Process
Step 1: Get into groups of four.
From the group of four, two will decide to prosecute Sasha, and two will decide to defend Sasha.
Step 2: Organizing your ideas.
Students from the group will need to skim through the story and find parts that support their role in the project. For example, there are direct quotes in the story from family members that can be used to defend or criticize Sasha's actions. Also, the actions of the family members can be used as good reasons, too. Have certain family members been enabling Sasha's bad behavior? Does Sasha know right from wrong? These are possible questions to consider when organizing your ideas. It may be helpful to highlight parts of the story that you find will support your decision to prosecute or defend Sasha, as well as write marginal notes on the side.
Step 3: Begin the paper.
After organizing your ideas and finding reasons to support your decision, you will be ready to begin the paper. The paper will require an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Two students of the group will be responsible for the paper that defends Sasha's actions, and the two other students of the group will be responsible for the paper that criticizes Sasha's actions. The introduction needs to include a thesis statement, which is the main point of the paper. Also, the introduction needs to state your side and briefly introduce it to the reader. The body paragraphs will encompass the reasons for why you are prosecuting or defending Sasha. Direct quotations of the family members from the story, as well as lines from the story, will be required in the body paragraphs. The conclusion will leave the reader with closure on why you support your position. Don't forget to use correct spelling and grammar!
Step 4: Look over the graded paper.
After the teacher is done grading your paper, you will want to look at the suggestions the teacher gives, and make any necessary corrections before making the PowerPoint presentation. It may be beneficial to compare the two papers among your fellow group members and see if any of you have ideas for the PowerPoint presentations.
Step 5: Begin the PowerPoint presentation.
The group prosecuting Sasha will make one PowerPoint presentation, and the group defending Sasha will as well. The PowerPoint presentation will require a title slide, position slide, about Sasha slide, three slides with direct quotes, followed by the meanings of the direct quotes, and a closing slide, totaling to ten slides. The title slide must include one image; the image can be a picture of the author of the story, or something pertaining to the story. The position slide will include whether you are prosecuting or defending Sasha. The about Sasha is an essential slide to your presentation. The defense team of the group could include that Sasha's mother died when he was at a young age and lacked guidance. Also, the prosecuting team of the group could include that Sasha has always been manipulative to the people around him. There are much more reasons to include from the story to put in the about slide of Sasha, but these are just suggestions, however. You will be required to choose three direct quotes from the story to put into your presentation; and after each direct quote slide, a slide following each one giving explanation of how the quote pertains to your belief of Sasha will be required. Lastly, the closing slide will require you to briefly restate the reasons for the position that you chose on prosecuting or defending Sasha.
Step 6: Presenting the PowerPoint presentation.
Of the four group members, they will decide which two of the team will present their side of the story first. Group members will take turns reading the slides. Information on note cards will be encouraged to present information to the class while demonstrating the slides. After the defense or prosecution team of the group presents, then the other one will present subsequently. Both sides of the story for Sasha's actions will be explained, and this is why there are four people assigned to a group.
From the group of four, two will decide to prosecute Sasha, and two will decide to defend Sasha.
Step 2: Organizing your ideas.
Students from the group will need to skim through the story and find parts that support their role in the project. For example, there are direct quotes in the story from family members that can be used to defend or criticize Sasha's actions. Also, the actions of the family members can be used as good reasons, too. Have certain family members been enabling Sasha's bad behavior? Does Sasha know right from wrong? These are possible questions to consider when organizing your ideas. It may be helpful to highlight parts of the story that you find will support your decision to prosecute or defend Sasha, as well as write marginal notes on the side.
Step 3: Begin the paper.
After organizing your ideas and finding reasons to support your decision, you will be ready to begin the paper. The paper will require an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Two students of the group will be responsible for the paper that defends Sasha's actions, and the two other students of the group will be responsible for the paper that criticizes Sasha's actions. The introduction needs to include a thesis statement, which is the main point of the paper. Also, the introduction needs to state your side and briefly introduce it to the reader. The body paragraphs will encompass the reasons for why you are prosecuting or defending Sasha. Direct quotations of the family members from the story, as well as lines from the story, will be required in the body paragraphs. The conclusion will leave the reader with closure on why you support your position. Don't forget to use correct spelling and grammar!
Step 4: Look over the graded paper.
After the teacher is done grading your paper, you will want to look at the suggestions the teacher gives, and make any necessary corrections before making the PowerPoint presentation. It may be beneficial to compare the two papers among your fellow group members and see if any of you have ideas for the PowerPoint presentations.
Step 5: Begin the PowerPoint presentation.
The group prosecuting Sasha will make one PowerPoint presentation, and the group defending Sasha will as well. The PowerPoint presentation will require a title slide, position slide, about Sasha slide, three slides with direct quotes, followed by the meanings of the direct quotes, and a closing slide, totaling to ten slides. The title slide must include one image; the image can be a picture of the author of the story, or something pertaining to the story. The position slide will include whether you are prosecuting or defending Sasha. The about Sasha is an essential slide to your presentation. The defense team of the group could include that Sasha's mother died when he was at a young age and lacked guidance. Also, the prosecuting team of the group could include that Sasha has always been manipulative to the people around him. There are much more reasons to include from the story to put in the about slide of Sasha, but these are just suggestions, however. You will be required to choose three direct quotes from the story to put into your presentation; and after each direct quote slide, a slide following each one giving explanation of how the quote pertains to your belief of Sasha will be required. Lastly, the closing slide will require you to briefly restate the reasons for the position that you chose on prosecuting or defending Sasha.
Step 6: Presenting the PowerPoint presentation.
Of the four group members, they will decide which two of the team will present their side of the story first. Group members will take turns reading the slides. Information on note cards will be encouraged to present information to the class while demonstrating the slides. After the defense or prosecution team of the group presents, then the other one will present subsequently. Both sides of the story for Sasha's actions will be explained, and this is why there are four people assigned to a group.
Tentative Schedule of the WebQuest Assignment:
Week 1:
Monday: After reading the story last week, get into groups of four and begin brainstorming ideas. Decide your role in the group.
Tuesday: Computer lab to work on the paper.
Wednesday: Computer lab to work on the paper.
Thursday: Computer lab to work on the paper. One paper from the side prosecuting Sasha and one paper from the defense side of Sasha are due at the end of class.
Friday: Computer lab to work on the PowerPoint presentation.
Week 2:
Monday: Computer lab to work on the PowerPoint presentation.
Tuesday: Computer lab to work on the PowerPoint presentation. PowerPoint presentations are due by the end of class.
Wednesday: PowerPoint presentations are presented to the class.
Thursday: PowerPoint presentations are presented to the class.
Friday: PowerPoint presentations are presented to the class.
Week 1:
Monday: After reading the story last week, get into groups of four and begin brainstorming ideas. Decide your role in the group.
Tuesday: Computer lab to work on the paper.
Wednesday: Computer lab to work on the paper.
Thursday: Computer lab to work on the paper. One paper from the side prosecuting Sasha and one paper from the defense side of Sasha are due at the end of class.
Friday: Computer lab to work on the PowerPoint presentation.
Week 2:
Monday: Computer lab to work on the PowerPoint presentation.
Tuesday: Computer lab to work on the PowerPoint presentation. PowerPoint presentations are due by the end of class.
Wednesday: PowerPoint presentations are presented to the class.
Thursday: PowerPoint presentations are presented to the class.
Friday: PowerPoint presentations are presented to the class.
Resources for the WebQuest:
The Literature Network: "A Problem"
Click on the story title if you wish to view the story online, instead of reading it from a paper packet.
Quizlet: Final Exam "A Problem" by Anton Chekhov
Click on this to ensure that you remember the main parts of the story. You will still need to go through the story to gather your information for your paper and PowerPoint presentation, but this website is a good, quick review of the story.
Yahoo! Voices: Importance of the Main Character in the Short Story "A Problem" by Anton Chekhov
Click on this to read a detailed summary about the story.
Purdue OWL: Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
Click on this for more information on writing a thesis statement.
Purdue OWL: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Click on this for helpful information regarding the usage of direct quotations from the story. The other information may be beneficial as well.
The Literature Network: "A Problem"
Click on the story title if you wish to view the story online, instead of reading it from a paper packet.
Quizlet: Final Exam "A Problem" by Anton Chekhov
Click on this to ensure that you remember the main parts of the story. You will still need to go through the story to gather your information for your paper and PowerPoint presentation, but this website is a good, quick review of the story.
Yahoo! Voices: Importance of the Main Character in the Short Story "A Problem" by Anton Chekhov
Click on this to read a detailed summary about the story.
Purdue OWL: Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
Click on this for more information on writing a thesis statement.
Purdue OWL: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Click on this for helpful information regarding the usage of direct quotations from the story. The other information may be beneficial as well.
Click on the clipboard to see how you will be evaluated.