Introduction
This quest challenges you to investigate the search for immortality. The search for immortality is as old as man. It goes from the search for the Holy Grail, to the Fountain of Youth, to pyramids, to cryogenic freezing and cloning. The poet Percy Shelley had his own view of immortality. What is immortality? Can it be different for different people?
Subject
English IV
Grade Level
12th grade-seniors
Prepare a time capsule to be buried somewhere on school grounds. Include a videotape of a private message to yourself and artifacts you consider significant which would give you some type of "immortality". To create this time capsule you will work in teams of 3 and visit a variety of sites analyzing different perspectives on immortality.
Your team will consist of 3 people. One of you will be the Presenter, one will be the Scientist, and one will be the Cinematographer.
1. Presenter-Go to the first 4 internet sites under the heading ancient structures. Look at these structures and answer the following questions:
A. In what conditions are all these structures?
B. Is it possible to build something that will last forever?
C. What would you say about a person who claims that he/she will build a monument to
himself/herself that will remain forever on earth or make them immortal?
2. Presenter-Go to the internet site under the heading of poetry. Read "Ozymandias" carefully. Identify the theme and answer the questions in your literature book.
A. Make a Power Point presentation giving your definition of immortality and how your research of ancient structures and interpretation of "Ozymandias" shows any achievement of immortality.
3. Scientist-Go to the internet site on cryogenic freezing and read it. Then go to the site on human cloning and read the article about whether or not human cloning should be done. Read the one page teacher handout on the same two subjects. Write a one page paper giving your definition of immortality and discussing the notion of preserving the self or of living forever through these processes. How are we closer now than when Shelley was writing? How are we in the same position?
4. Cinematographer-Prepare a time capsule to be buried somewhere on school grounds with the help of your two partners. Videotape a private message to yourself to be unearthed at a much later date. Then videotape your partner's messages to themselves. This is a private message so only you will know what is on it unless you choose to share the video with the class before the burial of the time capsule. Include the immortality paragraph and artifacts which you consider will give you and your partners some type of "immortality".
Internet resources (ancient structures)
Internet resources(poetry)
"Ozymandias" by Percy Shelley
Internet Resources (modern technology)
Classroom Resources
Textbook-Literature The British Tradition
Video camera
Learning Advice
As you go through each task, take notes on how the concept of immortality seems to have changed and how immortality is being reached. This will help you in writing your paragraph and preparing your time capsule.
The student will be graded on completion of the following:
A. Answered questions on ancient structures-10points
B. Answered questions on "Ozymandias"-10 points
C. Power point presentation-30 points
D. Analyzation of modern technology's role in man's search for immortality-50 points
E. Completion of a time capsule-50 points
You've finished and buried your time capsule. Have your thoughts on immortality changed?
Now that you've completed the project, what new direction do you see
man's quest for immortality taking? Do you think man will ever achieve
it? Would you want to?