Renaissance WebQuest
An Internet WebQuest on The Medieval Times

created by Michael, Amber, Nikki

Introduction | The Task | The Process & Resources | Conclusion | HyperText Dictionary


Introduction

The Renaissance was a time filled with beauty, new beginning and love. You are going to learn about Medieval times, not from the perspective of a student in the 21st century, but as a Lord or Lady, a knight, a peasant, and a king or queen. 



The Quest (The Big Question)

What is the Renaissance? What caused the conception of the Renaissance and what elements of the time kept the Renaissance alive?



The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will answer the Question. As a member of the group you will explore webpages that contain information about the Renaissance and Medieval Times. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom.

You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one perspective of the Renaissance.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the websites linked to your group. If you print out the websites, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. When you look at the websites on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a Word document.

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Question based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

Peasants

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Peasants:


1.What causes you to remain in a lower status than others in your time period? How is your life different than that of someone with higher status?


2. What was it like as a peasant child and how can you as a peasant make your mark on history?


Lord/Lady

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Lord/Lady:


1. How did regular everyday jobs get done, and who did the Lord or Lady answer to?



2. What were the duties of Lords and Ladies?


Knights

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Knights:


1. How does one become a Knight?



2. What are some common characteristics of Knights? What are some differences?

 

3. What is a Knight called to do, and who asks it of them?



King/Queen

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to King/Queens:


1. How does a person gain rule over a country?



2. How do you keep rule and control over your subjects?



3. Do you believe you are a fair ruler? Why or why not?

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about a different part of the Renaissance. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Question as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Question. Your WebQuest team should write out an answer that everyone on the team can live with.

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing your message to this particular person or organization.

2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.

STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.

Your Contact is: Carla Zecher

Conclusion

The Renaissance was a time filled with beauty, new beginnings, and love. Now you have learned about the Medieval  time period from several perspectives, and you must collaborate with your group members to come to an agreement about the Big question.

Now you all know a lot more. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to see beyond what people think they know about the Renaissance and how it actually was? What other parts of Renaissance could still be explored?


Content by Michael Ihler, Amber Krogstad, and Nikki Mann