Author: Marion Mittenzwey

E-mail: [email protected]

Subject Literature 1

Level 1st secondary

The Pigman depicts the themes of family, relationships, friendships and responsibility. The characters live in Staten Island and travel on some occasions to New York. As a students you will evaluate and compare your life with those of the characters in the book, especially Lorraine and John following their footsteps on their quest to discover New York.

Objectives: After today's lesson, you will be able to: • locate (on a map) where the story took place in order to locate setting • examine pertinence of setting (place, time, customs) in relation to the mood, tone, and meaning of the text by exploring New York on a virtual field trip


Materials: • blank map of Staten Island and New York • journal • access to Internet • predetermined bookmarks for sites listed


Activities: On blank maps of Staten Island New York you willrecord and map the travels of the main characters John, Lorraine, and Mr. Pignati. Before actually reading the story, you will locate the boroughs of New York including: Staten Island, Empire State Building, Statue if Liberty, etc. and get to know on a virtual tour some of the famous historical sights. You will visit the following sites on the Internet and do the activities mentioned. While visiting these sites, you will give description of each site in your journal and you will answer the questions. Take pictures of the places you liked best!

1) Let’s get to know Staten Island:
a. Where do you think Mr. Pignati lives?
b. Where is the zoo? How far is it from the ferry?
c. Which other three places would you visit and why? Which route would you follow? Locate them on the map. Check out the brochure with lots of pictures and suggestions on where to go!

2) Next, it’s time to visit the zoo? First look at the map of the zoo? Where would you find the mandrill? Now, get to know this animal. Explain its: habitat, physical description, food and life span. Is there any other animal you would like to get to know? Which one? Write about him and say where you can visit it in the zoo?

3) John and Lorraine enjoyed skating! What places are there to skate on the island? What route would you follow?

4) Time to go to New York City. You will have to take the ferry. What view did you like most? What about the Statue of Liberty?

5) First time in New York? The slide show will take you to many places. Which three places (different from the ones mentioned in #6) did you like the most and why? Locate them on the map.

6) I have chosen four places for you to visit as a must:
a. 34th Street – What can you visit here? Which department store is here where John and Lorraine might have gone?
b. Empire State Building – What can you see from its top? Go on the virtual tour!
c. Times Square – What can you visit here?
d. The Statue of Liberty - Why is it so important for Americans?

7) Last, but not least – Art is also important, so let’s go to the Guggenheim Museum to see the online collection. Choose the three paintings you liked most - of three different painters. Mention the title and author. Read the description and write a summary. Then describe: setting, characters, theme and mood as you perceived it.

The following sites should be visited in order:

Mapping Activity

Journal Entries: Written work 70% Pictures 30%

Painting Analysis

During this activity, you will become familiar with the term "setting" and its relevance to the story. You will later use your map to trace the characters adventures throughout the story.

This was my first webquest, so I got inspired by some I had seen on the Internet. Yet, I went much further than this and adapted it for my students in Mexico City.