WebQuest Direct - The Violin Man - An Imaginative Journey

Here is a set of different sorts of questions that will assist you as you work on your Area of Study. If you work through each activity (pick one from each box) you'll be well on your way to being able to critically evaluate texts that deal with your concept of Journey. The questions work on a taxonomy developed by an academic called Bloom hence the taxonomy is called 'Bloom's taxonomy'.

Sample Questions

Activities

KNOWLEDGE

STEP ONE ON YOUR JOURNEY TO HIGHER THINKING!

What happened after Oscar entered the concert hall?
How many people saw him perform?
Who was it that suggested he play the violin?
Can you name the daughter?
Describe what happened at the end of the picture book?
Who spoke to Oscar on the street?
Can you tell why Oscar looked so tired?

Make a list of the main events in The Violin Man.
Make a timeline of events that took place in the narrative.
Make a facts chart or a mindmap of the incidents that mark the steps in the imaginative journey.
Write a list of any pieces of information you can remember from the story.
List all the complications in the story.

Sample Questions

Activities

COMPREHENSION

STEP TWO ON YOUR JOURNEY TO HIGHER ORDER THINKING!

Can you write in your own words what Oscar experienced?
Can you write a brief outline of the imaginative journey?
What do you think could of happened next in Oscar's story?
What was the main idea of the narrative?
Who was the key character apart from Oscar?
Can you distinguish between what was real and imagined in the story?
What differences exist between Oscar's real world and his imagined world?
Can you provide an example that shows one of his worlds wasn't real?
Can you provide a definition for imaginative journey.?

Illustrate what you think the main idea was in The Violin Man.
Make a cartoon strip showing the sequence of events.
Write and perform a scene based on the story.
Retell the story in your own words.
Paint a picture of some aspect you like.
Write a summary report of a major event in the story.
Prepare a flow chart to illustrate the sequence of events.

Sample Questions

Activities

APPLICATION

Step Three toward higher thinking!

Do you know another instance where a character gets lost in an imaginative world?
Could this have happened in Ender's Game?
Can you group by characteristics the elements of an imaginative journey?
What factors would you change if you had written The Violin Man?
Can you apply the method used in the narrative to some experience of your own?
What questions would you ask of Colin Thompson?
From the information given, can you develop a set of instructions about imaginative journeys?

Make a scrapbook about the Area of Study.
Take a collection of photographs to demonstrate a particular points in an imaginative journey or a physical journey..
Design a market strategy for your product using a known strategy as a model for an imaginative journey.
Write a textbook about an imaginative journey for others doing the HSC

Sample Questions

Activities

Which events could have happened in a different order?

I wonder what might have happened, if Oscar's daughter was alive in the story?
How was this similar to Ender's Game?
What was the underlying theme of The Violin Man?
What do you see as other possible outcomes of the story?
How is story different from Ender's Game
What are some of the problems of in the narrative?
Can you distinguish between the real and imagined world in the narrative?
What were some of the motives behind Oscar's actions in the story?
What was the turning point in the story?
What was the problem with Oscar?

Design a questionnaire to gather information about suitable texts to supplement your study of Imaginative Journey.
Write a commercial to sell a new product for a virtual travel agent.
Conduct an investigation to produce information to support the view that without imagination human beings are just like animals.
Make a flow chart to show the critical stages in Oscar's journey.
Write a biography of Oscar.
Prepare a report about the Area of Study as it relates to The Violin Man.
Review a work of art in terms of form, colour and texture and reflect on the ways it takes you on an imaginative journey.

ANALYSIS

Getting very warm now!

Sample Questions

Activities

SYNTHESIS

This is higher order thinking!

Can you design a ... to ...?
Why not compose a song about...?
Can you see a possible solution to...?
If you had access to all resources how would you deal with...?
Why don't you devise your own way to deal with...?
What would happen if...?
How many ways can you...?
Can you create new and unusual uses for...?
Can you write a new recipe for a tasty dish?
can you develop a proposal which would...

Write about your feelings in relation to The Violin Man
Write a puppet show, sollioloquoy, song about The Violin Man?
Sell an idea that relates to one of the themes or issues raised by The Violin Man.
Devise a way to change the ending of the story.

Sample Questions

Activities

EVALUATION

THIS IS HIGHER ORDER THINKING!

IT MEANS YOU'RE ABLE TO USE WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED AND USE IT CRITICALLY!

Is there a better solution to The Violin Man?
Judge the value of studying pictures when your in Year 12.
Can you defend your position about enjoying picture books when they're clearly for children?
Do you think studying English as a mandatory subject in your HSC is a good or a bad thing?
What changes to studying the Area of Study would you recommend?

Prepare a list of criteria to judge the success of The Violin Man.
Conduct a debate about an issue that is raised in the novel e.g. communing with those we've lost and loved.
Make a booklet about 5 rules you see as important when studying for Imaginative Journeys for your HSC. Convince others.
Form a panel to discuss views, eg "Learning at School is enhanced by studying the concept Area of Study - Journeys"
Write a letter to The Board of Studys advising on changes needed in the HSC English course. Use your experience as a case study.

These questions were adapted from http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm on 5 November, 2006