1984 WebQuest

I created a WebQuest that connects with 11th grade English Honors summer reading, 1984 by George Orwell, with its historical significance, the Early Cold War.

Reading 1984 in 11th grade, students may regard the story as another dystopian novel, or they may not understand the novel's significance and influences. They may not catch the direct correlation between events in the novel and events in history which gives the story more meaning, and its portent of political power becomes a speech instead of a siren.

1984 was first published on June 8, 1949 — just under four years after WWII had ended; but the world was changing. The war with Germany might have been over, but a new power struggle began. Written as a warning about not learning from history, it was a social commentary on government power, specifically communism.

Through primary, government, community, and web resources students will explore events and documents that highlight the tensions and factors that contributed to the beginning of the Cold War and influenced George Orwell.

Their assignment consists of writing a song, opera, rap, poetry slam ... basically anything lyrical that they learned that could be used to introduce 1984 and/or the Cold War to new audiences. By having students write a lyrics they are synthesizing the novel and historical events, forming new information, and creating a piece that disseminates their learning.

This WebQuest is extra special as it combines multiple subjects — English, History, Library — and could be easily adapted to fit any novel or play where background information would add meaning to the required reading.

I would love to create a catalog of these in connection to both library and classroom state standards that could be used by classroom educators, or used in conjunction with a library lesson.

Massachusetts State Standards

While my example is a specific project is for 11th graders, it can be adapted for other grade levels, books, and can cover a variety of standards.

Massachusetts English Language and Literary Framework

[RCA-H.11-12.1–3] Grades 11–12 Reading Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas: History/Social Studies

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where a text leaves matters uncertain.

[WCA-H.11-12.1C] Grades 11–12 Writing Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas

Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

C. Use words, phrases, and clauses with precision as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims/critiques.

Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework

[USII.T3] Topic 3. Defending democracy: responses to fascism and communism

9. Analyze the factors that contributed to the Cold War and describe the policy of containment as a response by the United States to Soviet expansionist policies, using evidence from primary sources to explain the differences between the Soviet and American political and economic systems; Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe; the Korean War, United States support of anti-communist regimes in Latin America and Southeast Asia; the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, NATO, and the Warsaw Pact).

[USII.T4] Topic 4: Defending democracy: the Cold War and civil rights at home

2. Analyze the roots of domestic communism and anti-communism in the 1950s, the origins and consequences of, and the resistance to McCarthyism, researching and reporting on people and institutions such as Whittaker Chambers, Alger Hiss, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, Senators Joseph McCarthy and Margaret Chase Smith, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the American Communist Party, the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and congressional investigations into the Lavender Scare).

Massachusetts School Library Association Standards

4.24 Demonstrate legal and ethical behaviors among peers, family and community regarding the use of technology and information.

5.10 Consider the purpose and audience for the product and/or presentation.

5.13 Use appropriate editing, dictionary and thesaurus tools to produce a polished, original product that clearly communicates research results.

7.11 Voluntarily apply legal principles and ethical conduct related to information technology such as: copyright, plagiarism, privacy, online etiquette, acceptable use of resources.

8.21 Perform preliminary research to enhance appreciation of literature.

TOOLS: I used Google Sites and Google Docs to create the WebQuest.

1984 WebQuest

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