WebQuest Activities: TimeLime and VoiceThread

I have chosen to use the reading material I've dealt with during this year with my students, two short stories by Edgar Allan Poe: The Black Cat and The Masque of the Red Death.

To begin with, as we read each story, we could make a timeline of the events using the TimeLine webpage, which would make it easier to understand the events. It would also be useful to put into practice the usage of narrative tense when making this timeline,

Then, we could re-write the ending of each story collaboratively by using VoiceThread. Each student could make a contribution and change parts of the plot. Instead of re-writing the plot, they could continue after the stories' endings and tell it from one of the characters' point of view. Finally, a small biography of Poe could also be written both in a TimeLine and in a VoiceThread, using slides and pictures of Poe's life.

Both tools are really dynamic and can bring to life a story that might seem too static when first read. In addition, rewriting the ending of each story allows for a better comprehension and more involvement of the students in the reading activity.