Renaissance Project

A WebQuest for 8th Grade Social Studies

Modern World History

Designed by

Michael McCurdy

Rola Sakr

and

Connie Hadba


Introduction | Task | Process | Sources |Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

Introduction

Few periods in history have been so full of events and change as the two hundred years between the 14th and 16th centuries known as the Renaissance. During this period,

  • learning was revived and expanded to more people;
  • commerce, art, music, literature and science flourished
  • new inventions, discoveries and knowledge changed the way of life in Europe;
  • men began to question their old religious beliefs and became interested in worldly affairs;
  •  a new literature was created, using the living language of the peoples as well as Latin;
  • artists learned to observe and make lifelike representations of what they saw, portraying the beauty of their world;
  • new inventions came about that improved everyday life and facilitated the exploration of new worlds; and
  • people questioned old ideas and scientific thinking became important.

 

In this WebQuest, you will be exploring the lives and accomplishments of 14 Renaissance characters who made great contributions during this period. Use the information you find about them to determine how these fourteen Renaissance characters actually reflect the Renaissance Period in Modern History.

 

Introduction | Task | Process | Sources |Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

The Task

You will be working in groups of no more than three students to research one Renaissance character and to create a group report of 5 to 7 minutes only about that person. Choose from the following characters:                    

1. Michaelangelo 8. Van Eyck
2. Raphael 9. Bellini
3. Donatello 10. Galileo
4. Isabella d'Este 11. Copernicus
5. Shakespeare 12. Machiavelli
6. Gutenberg 13. Desiderius Erasmus
7. Cosimo de' Medici 14. Thomas More

As a group, you must decide the best possible way that information about your Renaissance character should be presented to the class. When making this decision, consider who you are presenting, who your audience is (your classmates and teacher), where the presentation is occurring (likely the classroom but maybe the multi-purpose room), the amount of time you have to prepare, your group's abilities (individually and collectively), and knowledge of technology, etc.

Some possible suggestions:

PowerPoint Presentation
Character role playing
Oral presentation with visuals
Skit
Combinations of the above possibilities
Own choice (please get approval from your teacher)

Introduction | Task | Process | Sources |Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits  

The Process
  1. You will be divided into groups of no more than three students.
  2. Once in your groups, select one of the Renaissance characters from the list above. Please note: Only ONE character per group and no two groups can research the same character.
  3. Divide the responsibilities of research amongst yourselves. Complete the report of group member's names and each individual's responsibilities and submit it to your instructor before then end of this class hour.
  4. Locate sources of information in the LMC, the Middle School Library, GaleNet, and the Internet. Some good sources are listed below for each character. Check them out carefully. They will help you get started.
  5. List all the available resources that you have located. Submit this list to your teacher. You MUST use at least 3 resources, 2 of which must be hardcover resources , i.e. an encyclopedia and a book.
  6. Find information about your character's family background. Take careful notes and be sure to cite your sources accurately. Use the appropriate bibliography sheet of the sources you are using. You can locate bibliography samples of each type of source on the Library homepage on the school website or in the library. Ask the librarian for help, if necessary.
  7. Find information about the character's life, when and where this person lived; what was life like for this person (rich, poor or both). Take careful notes and be sure to cite your sources accurately.
  8. Find an image of your character. Be sure to record the source of this image .
  9. Find samples of the person's work and/or achievements. Be sure to take careful notes and record the sources of your information.
  10. Pool your information and decide upon the best method of presenting your information to the class.
  11. As you plan your presentation, keep in mind the original focus question for this activity: How does this character actually reflect the Renaissance Period in Modern History?
  12. Create your presentation making sure that it addresses/ answers the focus question.
  13. Assign responsibilities for each member of your group during the presentation. No one person should do the entire presentation; each person in your group must participate.
  14. Prepare the final bibliography list of resources. Type this and submit it to your instructor at the time of your presentation.
  15. Practice and time your presentation.

Date Due: _________________________________. Presentations will likely begin on this day; therefore, all groups must be ready by this date.

 

Suggested Sources for each character:

One very good source to check out for each of the characters is the Encyclopedia. The library has several to choose from.

Another very good source for some of the characters listed here will be the databases GaleNet and NICI. They can be accessed through the library page on the school website. Ask the librarian for the password to these sites.

As well, the following resources are suggested for you.

Bellini
Books:
  • LMC 709 HAR   The History of Italian Renaissance art, painting, sculpture, architecture / Fredrick Hartt and David G. Wilkins
  • LMC 709 GAR  Art Through the Ages / Louise Gardner

Websites:

Go to GaleNet and search for Giovanni Bellini in the Student Resources Center – Gold section.

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/bellini/

http://gallery.euroweb.hu/bio/b/bellini/giovanni/biograph.html

Copernicus
Book:
  • LMC 520 COP  On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres / Nicolaus Copernicus (contains a short biography)

Websites:

http://www.phy.hr/~dpaar/fizicari/xcopern.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04352b.htm

http://www-groups.dcs.stand.ac.uk/~history//Mathematicians/Copernicus.html

Cosimo de' Medici
Books:
  • LMC 945 KEN   Cosimo de' Medici and the Florentine Renaissance: the patron's oeuvre / Dale Kent.
  • LMC 709 MED   The Medici, Michelangelo, & the art of late Renaissance Florence / essays by Christina Acidini Luchinat ... [et al.].

Website:

http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/pers/cospri.htm
Desiderius Erasmus
Book:
  • LMC 190 REN   Renaissance thinkers

Websites:

http://www.saburchill.com/history/biblio/007.html

http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/erasmus.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05510b.htm
Donatello
Books:
  • LMC OVERSIZE 734 DON   Donatello / Donatello
  • LMC 709 HAR   The History of Italian Renaissance art, painting, sculpture, architecture/ Fredrick Hartt and David G. Wilkins
  • LMC 709 GAR   Art Through the Ages / Louise Gardner

Websites:

http://www.island-of-freedom.com/DONATELL.HTM

http://www.saburchill.com/history/events/014.html
Galileo
Books:
  • RBM B GAL  Galileo: astronomer and physicist / Paul Hightower.
  • RBM B GAL  Galileo Galilei / Michael White
  • LMC 520 SHE  Galileo in Rome: the rise and fall of a troublesome genius / William R. Shea and Mariano Artigas.
  • LMC B GAL  Galileo / Stillman Drake.

Websites:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06342b.htm

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/galileo/About/galileobio.html
Gutenberg
Books:
  • LMC 609 YEN  100 Inventions That Shaped World History / Bill Yenne
  • LMC 609 HOW  How Was it Done? The story of human ingenuity through the ages / Published by Reader's Digest Association Limited

Websites:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07090a.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07090a.htm

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blJohannesGutenberg.htm

Isabella d' Este
Book:
  • LMC 709 HAR  The history of Italian Renaissance art, painting, sculpture, architecture / Fredrick Hartt and David G. Wilkins.

Websites:

http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/renaissancewomen.html

http://www.geocities.com/unicornprincess84/Lady_Isabella_d_Este.html
Jan Van Eyck
Book:
  • LMC 709 HAR  The history of Italian Renaissance art, painting, sculpture, architecture / Fredrick Hartt and David G. Wilkins.

Websites:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05732a.htm

http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/bio/e/eyck_van/jan/biograph.html
Machiavelli
Books:
  • LMC B MAC  Machiavelli: a very short introduction / Quentin Skinner.
  • LMC 320.1 STR  Machiavelli in 90 minutes / Paul Strathern.

Websites:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09501a.htm

http://www.the-prince-by-machiavelli.com/niccolo-machiavelli-biography.html
Michelangelo
Books:
  • RBM B MIC  Michelangelo / by Diane Stanley.
  • RBM 709 MIC  Michelangelo / Gabriella di Cagno; illustrated by Simone Boni, L.R. Galante.
  • RBM J B MIC  Michelangelo: genius of the Renaissance / by Jayne Pettit.
  • RBM 709 HOE  Michelangelo / Froukje Hoekstra
  • LMC 709.2 HIB  Michelangelo / Howard Hibbard.
  • LMC OVERSIZE 709.2 Fur  Michelangelo and his art / John Furse
  • LMC 759.5 MIC  Michelangelo / by Grange Books
  • LMC 759.45 HAR  Michelangelo / Frederick Hartt.
  • LMC 709 MED  The Medici, Michelangelo, & the art of late Renaissance Florence / essays by Christina Acidini Luchinat ... [et al.].
    •

Website: http://cgfa.dotsrc.org/michelan/michelangelo_bio.htm

Raphael
Books:
  • LMC 709 HAR   The History of Italian Renaissance Art, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture/ Fredrick Hartt and David G. Wilkins
  • LMC 709 GAR  Art Through the Ages / Louise Gardner

Websites:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12640c.htm

http://www.artist-biography.info/artist/raphael/
Shakespeare
Books:
  • LMC 822.33 SHA    The Complete illustrated Shakespeare, Vol.I / Illustrations by John Gilbert and Ray Abel, engravings by the Brothers Dalziel
  • LMC 822.33 SHA    The Complete illustrated Shakespeare, Vol.II / Illustrations by John Gilbert and Ray Abel, engravings by the Brothers Dalziel
  • LMC 822.33 SHA    The Complete illustrated Shakespeare, Vol.III / Illustrations by John Gilbert and Ray Abel, engravings by the Brothers Dalziel
  • LMC 822.33 Har    Introducing Shakespeare / Harrison, G. B.
  • LMC 822.3 WIL    William Shakespeare / Edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom
  • LMC 822.3 GRE    Shakespeare: a very short induction / Germaine Greer.
    •

Website:

 http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/shakespearebio.html

Thomas More
Book:
  • LMC 190 REN    Renaissance thinkers

Websites:

http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/morebio.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/more_sir_thomas.shtml

http://www.thomasmorestudies.org/aboutTM.html

Introduction | Task | Process | Sources |Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

 

 Evaluation

All the steps in the procedure above will be evaluated. They will be 35% of your overall final grade, so work through each step carefully.

Assessment of this project is divided into two major parts - the research and the class presentation. They are divided as follows:

   Percent
1. Procedure (documents requested in the Procedure are complete and submitted on time). This includes your research notes and the final bibliography sheet that is written in the correct APA format. 35
2. Self evaluation 5
3. Peer evaluation 5
4. Teacher (see presentation assessment list below) 40
5. Class (see presentation assessment list below) 15

Total

 100
   

 

Renaissance Group Research Project:

Assessment List

Oral Presentation (Teacher 40% and Class 15% = 55%)

 

Names: ____________________________              Class: ___________

           ____________________________

           ____________________________

Topic: _______________________________________________

 

 

Element Class' Evaluation Teacher's Evaluation
     
1. Content:  /6 points  / 15 points
a) The presentation addressed and answered the focus question.    
b) There was sufficient information about the character and his/her contribution to the period.    
c) The presentation included sufficient, clear, and relevant visual images.    
     
2. Organization /4 points /11 points
a) The presenters followed the directions accurately. The presentation was clear and well organized.    
b) There is evidence of in-depth research in the presentation. The presenters knew their material well.    
c) Each presenter was well prepared and knew his/her own part of the presentation well. There was evidence of collaboration throughout the presentation.    
     
3. Creativity /2 points /5 points
a) The presentation format maintained the class interest.    
b) The presentation engaged the audience.    
c) There was more to the presentation than just giving information.    
     
4. Accuracy /3 points /8 points
The information presented was accurate and well documented.    
     

Total

 / 15 points / 40 points

COMMENTS:

 

    
Conclusion

During this WebQuest, you have explored some of the greatest artists, writers, inventors and thinkers of the Renaissance Period. Their contributions have helped to shape not only their own time but have endured to help shape our own time. How would our world be different today if these people had not contributed to their times?

Introduction | Task | Process | Sources |Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

Credits & References

Beck, R. B., Black, L., Krieger, L. S., Naylor, P. C., & Ibo Shabaka, D.(2003). European Renaissance. In Modern World History, Patterns of Interaction (pp. 36 - 47). Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

Picture on the cover is from clipart supplied through Microsoft Office software.

Renaissance. (2002). In World Book 2002 (Vol. 16, pp. 232 - 239). Chicago. World Book Inc.
Last updated on October 11, 2006. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

Introduction | Task | Process | Sources |Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits