Dear
Players,
The author of The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins received
inspiration for this story by paying attention to events and things around
her. Today you will be going a quest to
discover what influenced her as well as discovering what influences you. You
will have 5 tasks you will need to complete. Each task will come with its own set of
instructions. Open a word document or a
Google doc to record your answers. Once
you have completed, email/share with me your document at the address, ralder@alpinedistrict.org. You will have 45 minutes to complete this
webquest, so please remain focused. Have
fun!
Task #1: Theseus
and the Minotaur
Go to this website http://www.shmoop.com/theseus-minotaur-labyrinth/summary.html
and read about the Greek myth about Theseus and the Minotaur. Make sure you read the brief and detailed
summary. Once you have completed the
reading, on your word document, write a paragraph summarizing the story and its
tragedy. In a second paragraph, explain
how this story connects to The Hunger
Games. What is similar? What is different?
Task #2: Hybrids
The Minotaur from the myth was a
half man, half bull. His life consisted
of eating humans while aimlessly wandering through a maze. Below are a few pictures of the
Minotaur. Reflect back on the book. What
are some hybrid creatures that have already presented themselves in The Hunger Games? What roles do they play in the Hunger
Games? Write your answer on your
document. Then create a hybrid animal of
your own. What does it look like? What animals is it created from? What is its purpose?
Task #3: Reality TV
Part of Suzanne Collins’
inspiration came to her as she was watching TV.
Watch the following movie clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhKQBTJME5o Collins was watching Survivor when the idea
came to her to write this book. What elements of this show appear in The Hunger Games? How does reality TV play a role in the
book? Record your answers on your
document.
Task #4: War: What is it good for?
The last thing Suzanne Collins’
mentions as being an inspiration to her novel was the Vietnam and Iraqi
war. She saw pictures of the devastation
that war brings—the poverty, the distress, and the hurt. What role does war play in The Hunger Games? What role does war play in today’s
society? In your opinion, is it
necessary? Why or why not? In a paragraph, write your answer on your
document.
Task #5: My Turn
Now that you know what inspired
Suzanne Collins to write The Hunger Games,
it’s time to get some inspiration for yourself.
What is the most influential thing in your life right now? Record your thoughts on you document. What are some current events that could
possibly influence you? Go to www.cnn.com to see what current events are going
on. Pick one to study. Write a brief summary of that event. What TV shows do you watch? Jot down a couple of sentences describing
what the show is about. Combine these three
things together and create the basic plot summary of your upcoming novel. Write
it on your document and title it.
This concludes your web
quest. Make sure your name is on your
document and please email/share it with this address ralder@alpinedistrict.org.
