Webquest - Fallen Angels

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers is an exceptionally popular novel for young adult readers. The plot focuses on the experiences of Richard Perry - a seventeen year-old soldier from Harlem – in the Vietnam War. The action is realistically violent and through Perry readers are exposed to a range of truths and questions about the purposes and experiences of war.

For younger readers, being able to visualize the setting and warfare is important for understanding the overall themes and content. There are many excellent websites that offer images and history of the war, including www.vietnampix.com. Likewise, many webquests have been built around the novel. In particular, I think www.galileo.org/schools/strathmore/english/english_33/index.html is a great classroom resource because it not only offers context for the book, it also includes many relevant images for students to consider. This particular webquest’s “task” asks students to create a photo essay for a character in the novel. In groups, they are supposed to locate and select images that communicate a sense of who the character is and what he goes through in the war. I think this project would not only help students be able to better picture people, places, and events in the book, but would be enjoyable for them to work on as well.