by Audrey Weaver, Purdue University Calumet
Teacher Introduction
This WebQuest is designed for 7th grade readers of The Hobbit.They will be learning about the life of the author who wrote the story and his inspiration for doing so, in order for them to fully appreciate the novel and understand the context of the story.
Because the main character of the novel, Bilbo Baggins, proves to be a hero under extraordinary circumstances, this "before we read" lesson is also designed to inspire students to become heroes and leaders in their community. It provides examples of other young people demonstrating courage and compassion for others and allows students to think about what the abstract term "hero" means to them.
This lesson plan takes place over the course of two days (two class periods).