Anglo-Saxon
Webquest
What do you remember about the movie Braveheart? Bloody warfare? The famous kilt scene? Or the the fearsome Irishman? Was loyalty crucial in the Scottish clans? In your opinion, did the English seem further advanced than the rural Scottish tribes?
The movie Braveheart
is set in Medieval times (circa 1280 A.D.) and is about William Wallace, a
Scotsman. This WebQuest will explore a similar time frame. The WebQuest will
look at the early Anglo-Saxon clans and tribes of the
Goals
Choose an aspect of Anglo-Saxon life from the Resource list below. Research it. Compile information and transform it into a PowerPoint presentation. Your PowerPoint will teach four major ideas about your subject and include text and images from your research. Finally, you will present your PowerPoint to the class and elaborate on the main ideas in the PowerPoint. This research will help us understand the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval era and give us a context in which to study "Beowulf," "The Seafarer," and various other works of literature.
RESOURCES
Preview these categories and decide which one you would be
interested in covering in depth, or browse through the Index page to find a topic you
might enjoy.
|
Norman History |
Food |
Ship
Construction |
|
Beowulf Page
|
Feasting and
Fasting |
Games
|
|
·
'Weapons - Part 6 Mail Armour' ·
'Weapons - Part 4 Missile Weapons' ·
'Weapons - Part 2 Scramseaxes' ·
'Weapons - Part 5 Swords' |
Anglo-Saxon Military Organization Anglo-Saxon Warfare |
Houses and
Furniture |
|
Anglo-Saxon
Social Organization |
Pastimes of
the Anglo-Saxons |
Clerical
Vestments |
PROCESS
Day One: Read How Do We Know and the Beowulf Poem links (found in the Resource boxes above) to get background for our quest. Complete your study guide as you read.
Day Two: With your partner choose a category (one of the boxes in the resource list) to explore. Scan through the information and make a list of your initial impressions. Within your category, narrow the information down to four major ideas you wish to teach to the class. Take notes on those four points. Choose significant images and prepare text to be presented in your PowerPoint. REMEMBER: As you collect images, be sure to cite the source (that means write down the URL address and author, if available).
Day
Three: CREATE YOUR presentation!
Remember
to:
1.
include a title
2.
include images and credit your source
3.
include captions and/or text
4.
creatively arrange information.
5.
be able to elaborate during your presentation.
6. Make sure you include a
slide about Beowulf itself!
Day Four: Present your findings to the class.
CONCLUSION
Wow! What a journey. What advancement since the Anglo-Saxon era do you think they would have most appreciated? This WebQuest showed you how the early English and Gaelic people lived. From them Anglo-Americans have adapted language and customs. The reason we go back in time to read early literature is to understand our predecessors -- and therefore ourselves. British literature will teach us the origin of our language, for some our ancestory, and for all our superstitions.
When your classmates give their presentations, be sure to
listen for answers to these three questions:
1.
What about the Anglo-Saxon era illustrates their philosphy of life,
"wyrd"
2.
What have you learned about the era that shows the importance of
folk
literature?
3.
List evidence of pagan AND Christian influences in Anglo-Saxons' daily life.
After your experience in this WebQuest, you will have a greater appreciation for the characters in Beowulf and The Seafarer. You will also have the critical foundation needed to be successful in studying the changes throughout the history of British literature.