WebQuest Sherlock Holmes
On this page you will find all the tasks and exercises we will deal with in the course of the WebQuest unit about Sherlock Holmes. Please read the instructions carefully.
You do not need to work on the WebQuest chronologically - although I recommend you do. On Monday, Month DD, 2015 we will watch the Sherlock episode "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in class, make sure that you have read the original story until then.
Please also pay attention to the general deadline: Month DD, 2015. Make sure that you are able to talk about your results in class that day (bring your notes).
You do not need to work on the WebQuest chronologically - although I recommend you do. On Monday, Month DD, 2015 we will watch the Sherlock episode "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in class, make sure that you have read the original story until then.
Please also pay attention to the general deadline: Month DD, 2015. Make sure that you are able to talk about your results in class that day (bring your notes).
Part I: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his times
- Please read the short introductory text about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on this page.
- Take a few notes about Doyle's life (key events in his biography; facts you think are interesting; etc.)
- Listen to this short video audio, in which Doyle explains how he was working as a doctor when he came up with the idea to write stories about Sherlock Holmes.
- The Sherlock Holmes stories are all set in the Victorian Age. Try to find out some of the main characteristics of this period. You can find some useful websites here.
Part II: The Hound of the Baskervilles
- Read the story The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
- Please summarize the story in your own words. Make sure that you understand Holmes' conclusions. (If you need help, check pp. 67-68 in your textbook.)
- Get together in groups of four and discuss your summaries using the method "Leselupe."
- Discuss why Doyle chose Watson to narrate The Hound of the Baskervilles instead of having Holmes tell the story himself? What are the benefits and drawbacks of doing it this way?
Part III: BBC's Sherlock
- Watch this trailer of the TV series Sherlock. What comes to your mind after seeing the video? Does the video fit your idea of Sherlock Holmes?
- While watching the episode "The Hound of the Baskervilles" please pay attention to changes from the original story as well as to similarities. Write them down. Remember that on Monday, Month DD, 2015 we will watch the Sherlock episode "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in class, make sure that you have read the original story until then.
- Read John's Blog entry about "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and comment on it.
- What do you think about the TV show? Do you think the Sherlock Holmes stories still work in a 21st-century setting?