Interactive Journey for the Life of Anne Frank

Webquests are engaging tools for students to explore information utilizing the Internet resources within the classroom or at home. The information shared in webquests can be used for students to shape their knowledge on a subject, or to further explore areas of their own interest. My favorite feature of webquests is that they provide safe resources for students from one easily accessible source.

In developing a Diary of Anne Frank webquest, certain questions can be presented to students to give them a general idea to Anne Frank the person before they read the book, with specific sites generated for them to visit to answer specific questions. For the webquest pertaining to The Diary of Anne Frank, students could participate in the quest prior to reading the novel, and then afterwards. They can write down specific questions that they have about Anne Frank as a person and the history behind WWII and Nazi Germany during the setting and placement of the book.

Students can write down their answers to their own questions as the book is being read. Students can also go back through the webquest to determine what other questions they have about this time period, to expand upon the lesson and dig deeper into the subject.

With webquests the opportunities for expanding upon the content are endless and are only limited to the questions students ask as well as the information presented by the teacher for students to explore.

To keep the webquest general, I have listed specific questions students can generate answers to, in addition to sources to visit online. You might decide to add questions in addition to these, specifically related to the historical aspects of the book, or questions that pertain to students putting themselves in the shoes of the character.

Questions that can be presented:
Who was Anne Frank?
How old was Anne Frank during the writing of her diary?
What is the heritage of the Franks?http://teacher.scholastic.com/frank/diary.htm
http://www.annefrank.com/who-is-anne-frank/

Where did the Frank family live?
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_nm.php?ModuleId=10005210&MediaId=302

Tour the annex where the Frank family lived during WWII.
Why was it important for them to hide out here?
How do you think life was like for the Franks in their hideout?http://www.annefrank.org/
Why is the Diary of Anne Frank so successful?
Visit the link below which has quotes from Anne Frank. This will help you in considering your answer.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/anne_frank.html

These resources will help students shape their understanding of the WWII situation through the eyes of the Frank family and will prepare them for the reading of Anne Franks diary. As they read, you could prepare questions that provide inquiry on their part concerning life during this time period.

One of the reasons why Anne Franks book is so successful is due to her positive attitude towards life, as well as the fact that she is a normal kid. She has normal desires and ambitions. She is also a great writer, specifically for her age. She truly enjoys writing her story down, and it allows readers to live in the world that she does. Students will definitely enjoy their webquest journey in conjunction with the reading of the book.