How much do we know about Shakespeare's life? Why?
b. Where was Shakespeare born?
c. What date was he born on?
d. Who did Shakespeare marry and how many children did he have?
e. What success did Shakespeare accomplish that other playwrights of the time did not accomplish?
f. What day did he die? What is unusual about this date?
g. What did he leave his wife in his will?
h. How did John Heminges and Henry Condel contribute to the success of Shakespeare?
2. You have been separated into groups. Each group will be assigned one category. Together, you are to read through the information provided, looking for background information, facts, dates, important people or groups of people and why they're important, important events and why they're important. With each category, you should be able to find a plethora of information you can share. If you'd like, you can look for other resources as well. If you do that, please cite the source at the end of your presentation. Be sure to thoroughly read the information as you'll be expected to teach the class your content in a minimum of a 5 minute presentation, complete with pictures, and connections to today.
Category 1: Elizabethan Age and Queen Elizabeth I
- The Elizabethan Period: here you will find all the information you could ever need about the Elizabethan Age, including inventions, important people, and significant events and beliefs.
- Queen Elizabeth I: here you will find a wide variety of information about Queen Elizabeth I and her influence throughout her 44 year reign
Category 2: Age of Discovery and Exploration
- The Age of Discovery and Exploration: here you will find important dates, events, and people
- The Age of Exploration: here you will find information more specifically related to England, there is even a section all about pirates - check it out!
Category 3: The Reformation
- The Reformation: here you will find a basic history of The Reformation and its religious influences
- Religion in the Elizabethan Era: here you will find information associated with the religious strife between the Catholics and Protestants in England
Category 4: The Renaissance
- The Renaissance: here you will find a comprehensive explanation of The Renaissance and important artists
- The "Rebirth"of Science and Culture: here you will find more specifics about various aspects of The Renaissance and how it changed the world
Category 5: Education
- The Education of Boys: here you will find information about how boys were educated in England, compare it to how girls were educated (found below)
- The Education of Girls: here you will find information about how girls were educated in England
- Education during the Elizabethan Era: here you will find a thorough history of education during the Elizabethan Era
Category 6: The Elizabethan Theater
- Elizabethan Theatre: here you will find a brief explanation of the importance of theater
- The Globe Theater: here you will find information about the original Globe Theater as well as the new one
- The Globe Theater: here you will find a thorough history of the Globe Theater
Category 7: History of Romeo and Juliet
1. Stage history of Romeo and Juliet: here you will find information about the many productions of Romeo and Juliet
2. Origins of Romeo and Juliet: here you will find information about where Shakespeare got the idea for Romeo and Juliet
3. Shakespeare in Verona: here you will find information about Verona, the setting of Romeo and Juliet
3. So, how does all of this affect us today? Why should we, in the 21st century, study Shakespeare? Answer the questions below, by reading the information on this website.
a. How does Shakespeare illuminate the human experience?
b. Which of the popular passages have you read/heard before?
c. How do Shakespeare's stories transcend time and culture?
d. Why are Shakespeare's great characters so popular?
e. What popular phrases/cliches of Shakespeare have you heard before?
And the questions below from this website.
f. What does Alan Craven say about Shakespeare?
g. Mark Bayer said something interesting about Shakespeare's staying power, he believes that "Shakespeare has been manufactured into what he is today through popular
culture." What are your thoughts on this? Has popular culture influenced our understanding of Shakespeare just as much as Shakespeare has influenced popular culture?
h. How was Shakespeare a "man of his times"?
i. How did Shakespeare intend for his plays to be experienced?
Now: What is your opinion? Why should we study Shakespeare?
Part 2
Now for the fun part; you get to be the teacher! Take all of the information you learned from 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 and put together a 5 minute presentation for your classmates. You can do this in a variety of ways: prezi, keynote, poster (like the ones below), skit, etc. Your goal is to teach your classmates all about Shakespeare, the category you studied, and Shakespeare's influence today.
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