webquest

Emily Dickinson information

a) Introduction: The research committee at Harvard University has chosen you to be part of their team! They have come across some startling documents that have left them puzzled when trying to determine the roots and background of a highly influential poet! Can you help them prove who she really was?

b) Task: You now work for a research committee at Harvard University! Your job is to determine, after researching poems written by Emily Dickinson, whether or not she was a feminist at heart based on her poetic career. After you do this you must submit a persuasive paper to the head of your department proving that you have found the real answer to this imperative question!



c) Process/Resources: The students need to research various poems and decide whether or not they feel there is a feminist sense of tone to her writing style. They need to explain and cite in detail their claim.

d) Evaluation (paste rubric here)
 * **Stating your claim ** || **How clear is the argument? ** || **Is there evidence to back up the central message? ** ||  ||
 * **Is their concrete details? ** || The facts should be cited to avoid plagiarism || Is there reference to other poems? ||  ||
 * **Description ** || There should be evident description on Dickinson’s past || Details should be included about the writer in order to prove your point. ||  ||
 * **Paper layout ** || Double-spaced || MLA Format ||  ||
 * **Overall paper ** || Achieve their argument || Make the point clear and visible ||  ||

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e) Conclusion By doing this assignment the true passion behind Emily Dickinson should be revealed. Since she had a very dramatic life, with numerous losses, this will be another detail that can be used to describe her. It’s important that the argument is stated well, and has visible evidence supporting it, thus teaching the ways of persuasion.



f) Teacher page (advice to other teachers on how to use this WebQuest – grade level/subject etc.) This can be used on different age groups by changing the poet. Dickinson is a higher level poet that uses serious subjects like death that would not be appropriate for younger children. As long as the students are trying to prove something like feminism, or explain in detail what the poet actually stood for as a writer the goal of the assignment will be achieved.