Exploring The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales using Wikis

Materials and Technology

Student Interactives

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Internet access
• Online Self-reflection Checklist
• The Owl at Purdue MLA Format
• The Middle Ages

 

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STUDENT INTERACTIVES

Grades   6 – 12  |  Student Interactive  |  Writing & Publishing Prose

Profile Publisher

Students use the Profile Publisher to draft online social networking profiles, yearbook profiles, and newspaper or magazine profiles for themselves, other real or fictional characters.

 

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PRINTOUTS

• Chaucer online text
• Criteria for Canterbury Tales Wiki
• Wiki Rubric
• Canterbury Tales Wiki Worksheet

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WEBSITES

• Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
  

  Full-text versions of The Canterbury Tales are provided in both middle and modern
  English.

• Everything Wiki
  

  This site shows a chart that gives a quick overview of “Wiki versus Blog.” It can be
  the framework for the class discussion.

• The Middle Ages
  

  This extensive site on the middle ages includes links on everything from weapons to
  customs. It offers interactive games and links to other resources on the middle ages.

• Self-Reflection: Taking Part in a Group
  

  Students assess their role as group members.

• The Owl at Purdue: MLA Format
  

  MLA formatting rules are given with examples for each.

• Rubistar – Website Design: Canterbury Tales Wiki
  

  This rubric can be used as a guide for students as well as an assessment tool for the
  teacher.

• Springfield Township High School Virtual
  

  This site provides explanations for copyright laws as well as sites for copyright-free
  images.

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PREPARATION

1. Have students read The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales either as a class or as a homework assignment.
2. If your classroom does not have computer access, arrange for class time in the computer lab.
3. Look into your administration’s policies about students publishing on the Internet. Most schools will allow the use of Wikispaces. The collaborative project can be created as a Power Point or other type of presentation is your school does not allow the use of wikis.
4. Make copies of the Wiki Rubric for the students.
5. Test the Online Self-reflection Checklist on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
6. Register a class wiki using the guidelines established by your county. (This lesson uses Wikispaces.com)
7. Decide if you want students to self-select their groups or if you want to group them. One grouping strategy is to have students write the names of three characters they find especially interesting and to rank these characters in order of most interesting to least interesting. You can use these lists to group students. If you allow students to group themselves, they can submit interest lists as groups. Once groups are formed, appoint one person as technical advisor so that you can train technical advisors while the other group members work on research.
8. If possible, bookmark these sites in your computer lab or media center so students can access them quickly: “Everything Wiki: Wiki Versus Blog” and Example Class Wiki.

 

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