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Go to LZ95 WebQuest Page
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 | In your first entry, describe your home and village/town in detail. Include lots of specific and interesting information so that the reader of your entry can visualize your environment. |
| In your second letter, tell about your family. What types of activities do you enjoy as a family? What is your standard of living and social class? How do your parent(s) make a living? |
| In your third letter, tell about your beliefs and superstitions in general. Also draw your personal gargoyle and tell specifically what its powers are, how it helps you, and the reason it has appeared to you. |
| In your fourth letter, describe what's going on in the world around you. What's happening in England politically and economically? Tell about popular fashions, food, music and other interesting facts. |
The novel: Song of the Gargoyle, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
WebPage: The Middle Ages Trust 1998
Scroll down to PLACES TO EXPLORE. This is an excellent page dealing with many topics related to the Middle Ages. Click on the link for MATERIALS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS to the JR. HIGH link to find information that you can use.
WebPage: People of the Middle Ages
Nice definitions of people and occupations of the Middle Ages. Part of the following link.
WebPage: Middle Ages
Click on the INDEX OF MATERIALS to find a variety of links which cover a great deal of Middle Ages topics; from people to occupations and from armor to games this site will keep you busy.
WebPage: Luther Burbank Middle School / The Middle Ages Links/Resources
Excellent resource created by 7th grade students to teach about life in the Middle Ages. You will get a huge amount of information and lots of links from this page which was put together by middle school students in California. (Tip: The "Life as a . . . Stories" are great examples of what we are looking for with this WebQuest !)
WebPage: Food of the Middle Ages
Sarah, an eighth grade students, shares with us her research on some foods from the Middle Ages, including menus for peasants and nobles.
WebPage: Middle Ages History
Over 60 links to a wide variety of Middle Ages related topics. These are mainly higher level in nature.
Web Page: Medieval Music Period
A brief article on the popular music of this time period. Take special note of the third paragraph!
Medieval Culture
A fact sheet about the gargoyles and their place in Medieval history.
Middle Ages Exhibit Collection
Facts about Health, Feudal Life, Clothing, Religion, Art and EntertainmentGargoyle Home Page
History of Gargoyles, Natural and Unnatural History, a Cathedral Tour
Following these instructions will make completion of your task easy!
 | Read the novel Song of the Gargoyle to familiarize yourself with the setting and characters in this time period. This preparation will help you as you begin to research life in the Middle Ages. |
| You are going to write four illustrated letters in the voice of a person, like Tymmon, growing up in the Middle Ages. Before you begin your research, consider the social standing and age of the "character" that you will create as you write these letters. You will also want to decide on a name for your character. Also decide whom you are going to address your letters to. You might consider writing to a friend, family member or even to your teacher. |
| Begin your research by writing the following topics on the top of 5x8 index cards: |
| Home and Town |
| Family and Standard of Living (noble or peasant) |
| Beliefs, Superstitions, Gargoyles |
| Social and Political Events in the Middle Ages. |
| Begin exploring the resources listed above. You will find that the web sites focus on different aspects of the Middle Ages. Some sites are even written by students your age from other schools across the country. |
| As you explore these sites, record facts on the appropriate card. Some tips to make note taking more effective include printing out excerpts from sites that you find useful and using highlighters to mark pertinent information. This information can then be recorded, in your own words, on your note cards. |
| When you have collected information about each of the four topics, you are prepared to begin the writing process. This process begins with brainstorming and prewriting followed by the actual drafting of your letters. Remember, you are writing from the perspective of a young person living in the Middle Ages. You are explaining your life to a person living in the year 2000. Your letters should include enough detail, color drawings, and description for your reader to gain a good sense of what your life is like. |
| When you have drafted all four letters, you will share your letters in two conferencing sessions, one with your teacher, and the other with a member of your class. After conferencing, you will have time to revise your letters and enter them into a word processing program. |
| After your revisions, you and a classmate will work to edit your letters before final publication. |
| You will be required to turn in your four published letters, your drawings, your note cards, all writing drafts, notes, and highlighted copies of your research. These materials should be presented in an organized, labeled folder. |
| This WebQuest will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Is the presentation of your folder containing your letters, note cards and drafts neat and professional? |
When you complete this WebQuest, you
will be able to better identify and understand the setting of Song of the Gargoyle.
As you read the novel, you will have a greater understanding of the personal, social, and
political issues which are dealt with in the story.
Adapted from Adam of the Road
by Mr. Culbert
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