William's World: A Webquest about Shakespeare

Created by Tara Baker

Description: This is a webquest designed to help students find out more about William Shakespeare’s life and times, especially what life was like in Elizabethan England.
Age group: 8th or 9th graders
Time: Can be covered in one 50 minute class period, or done as a take home assignment


Go to http://elizabethan.org/compendium
Go to the occupations button at the bottom of the window and answer the following questions.

1. Analyze the different places to buy things.
2. We go to the local Wal-Mart to do our one-stop shopping.  How would our lives be different if we had to go to different places to get all of our needs?
3. Using the information from question two, create a list of five places consumers would have to visit.  What specific items would be sold there? Create a Shakespearean name for these shops.

Go to http://elizabethan.org/compendium/38.html

4. Create a menu from the list of foods found on this page.  The menu must include breakfast, lunch, and dinner with dessert.
5. Compare your everyday food choices with those of Shakespearean times.  Create a visual representation to show the similarities and differences.


Go to http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-clothing.htm

6. Use the information on this page to create an outfit for your teacher.  Be sure to include accessories.


Go to http://elizabethan.org/compendium/54.html

7. Read the information about Shakespearean education.  Based on your newly acquired information, relate the Shakespearean education experience to your own.  Be sure to address at least three different aspects of the student experience (i.e. content, times, fellow students, etc.)

Go to http://www.biography.com/bio4kids/bio4kids-meet-shakespeare.jsp

8. Create a seven point time line for Shakespeare’s life.

Go to http://www.globe-theatre.org.uk/globe-theatre-facts.htm

9. Summarize the information from the ten trivia facts about the globe theater.