It was only a few days ago that I had even heard
the term “WebQuest.” Unfortunately, the high school I attended never took
advantage of the WebQuest and all it has to offer any classroom. Thankfully, I
have learned at just the right time that WebQuests are an amazing tool that I
will surely implement in my classroom. WebQuests are great activities to use in
almost any content area that will keep students engaged and taken an
interactive role in their learning. WebQuests emphasize inquiry and discovery
of the content area as well as computer and internet skills.
One creative example of a WebQuest that I
particularly admired is an activity based around John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and simultaneously
reminiscent of Bill and Ted’s Excellent
Adventure (try to count the references). The WebQuest is entitled “George and Lenny’s Most Excellent Adventure.” The WebQuest is based upon the novel’s two main characters and
their backgrounds. According to the task provided, George and Lenny have been
transported through time into the 2000s. Students are required to brainstorm, research,
present, and reflect on how to get the men jobs in modern-day California.
Students analyze Steinbeck’s novel and transfer
their knowledge into the real world of today. They apply what they know of
George’s and Lenny’s skills from the book and access their prior knowledge of
current job markets to find the protagonists employment. After researching and
brainstorming, the students prepare a presentation (without the help of
historical figures stuffed in a phone booth) on how their plans will help
George and Lenny find work. Afterwards, they write reflections about what they
have learned about the Great Depression, Steinbeck’s novel, job opportunities,
and how they can use what they have learned. Lastly, they must consider and
explore how discrimination, mental disabilities, immigration, and homelessness
might affect George and Lenny and their opportunities to find gainful employment.
There are many aspects of this WebQuest that I
like. I particularly enjoy the relevance to today’s world. Everyone knows how
difficult finding work can be in today’s economy, but having the students
really research the extent of unemployment as well as how to find jobs for
specified labor skills brings the assignment into the real world. I also like
the added realism of bring Lenny’s disabilities and George’s racism into the
assignment—these issues would most certainly affect people seeking jobs in
today’s world. This WebQuest seeks to answer how. Furthermore, I greatly
appreciate the excellent references to Bill
and Ted.
Overall, this is a great activity for students
studying Of Mice and Men who also
want some exposure to technology. One of the best suggestions toward the end of
this WebQuest is to turn this assignment into a service learning project to
advocate for a particular group of people at the students’ discretion. This
service learning will surely help students be excellent to each other. And, as
Abe Lincoln advised, party on, dudes!
