A WebQuest for Grades 7-12
Doris J. Kostal (Greenbriar Middle School)
djkostal@yahoo.com

INTRODUCTION

You are about to become an apprentice! What is an apprentice? In Colonial America, people learned crafts and trades from one another. The person skilled in the craft or trade was called the master. The person who learned the craft or trade from the master was called the apprentice. Your project will be considered a modern-day master/apprentice project (not colonial). You will choose a person who is skilled a craft or trades and can teach the craft or trade to you. This person is the master, and you are the apprentice. Your craft or trade is your "masterpiece". This project will offer you the opportunity to work closely with a family member or friend and learn a new craft or trade. Enjoy the quality time you spend together!

THE TASK

You will learn a craft or trade from a family member or friend. Photos and notes will be taken as you learn the craft or trade showing all major steps involved, including photos of you working with your master. You will also research Internet websites regarding the history of your craft or trade. You will write a thank you/invitation letter to your master, along with a 5-7 paragraph composition detailing the steps and history of your craft/trade. There will be a formal school presentation of your display board, composition, and masterpiece. I hope you will learn a new skill, enjoy the time with your master, and have fun in the process!

THE PROCESS

1. First, you will need to choose a person (father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, friend, or neighbor) who is skilled in a craft or trade and can teach the craft or trade to you. This person is the master, and you are the apprentice. Your craft or trade is your "masterpiece".
2. Second, you need to decide on the craft or trade you will learn or be taught. Some ideas are: jewelry,rugs, crocheting, knitting, sewing, needlepoint, embroidery, holiday decorations (wreaths, etc.), candles, candle holders, jewelry box, baskets, ceramics, vases, painting, drawing, wood project, dried flowers, flower arranging, stained glass, doll making, handyman project, plumbing, electrician, etc.
3. Third, you need to follow each step as listed below to complete your entire project and have it ready for our presentation on Wednesday, January 15, 2003:

**DISPLAY BOARD
House Z will provide the tri-fold display board to you. Your titles/headings can be hand-lettered orcomputer generated. Your display board is due on Monday - Wednesday, January 6-8, 2003. Display board and display of masterpiece is worth 100 points. You need to have the following information placed on the board:

Title: Apprentice (your name) [left fold of display board]
Title: Master (your master's name) [left fold of display board]
Title: Skill to be Mastered [left fold of display board] (your craft or trade)
Title: Master/Apprentice Project Procedures [center fold of display board]
Title: Steps 1-4, etc. [center fold of display board] With paragraphs and photos
Title: Masterpiece (photo) [right fold of display board]
Title: History of ______ [right fold of display board] (fill in craft or trade)

**PHOTOS
Photos need to be taken of all supplies and all major steps of your craft or trade. These photos will be placed on your display board. Remember the following:

Photo of all supplies used

Minimum of one photo per step

Photo of you with your master (1 photo for display board, 1 for composition cover page)

Photo of your finished masterpiece

**HISTORY
You will need to research the history of the craft or
trade you are learning from your master. Please see
the Resource section of these directions for helpful
Internet web sites. The history will be placed on
your display board as follows:

Two or more paragraphs

Double-spaced

Large print

Right hand side of display board with heading: HISTORY OF ________.

History will also be included in your composition.

Internet resource(s) must be on the bottom of the page.

**LETTER WRITING
You will learn to write a formal thank you letter to your master. The letter will also be an invitation to the presentation of the projects. You will need the following:

Business-size envelope

Your master's name and complete address

Writing paper

Pen (blue or black ink only)

Thank you letter/invitation is worth 50 Points

All supplies needed on Monday, December 16, 2002.

Letters to be mailed on Thursday, December 19, 2002.

**COMPOSITION WRITING
A 5-7-paragraph composition (expository) will be written explaining how you made your craft or learned your trade. The following is the procedure we will follow:

Project completed by January 6, 2003

Paper and pen to class on Monday, January 6, 2003

Prewriting notes

Rough draft to be worked on in class January 6-10, 2003

One-paragraph introduction

Paragraphs on supplies needed and each major step

Paragraph(s) on the history of your craft or trade

Paragraph on working with your master

One-paragraph conclusion

Title Page with photo of you and your master

Final composition may be hand-written or typed

Final composition is due on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 (the day of the presentation)

Composition is worth 100 points.

**PRESENTATION DAY
The presentation of your final masterpiece will be on January 15, 2003. The following needs to be completed and presented on this date:

Your display board

Your composition

Your masterpiece

1:30 - 2:30 P.M.: Presentation for masters, parents, teachers, staff, etc.

6:00 - 6:30 P.M.: Sale of pizza and pop in school cafeteria

6:45 - 7:45 P.M.: Evening presentation for masters, parents, family members, etc.

Here are some helpful suggestions: Over the holiday or before, finish your masterpiece and display board. You will need to have your masterpiece completed in order to write your composition the week of January 6-10, 2003, and your display board is due Monday - Wednesday, January 6-8, 2003 (right after the break).

RESOURCES

The following web sites will be helpful when you research your craft or trade. There are many more on the Internet; this is just a good starting point!

1. Candlecauldron.com History of candles and candle making
2. Mcgownguild.com History of rug hooking
3. Brookswreath.com Wreath history beginning in 776 B.C.
4. Chinavista.com Brief history of ceramics beginning in China 6,000 years ago during the New Stone Age
5. chip-smitley.tripod.com History of the doll with links to doll making in Europe and the United States.
6. Stainedglass.org History and information on stained glass
7. Thestorefinder.com From stained glass to jewelry making, cloisonne, and mosaics
8. Antiquetools.com Museum of word working tools and history of hand tools.
9. Tooltalk.org History of tools
10. Quilthistory.com History of quilting
11. Historyofquilts.com Quilted tour through time; quilting history and book reviews
12. Empora.edu History of quilting
13. Reddawn.net/quilt A timeline of quilting history in America.

EVALUATION

Each student will be evaluated using a rubric. The Master/Apprentice Project consists of three (3) major grades.

Thank You/Invitation Letter (50 Pts.)

Letter Heading 5 pts.

Salutation 5 pts.

Body Paragraphs 10 pts.

Closing 5 pts.

Signature 5 pts.

Envelope Return Address 10 pts.

Envelope Mailing Address 10 pts.

Display Board/Masterpiece Presented (100 Pts.)

Board turned in January 6-8th 20 pts.

Headings per directions 5 pts.

Steps and Photos 20 pts.

History of the Craft/Trade 20 pts.

Neatness and Creativity 5 pts.

Composition with display 10 pts.

Masterpiece displayed 20 pts.

Composition (Expository) Writing (100 Pts.)

Creative title 10 pts.

Introduction 10 pts.

Minimum 5-paragraph body 10 pts.

Conclusion 10 pts.

Punctuation/Capitalization Within sentences 10 pts.

End punctuation and First Word capitalization 10 pts.

Spelling 10 pts.

Grammar and Usage 10 pts.

Form 10 pts.

Overall Impression 10 pts.

CONCLUSION

The Master/Apprentice Project has been designed to teach you many skills. You will have learned how to write a thank you/invitation letter. You will have learned how to write an expository (how-to) composition, and you will have learned how to display all your information in an organized and neat manner. You have also learned some valuable skills through the use of the Internet. Looking for websites on the history of your craft or trade will help you with this project, and the knowledge and skill of "surfing the net" will help you find any other information you may need in the future. Also, the use of your computer will give your composition and display board a professional appearance.

Most importantly, I hope you will enjoy this project. Enjoy the craft or trade you are learning! Enjoy the quality time you spend with your master! Enjoy presenting your masterpiece to your peers, masters, parents, and teachers! This project should be an interesting way to learn many new skills and have fun at the same time. ENJOY!!