A Long Way from Chicago WEBQUEST by Richard Peck

1
A Long Way from Chicago
WEBQUEST by Richard Peck

• Adapted from tara.poole_at_meade.k12.ky.us

2
About the Book

• Illinois is definitely a long way from
  Chicago, especially for Joey and his sister,
  Mary Alice. But Illinois is where Grandma Dowdel
  lives. Every year during their summer vacation,
  they leave the big city and the lives they are
  accustomed to, to visit Grandma in a small
  Illinois town. We learn about small-town life
  during the Depression, as they visit over a
  period of eight summers during the years 1929
  through 1942. Grandma's culture is very
  different, and Joe tells of their adventures as
  he reminisces about his summers with his
  eccentric Grandma as an adult.

3
A Webquest Adventure

• The purpose of this Webquest is to provide you
  with the background knowledge necessary to
  understand the setting of the book and how that
  affects the characters and the choices they make.
  As you follow Joey and Mary Alice through their
  summer adventures with Grandma,
• your group will complete
• adventures of your own,
• though less mischievous
• than Grandma Dowdels.

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Task

• You are reporters,
• working to publish the first
• edition of a 1930s newspaper. You
• are responsible to publish this newspaper as a
  team, and will be writing articles to contribute
  to the paper. Since it is your first edition,
  you will work together to research topics to
  share with your audience.

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Roles

• 1 Reader/Editor - As the editor, you will write
  an
• editorial, read to the group as needed and
• make sure they meet deadlines.
• 2 Scribe/Staff Writer - You are a staff writer
  for the paper, and will take group notes as you
  work together.
• 3 Reporter/Staff Writer You are a staff writer,
  also, and are responsible with keeping the
  teacher informed of your progress.
• 4 Manager/Advertisements/Obits/Design Editor -
  You gather information from your team to
  complete the newspaper, keep your team on track,
  and make sure they have the materials they need,
  create ads and write obituaries.
• Click on the green button to print one Role
  sheet per group.

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As you read

• Vocabulary Study
• Be on the look out for new words as you read the
  book. Use the Alphaboxes chart to write down any
  new words you encounter. Print one per group.
• Alphaboxes
• You can look up any new words you can not figure
  out using the Online Dictionary.

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Read the Prologue
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Prologue

• You have just begun the adventure, and Joe,
  a.k.a. Joey, shares that he and Mary Alice
  thought Grandma Dowel was very old, and she was
  a different woman each summer, though she never
  changed.
• Think about a member of your family you have
  spent time with as you have grown. Use a Venn
  diagram to compare what you thought about them
  when you were younger, to how you feel about them
  now.
• Print one per person.
  (Properties/Landscape)
• Venn Diagram
• Share your diagrams with your team.

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Read Shotgun Cheathams Last Night Above
Ground 1929 Complete Comprehension Check as a
group.
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1929

• Editors
• You have now had the pleasure of meeting Grandma
  Dowdel. You have only read one chapter of the
  book, yet can you find all of the components of a
  plot? Use the diagram below to plot the events
  of Chapter 1 and see if they are all there.
• Print one per group. (Properties/Landscape)
  Plot
• Discuss with your reporters what your finding
  tells you about the way this book is written.

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1929

• Reporters
• Some infamous historical characters were
  mentioned in Chapter 1. View the links below to
  find out more about these men.
• Al Capone
• Bugs Moran
• Share your findings with your editor. You may
  have some leads for a good story.

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Read The Mouse in the Milk - 1930 Complete
Comprehension Check as a group.
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1931

• This book is historical fiction. Though it is
  not a true account and the characters are
  fiction, the setting is during the Great
  Depression, which really took place. Your paper
  is also being written in this time period.
• How much do you know about it?
• Complete the KWL chart together about the Great
  Depression. KWL Print one per group.

14
Read A One Woman Crime Wave - 1931 Complete
Comprehension Check as a group.
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Time to Research

• Now that we know what you know and what you
  want to learn, its time to learn! Use these
  links to learn more about the Great Depression,
  and complete your KWL chart as you go. Remember
  that you are reporters.
• Get the scoop!
• Take good notes!
• America from the Great Depression to World War II
• CyberSleuth Kids
• Just Curious The Great Depression

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Read The Day of Judgment 1932 and The Phantom
Brakeman - 1933 Complete Comprehension Checks as
a group.
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1932

• I dont think Grandmas a very good influence
  on us, Mary Alice said. What do you think?
  Does Grandma Dowdel seem like a typical
  grandmother to you?
• Write a detailed journal entry in your CALS
  notebook about your relationship with a
  grandparent or another special elderly person in
  your life. Tell who the person is and why they
  are special. (Minimum length 1 page, one per
  group member.)

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1932-33

• Sounds like Mr. Buchanan is a very fortunate
  man with a plane, until he meets Grandma Dowdel.
  
• Transportation in the 1930s was a lot
  different than today. Fewer people had cars, they
  traveled more by train, and planes were rare.
  Research more about the transportation they used
  and this special plane.
• Take good notes!
• Biplanes
• Public Transportation
• Hupmobile

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Read Things with Wings - 1934 Complete
Comprehension Check as a group.
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1934

• As reporters with an ear for news,
  you probably picked up on another famous trouble
  makers death. Learn more about John Dillinger,
  and compare him to the other famous outlaws you
  have already encountered.
• John Dillinger

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Big Cities Vs. Small Towns

• Compare and contrast living in a big city vs.
  living in a small town as a pair. Share your
  results with the rest of your team.
• Which would you rather live in, a big city like
  Chicago or a small town? Why?
• Write a personal reflection in your CALS
  notebook answering the questions above. When you
  are finished share it with your group. (1/2 page
  minimum)

22
Read Centennial Summer 1935 and The Troop
Train - 1942 Complete Comprehension Checks as a
group.
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Your Audience Awaits

• Everyone is required to contribute a minimum of
  two pieces to the newspaper, which will vary
  based on your role. At least one must be
  research- based the other may be book-based..

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Editor

• You are responsible for writing an editorial for
  the newspaper. You may also contribute an
  article.
• Your Options
• Two editorials
• An editorial and an article
• Remember, you have a deadline to meet, and you
  are the editor! Keep your team on task.

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Staff Reporters

• Your job is the contribute the meat of the
  paper. You are each responsible for contributing
  at least two great articles that will interest
  the readers of your paper.

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Advertisements, Obits,Design Editor

• You are responsible for contributing your choice
  of advertisements, and/or obituaries to the
  paper. One of your pieces could even be a Wanted
  Poster. You are also in charge of the newspapers
  layout and design in addition to making sure your
  staff has all the materials they need.

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Time flies and the clock is ticking . . . Your
publishing DEADLINE is approaching!

• After thorough research, you have a variety of
  topics that may interest your readers. Its time
  for the team to choose topics, and get to work
  writing your articles. Each reporter should
  write about a different topic.

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Possible Topics

• The Great Depression
• Famous Outlaws (Al Capone, John Dillinger, Bugs
  Moran)
• The relationship between grandparents and
  grandchildren
• Travel
• Summer Vacations
• Big Cities Vs. Small Towns
• Possible Ads (Products Nehi, Dr. Pepper, etc,
  Businesses, Transportation)
• Be creative and use what you have learned from
  your research and the story.
• Do you have other ideas?
• Check with the teacher.

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• You will need
• A Title for your newsletter
• Volume number
• Issue number
• Date of Publication
• (between 1929-1942)
• It is your job to make others want
• to read your newspaper!

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Additional Resources

• How to Write Newspaper Articles
• includes Reporters Notes page
• How to Create an Advertisement
• How to Write an Editorial
• How to Write an Obituary
• Chapter Comprehension Checks
• Project Planner
• Elements of Fiction

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Assessment

• Click on the button below to view the rubric that
  will be used to assess your newspaper.
• Newspaper Advertisement Rubric
• Newspaper Article Rubric
• Newspaper Editorial Rubric

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Credits

• The following websites are accessed through this
  webquest.
• The Biography Channel-John Dillinger Biography
  http//www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_ho
  me/8350/John_Dillinger.htm
• Biplanes http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biplane
• Bugs Moran.net for Biography http//www.bugsmoran
  .net/biography.html
• Cybersleuth Kids-The Depression Information
  http//cybersleuth- kids.com/sleuth/History/US_His
  tory/Depression/index.htm
• Encarta Encyclopedia Al Capone Biography
  http//encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575824/Cap
  one_Al.html
• Encyclopedia Brittanica-Biplanes
  http//concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9079286/
  biplane
• The Hupmobile Club http//clubs.hemmings.com/club
  sites/hupmobile/faq.htm
• Library of Congress http//memory.loc.gov/ammem/f
  sowhome.html
• Rubistar
• Suffolk Web http//www.suffolk.lib.ny.us/youth/jc
  ssgreatdepression.html
• Word Central Online Dictionary
  http//www.wordcentral.com/
• The World Almanac for Kids Public
  Transportation http//www.worldalmanacforkids.com
  /WAKI- ViewArticle.aspx?pinxpu149500aarticle_id
  662chapter_id14chapter_titleTechnolo gyarticl
  e_titlePublic_Transportation