Biography

A WebQuest for NA1
EOI Valencia
Designed by Inma Garín


Q. What is A WebQuest?
A. A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.



Introduction:


Why a biography? By learning about other people’s lives, we undoubtedly learn about ourselves. This genre not only provides a portrait of the person being presented, but also gives insight into the society, culture, and specially the context in which the person lived.
A good biography should display the person’s personality and help us understand his/her achievements and reasons for his/her actions.


Task:


You will write a biography of somebody you admire. In order to do that
You are going to work with a partner. First, you are going to discuss with him/her and decide on the person you want to write about. Give reasons and reach a joined decision. Before the discussion, visit: http://www.biographyshelf.com/
On the right hand side of the page there is a list of characters you can choose from. Once you have all the information you need, you’ll design a power point to present to the whole group.
Secondly, and on your own, you are going to write a text mentioning the different stages in the life of that person with the relevant people and places at each stage and write your own biography (200-250 words in 4/5 paragraphs), using your own words.


Process:


You’ll have four lessons. The first will be to search for information. The second to create the power point, the third to write your text and the fourth to present your work.
The first two sessions will take place in the computer room and the other two in our classroom.
If you don’t understand a word, go to one of these:
http://dictionaries.cambridge.org/?dict=CLD2
http://oxforddictionaries.com/?attempted=true
http://www.merriam-webster.com/home.htm
http://www.wordreference.com/es/
Other pages you can go to:
http://www.cmgww.com/historic/wilde/
http://www.online-literature.com/conrad/
http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/faulkner/faulkner.html
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/wollstonecraft.html


Assessment:


Marks:

Fail Pass Good Excellent

Conclusion:

Congratulations! If you are here now, it means that you have successfully completed the task, you can surf the net in search of information about a person, can select the most important facts and can talk about him/her in front of an audience. You realize that it is not so difficult to use the ICTs to boost your learning. You can even enjoy doing it with a partner and people around to help you. Learning English can be funny!

Didactic Guide:

• Area: English (FLT)
• Level: EOI NA1 (B2-)
• Objectives:
- Using dictionaries on line
- Understanding written texts
- Using info from Web to build a text
- Writing a biography using paragraphs, the verb system, connectors and appropriate vocabulary for an intended audience
• Contents:
- Reading Comprehension (scanning and skimming)
- Writing narrative texts (organization, paragraphing, spelling, etc.)
• Segmentation:
-140 minutes lesson: searching for info
-140 minutes lesson: designing presentation
- 140 minutes lesson: writing & revision
- 140 minutes lesson: Oral presentation

• Resources:
-computer
-Mozilla or other surfer
-Internet connection
-Word Processor
-Ppt application