Content area(s): English & Language Arts, Mathematics,
Grade levels: middle
Author(s) & location: John Buttil, University of Richmond, Virginia (revised by Anthony Dove, and Maggie Trucksess)
Description:
"Summer vacation. Don't you just love the sound of those two words. Every school year we look forward to that weeklong trip we will take with mom, dad, and our siblings. Summer vacation is your chance to forget about school and have fun. This summer, you can't wait to go on vacation. The trip is almost three weeks away. You and your brother are so excited you can hardly wait! So you decide to go to Uncle Jimmy's house and go for a pre-vacation swim. As you walk out the front door you spot a note on the fridge. You go to read the note..."
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
- Great Introduction uses humor to appeal to students
- A simpler exercise that becomes a WebQuest when students have to choose the Best value for money. A good example of how the Trip Planner WebQuests can leverage higher order thinking / transformation.
- Limited number of roles and links still generates a good learning process
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/442webquest/home/early-childhood-primary/math-science/take-me-on-a-vacation
Take Me on a Vacation
Take Me on a Vacation is a WebQuest designed by Anthony Dove and Maggie Trucksess, and last updated in April of 2003. It is intended for use 3rd and 4th grade. This is a mathematics based WebQuest asking students to plan a vacation to one 5 different locations, and find the cheapest route by taking into consideration such things as flight vs. rental car. At the heart of this WebQuest is looking at multiple linear progressions and comparing their intersections. Students are asked to work in groups – one being the “bargain hunter” and the other as the “trip planner.” As this was developed in Virginia the standards are as follows:
The Virginia Standards of Learning that will be emphasized are:· Math 3.3: The student will compare two whole numbers between 0 and 9,999, using symbols (>,<, or = ) and words ("greater than,""less than," or "equal to").
·
Computer/Technology 5.4: The student will communicate through application software: Create a 1-2 page document using word processing skills, writing process steps, and publishing programs; use local and worldwide network communication systems.
Computer/Technology 5.4: The student will communicate through application software: Create a 1-2 page document using word processing skills, writing process steps, and publishing programs; use local and worldwide network communication systems.
·
English 4.7: The student will write effective narratives and explanations: Organize writing to convey a central idea; write several related paragraphs on the same topic; use available technology.
English 4.7: The student will write effective narratives and explanations: Organize writing to convey a central idea; write several related paragraphs on the same topic; use available technology.
· English 4.8: The student will edit writing for correct capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.
This is a very quality WebQuest as it corresponds to many state standards. It is very easy for students to follow the task, with one click taking you to the next page. The task is written in language that is very appealing, and almost humorous to students. Being able to plan a vacation is a very exciting thing, and for children to get to explore this is immediately an engaging request. I have a few hesitations however, one is that 3rd and 4th graders might be a little young to truly enjoy or understand Expedia or Orbitz travel agent based websites. Second is that vacations of this size are for the very financially privileged. Many students will never experience vacations of this caliber – and to create excitement about its possibilities is a little misleading. The introduction to this Quest may be its strength – followed by the very good beginning to spreadsheet software. Students play an excellent role in the discovery of the task, the background information is presented very well, and the conclusion is strong. The Evaluation is very clear in student expectations. Teachers are even given their own “page” allowing teachers more opportunities for formative assessment:- How long did it take students?
- Did some finish way ahead of others?
- Did everyone fill out the price comparison sheet?
- Did they analyze these numbers correctly?
- How much detail did the student's brochures provide on the attractions?
- Did the team members work well together?
Matt Stokes
