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Showing posts with label WebQuest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WebQuest. Show all posts
Sunday, November 13, 2011
WebQuest: What Makes Someone Great - Student Page
See Teacher Page for detail project plan by the teacher.
Source: http://www.vickiwright.com/wq/index.htm
What Makes Someone Great?
A WebQuest for 6th Grade Gifted and Talented
Designed by Vicki L. Wright
vickiw1071@aol.com
Introduction
A group of community members and school district personnel are concerned that high ability students in your town are not getting the best possible education in high school. They are considering starting a Magnet School, or a school strictly for talented students, which will provide them with the chance for learning more in a specific area. They have formed a committee to explore how to do a better job, but they need your help.
As potential future students at the Magnet School, you are being asked to examine the lives and backgrounds of people who are generally considered to be geniuses in their areas of expertise. Your job is to look for anything these individuals have in common that could be a part of the new high school's curriculum.
Is it possible that all of them have a common characteristic? Is academic or intellectual giftedness enough? Or, could there be something about their education that was similar? Why are these people special? How can a high school be developed to help students achieve greatness?
The Task
Your job is to examine the lives and personalities of admirable people in a variety of fields. Look for anything that these people might have in common.
They may have something similar that happened in childhood. Or, perhaps they each had a special person influence them. It's also possible that there is something about their personalities that makes them successful.
Is there a "key" to their success? Or, do you believe that they have nothing in common that a magnet school could help with?
You will present a PowerPoint presentation to the committee of community members and school district personnel at their meeting in one month.
Be prepared to share your findings with them. Your group will need to be prepared to speak to the committee and defend your findings with specific examples from the lives of the people you've studied.
You may use props, such as charts, graphs or pictures, to assist you in your presentation. You may even decide to present a skit to the committee which will show them what you've discovered.
The Process
What makes someone great?
Your task is to find answers to this question by learning about the lives of people who are famous or well-known in their particular field. To do this, you will each assume the role of an expert in one field.
One of you will be a Science and Technology expert, one will be an expert in Leadership, one on Sports, and one will focus on Arts and Humanities.
Before beginning your research, read the article Mind Power (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/000703/zone.htm)for some background information.
Week One: You will be reading about THREE OR MORE of the specific people in your chosen field. You may use books and magazines as well as the Internet links provided.
Because the fields are divided among you, it will be extremely important that each of you learn as much as you can about what influenced these people and caused them to become great. Take notes on each individual so that you have some facts to refer to later.
Click here to print copies of a worksheet that will help you keep track of what you learn.
Worksheet
Week Two: Continue reading about AT LEAST THREE of the people and collecting information about their lives. Begin to formulate your own theories about what might have caused them to become great and look for evidence to support your theories.
Week Three: Meet with your group members to compare what you've learned. Are your theories similar? Can you find anything that the famous individuals might have in common?
If you find nothing in common, you may want to consider the theories of other members of the group and go back through the information on your subjects. Perhaps you overlooked something. If there is nothing in common, this will need to be incorporated into your presentation before the school board and community members group.
Develop your plan for the PowerPoint presentation you will give to the committee examining a magnet school. Determine what role you will play in the presentation and what you will contribute. Will you have visual aids? Will you do role-playing? How will you get your message across to your audience?
Week Four: Finalize your plans for your presentation as a group. Make sure that each of you has a significant role in sharing your findings and practice your delivery.
Culmination: Present your findings to the committee.
Evaluation
Your work on the What Makes Someone Great? WebQuest will be evaluated using the following rubric. You will need to become familiar with and understand it so you will know what level(s) you wish to aim to reach.
You will be evaluated with two rubrics -- one on just you and the other on your whole group. Remember that your efforts are essential in helping your group to explain how a magnet school might, or might not, help to educate exceptional people.
Conclusion
By learning about the lives and personalities of people who are commonly believed to be exceptionally talented, you can help the community members and district personnel to determine what very strong students need in high school. It will also help you to understand what it means to be gifted and talented and to understand more about your own potential for success.
Credits & References
Wiggins, G. and J. McTighe (1998) Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Clipart from Corel Gallery, 10,000 Clipart Images, Corel Corporation, © 1994.
The following clipart items are from The Print Shop Publishing Suite, © 1997 Broderbund Software, Inc.: Award.jpg, BenGurion.jpg, Fitness.jpg, Leonardo.jpg, and Scientist.jpg.
Background graphics created with PhotoShop by Vicki Wright.
What Makes Someone Great?" lesson created by Vicki Wright © 2000.
This lesson was created as a part of the "Teaching With WebQuests" course. Please refer to The WebQuest Page to acquire the latest version of this template and training materials, and for further information.
Source: http://www.vickiwright.com/wq/index.htm
What Makes Someone Great?
A WebQuest for 6th Grade Gifted and Talented
Designed by Vicki L. Wright
vickiw1071@aol.com
Introduction
A group of community members and school district personnel are concerned that high ability students in your town are not getting the best possible education in high school. They are considering starting a Magnet School, or a school strictly for talented students, which will provide them with the chance for learning more in a specific area. They have formed a committee to explore how to do a better job, but they need your help.
As potential future students at the Magnet School, you are being asked to examine the lives and backgrounds of people who are generally considered to be geniuses in their areas of expertise. Your job is to look for anything these individuals have in common that could be a part of the new high school's curriculum.
Is it possible that all of them have a common characteristic? Is academic or intellectual giftedness enough? Or, could there be something about their education that was similar? Why are these people special? How can a high school be developed to help students achieve greatness?
The Task
Your job is to examine the lives and personalities of admirable people in a variety of fields. Look for anything that these people might have in common.
They may have something similar that happened in childhood. Or, perhaps they each had a special person influence them. It's also possible that there is something about their personalities that makes them successful.
Is there a "key" to their success? Or, do you believe that they have nothing in common that a magnet school could help with?
You will present a PowerPoint presentation to the committee of community members and school district personnel at their meeting in one month.
Be prepared to share your findings with them. Your group will need to be prepared to speak to the committee and defend your findings with specific examples from the lives of the people you've studied.
You may use props, such as charts, graphs or pictures, to assist you in your presentation. You may even decide to present a skit to the committee which will show them what you've discovered.
The Process
What makes someone great?
Your task is to find answers to this question by learning about the lives of people who are famous or well-known in their particular field. To do this, you will each assume the role of an expert in one field.
One of you will be a Science and Technology expert, one will be an expert in Leadership, one on Sports, and one will focus on Arts and Humanities.
Before beginning your research, read the article Mind Power (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/000703/zone.htm)for some background information.
Week One: You will be reading about THREE OR MORE of the specific people in your chosen field. You may use books and magazines as well as the Internet links provided.
Because the fields are divided among you, it will be extremely important that each of you learn as much as you can about what influenced these people and caused them to become great. Take notes on each individual so that you have some facts to refer to later.
Click here to print copies of a worksheet that will help you keep track of what you learn.
Worksheet
| Name | Early Evidence of Ability | Important Influences | Disabilities | Additional Important Information | Implications for Magnet School |
 | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
Week Two: Continue reading about AT LEAST THREE of the people and collecting information about their lives. Begin to formulate your own theories about what might have caused them to become great and look for evidence to support your theories.
Week Three: Meet with your group members to compare what you've learned. Are your theories similar? Can you find anything that the famous individuals might have in common?
If you find nothing in common, you may want to consider the theories of other members of the group and go back through the information on your subjects. Perhaps you overlooked something. If there is nothing in common, this will need to be incorporated into your presentation before the school board and community members group.
Develop your plan for the PowerPoint presentation you will give to the committee examining a magnet school. Determine what role you will play in the presentation and what you will contribute. Will you have visual aids? Will you do role-playing? How will you get your message across to your audience?
Week Four: Finalize your plans for your presentation as a group. Make sure that each of you has a significant role in sharing your findings and practice your delivery.
Culmination: Present your findings to the committee.
Evaluation
Your work on the What Makes Someone Great? WebQuest will be evaluated using the following rubric. You will need to become familiar with and understand it so you will know what level(s) you wish to aim to reach.
You will be evaluated with two rubrics -- one on just you and the other on your whole group. Remember that your efforts are essential in helping your group to explain how a magnet school might, or might not, help to educate exceptional people.
| | Beginning 1 | Developing 2 | Accomplished 3 | Exemplary 4 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Conclusion
By learning about the lives and personalities of people who are commonly believed to be exceptionally talented, you can help the community members and district personnel to determine what very strong students need in high school. It will also help you to understand what it means to be gifted and talented and to understand more about your own potential for success.
Credits & References
Wiggins, G. and J. McTighe (1998) Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Clipart from Corel Gallery, 10,000 Clipart Images, Corel Corporation, © 1994.
The following clipart items are from The Print Shop Publishing Suite, © 1997 Broderbund Software, Inc.: Award.jpg, BenGurion.jpg, Fitness.jpg, Leonardo.jpg, and Scientist.jpg.
Background graphics created with PhotoShop by Vicki Wright.
What Makes Someone Great?" lesson created by Vicki Wright © 2000.
This lesson was created as a part of the "Teaching With WebQuests" course. Please refer to The WebQuest Page to acquire the latest version of this template and training materials, and for further information.
WebQuest: What Makes Someone Great - Teacher Page
See Student Page for instructions to students.
Source: http://www.vickiwright.com/wq/t-index.htm
What Makes Someone Great?
A WebQuest for 6th Grade Gifted and Talented
Designed by Vicki L. Wright
vickiw1071@aol.com
Introduction
This lesson was developed to be used in the West Des Moines Community School District elementary Extended Learning Program. The gifted education program utilizes the Autonomous Learner Model by Dr. George Betts, of the University of Northern Colorado, and Jolene K. Kercher.
The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the concept of giftedness and what it means to themselves and others. By examining the lives and personalities of eminent individuals, students will develop their own theories about what causes someone to achieve greatness.
Learners
"What Makes Someone Great?" is designed for use with academically and intellectually gifted and talented sixth grade students.
It was specifically created to be used with the Autonomous Learner Model, but may be modified to be used with other models of gifted education. It may also be modified for use with other groups of students at varying ages.
Learners will need basic Internet skills, note taking skills, and the ability to read diverse written materials. They will need to have some background experience in drawing conclusions based upon evidence.
In order to complete the lesson, students will need to know how to effectively speak to an appropriate audience and how to create a PowerPoint presentation.
Curriculum Standards
National Curriculum Standards that are addressed through this lesson include the following Life Skills Standards:
Self Regulation Standard
Thinking and Reasoning Standards
Working With Others Standards
In the process of addressing these National Standards, students will learn about individuals who are widely considered to be exceptional in their fields, thus learning about the characteristics of gifted people. The students will then be able to compare these characteristics to themselves and others, and learn more about giftedness and how to deal with it.
Process
What makes someone great?
The student's task is to find answers to this question by learning about the lives of people who are famous or well-known in their particular field. To do this, each member of a group of four will assume the role of an expert in one field. One will be a Science and Technology expert, one will be an expert in Leadership, one on Sports, and one will focus on Arts and Humanities.
The lesson is organized into four segments -- one per week. A minimum of two and one-half hours per week should be allowed for student work time. Additional time may be necessary outside of class for this interdisciplinary lesson.
Students are divided into groups of four. It is best to include a student who is interested in each of the four areas, of course, but not necessarily practical. You could ask the students to indicate their top two or three choices among the four disciplines and then assign students to the groups. If your class consists of a group of less than four students, you might consider consolidating roles or inviting additional students to participate in the lesson.
If you're working in a one-computer classroom, or don't have Internet access from your class, it might be advisable to print out the Internet pages on each individual so that students can read them offline. Otherwise, a schedule will need to be developed to allow each student some time online.
As a teacher, you need to have some experience with the Internet. It would also be helpful to have knowledge of the program WebWhacker, or something similar. Using WebWhacker, one can save the web pages to the hard drive of the classroom computer so students do not need to be online to access the information.
You also need to have working knowledge of PowerPoint, or an assistant who has experience with the program. This might be an ideal situation for volunteers to help in the classroom.
Week One: The students will read about three or more of the specific people in their chosen fields. They may use books and magazines as well as the Internet links provided. Because the fields are divided among them, it will be extremely important that each of them learn as much as they can about what influenced these people and caused them to become great. Students will need to take notes on each individual to refer to later.
Week Two: Students continue reading about at least three of the people and collecting information about their lives. They will begin to formulate their own theories about what might have caused these people to become great and look for evidence to support their theories.
Week Three: Group members meet to compare what they've learned. Are their theories similar? Can they find anything that the famous individuals might have in common?
If they find nothing in common, they may want to consider the theories of other members of the group and go back through the information on their subjects. Perhaps students overlooked something. If there is nothing in common, this will need to be incorporated into the PowerPoint presentation before the school board and community members group.
Students develop their plan for the presentation they will give to the committee examining a magnet school. Each student must contribute to the presentation whether it is with visual aids, role-playing, or summarizing. They need to plan how to get their message across to their audience.
Week Four: Students finalize plans for their PowerPoint presentation as a group. Each student must have a significant role in sharing the findings. Students will need to practice their delivery.
Culmination: Students present their findings to the committee.
Variations
Knowledge about organizing and conducting a live remote session with an expert would be extremely beneficial, if it can be arranged. Some of the individuals selected for this lesson were specifically chosen because they may be accessible through e-mail or interactive remote sessions.
Additionally, you may consider collaborating with the library media specialist to locate and gather reference materials. A resource center could be established that includes periodicals and other print items.
Resources Needed
Students will need access to the Internet for sources related to each of the four research areas. They do not need to read everything, but should choose a representative sample of the items listed. Also, a list of suggested print materials is included.
Internet Links
Student Guidance
In a gifted and talented or mainstreamed classroom setting, the teacher will be the primary guide for students.
Other teachers, including the library media specialist, may assist with the specific fields. Community members with expertise in the various areas could be enlisted to provide guidance and information to the students.
Evaluation
The following rubric will be used to determine how well students succeed in completing the task. As the teacher, you can help students to become familiar with the following items and decide which level they'd like to aim to reach.
You will be observing the students throughout the month as they work to learn about gifted individuals, their characteristics, and how their lives and experiences might relate to students at a potential magnet school. The evaluations will be completed after the students deliver their final report to an appropriate audience.
You may ask the students to evaluate their own group, themselves as individuals, or ask students to evaluate each other. Another alternative would be to ask the audience members to complete an evaluation.
Conclusion
The lesson, "What Makes Someone Great?", provides students with an opportunity to learn about famous gifted individuals, and to develop a greater understanding of what it means to be gifted.
Students learn how to develop effective arguments to support a position and how to speak persuasively to an appropriate audience.
Perhaps they will also learn which personal traits and skills to develop in order to help themselves become successful in achieving their goals.
Source: http://www.vickiwright.com/wq/t-index.htm
What Makes Someone Great?
A WebQuest for 6th Grade Gifted and Talented
Designed by Vicki L. Wright
vickiw1071@aol.com
Introduction
This lesson was developed to be used in the West Des Moines Community School District elementary Extended Learning Program. The gifted education program utilizes the Autonomous Learner Model by Dr. George Betts, of the University of Northern Colorado, and Jolene K. Kercher.
The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the concept of giftedness and what it means to themselves and others. By examining the lives and personalities of eminent individuals, students will develop their own theories about what causes someone to achieve greatness.
Learners
"What Makes Someone Great?" is designed for use with academically and intellectually gifted and talented sixth grade students.
It was specifically created to be used with the Autonomous Learner Model, but may be modified to be used with other models of gifted education. It may also be modified for use with other groups of students at varying ages.
Learners will need basic Internet skills, note taking skills, and the ability to read diverse written materials. They will need to have some background experience in drawing conclusions based upon evidence.
In order to complete the lesson, students will need to know how to effectively speak to an appropriate audience and how to create a PowerPoint presentation.
Curriculum Standards
National Curriculum Standards that are addressed through this lesson include the following Life Skills Standards:
Self Regulation Standard
- Demonstrates perseverance.
Thinking and Reasoning Standards
- Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument.
- Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences (compares, contrasts, classifies).
Working With Others Standards
- Contributes to the overall effort of a group.
- Works well with diverse individuals and in diverse situations.
- Displays effective interpersonal communication skills.
In the process of addressing these National Standards, students will learn about individuals who are widely considered to be exceptional in their fields, thus learning about the characteristics of gifted people. The students will then be able to compare these characteristics to themselves and others, and learn more about giftedness and how to deal with it.
Process
What makes someone great?
The student's task is to find answers to this question by learning about the lives of people who are famous or well-known in their particular field. To do this, each member of a group of four will assume the role of an expert in one field. One will be a Science and Technology expert, one will be an expert in Leadership, one on Sports, and one will focus on Arts and Humanities.
The lesson is organized into four segments -- one per week. A minimum of two and one-half hours per week should be allowed for student work time. Additional time may be necessary outside of class for this interdisciplinary lesson.
Students are divided into groups of four. It is best to include a student who is interested in each of the four areas, of course, but not necessarily practical. You could ask the students to indicate their top two or three choices among the four disciplines and then assign students to the groups. If your class consists of a group of less than four students, you might consider consolidating roles or inviting additional students to participate in the lesson.
If you're working in a one-computer classroom, or don't have Internet access from your class, it might be advisable to print out the Internet pages on each individual so that students can read them offline. Otherwise, a schedule will need to be developed to allow each student some time online.
As a teacher, you need to have some experience with the Internet. It would also be helpful to have knowledge of the program WebWhacker, or something similar. Using WebWhacker, one can save the web pages to the hard drive of the classroom computer so students do not need to be online to access the information.
You also need to have working knowledge of PowerPoint, or an assistant who has experience with the program. This might be an ideal situation for volunteers to help in the classroom.
Week One: The students will read about three or more of the specific people in their chosen fields. They may use books and magazines as well as the Internet links provided. Because the fields are divided among them, it will be extremely important that each of them learn as much as they can about what influenced these people and caused them to become great. Students will need to take notes on each individual to refer to later.
Week Two: Students continue reading about at least three of the people and collecting information about their lives. They will begin to formulate their own theories about what might have caused these people to become great and look for evidence to support their theories.
Week Three: Group members meet to compare what they've learned. Are their theories similar? Can they find anything that the famous individuals might have in common?
If they find nothing in common, they may want to consider the theories of other members of the group and go back through the information on their subjects. Perhaps students overlooked something. If there is nothing in common, this will need to be incorporated into the PowerPoint presentation before the school board and community members group.
Students develop their plan for the presentation they will give to the committee examining a magnet school. Each student must contribute to the presentation whether it is with visual aids, role-playing, or summarizing. They need to plan how to get their message across to their audience.
Week Four: Students finalize plans for their PowerPoint presentation as a group. Each student must have a significant role in sharing the findings. Students will need to practice their delivery.
Culmination: Students present their findings to the committee.
Variations
Knowledge about organizing and conducting a live remote session with an expert would be extremely beneficial, if it can be arranged. Some of the individuals selected for this lesson were specifically chosen because they may be accessible through e-mail or interactive remote sessions.
Additionally, you may consider collaborating with the library media specialist to locate and gather reference materials. A resource center could be established that includes periodicals and other print items.
Resources Needed
Students will need access to the Internet for sources related to each of the four research areas. They do not need to read everything, but should choose a representative sample of the items listed. Also, a list of suggested print materials is included.
Internet Links
- Science and Technology
- Leadership
- Sports
- Arts and Humanities
Student Guidance
In a gifted and talented or mainstreamed classroom setting, the teacher will be the primary guide for students.
Other teachers, including the library media specialist, may assist with the specific fields. Community members with expertise in the various areas could be enlisted to provide guidance and information to the students.
Evaluation
The following rubric will be used to determine how well students succeed in completing the task. As the teacher, you can help students to become familiar with the following items and decide which level they'd like to aim to reach.
You will be observing the students throughout the month as they work to learn about gifted individuals, their characteristics, and how their lives and experiences might relate to students at a potential magnet school. The evaluations will be completed after the students deliver their final report to an appropriate audience.
You may ask the students to evaluate their own group, themselves as individuals, or ask students to evaluate each other. Another alternative would be to ask the audience members to complete an evaluation.
| Beginning 1 | Developing 2 | Accomplished 3 | Exemplary 4 | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conclusion
The lesson, "What Makes Someone Great?", provides students with an opportunity to learn about famous gifted individuals, and to develop a greater understanding of what it means to be gifted.
Students learn how to develop effective arguments to support a position and how to speak persuasively to an appropriate audience.
Perhaps they will also learn which personal traits and skills to develop in order to help themselves become successful in achieving their goals.
Website: Literacy Fan Club WebQuest
Source: http://www.uvm.edu/~jmorris/author/FanClub.html
1. An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background information.
2. A task that is doable and interesting.
3. A set of information sources needed to complete the task. Many (though not necessarily all) of the resources are embedded in the Web Quest document itself as anchors pointing to information on the World Wide Web. Information sources might include web documents, experts available via e-mail or real-time conferencing, searchable databases on the net, and books and other documents physically available in the learner's setting. Because pointers to resources are included, the learner is not left to wander through webspace completely adrift.
4. A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. The process should be broken out into clearly described steps.
5. Some guidance on how to organize the information acquired. This can take the form of guiding questions, or directions to complete organizational frameworks such as timelines, concept maps, or cause-and-effect diagrams.
6. A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other domains.
(the information above has been copied or adapted from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/about_webquests.html, by Bernie Dodge, San Diego State University.
Some other good examples of webquests can also be found at:
To attract members to your author's fan club you have decided to create your own web pages. You design an advertisement for the fan club and create a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list to distribute to new members. You can create these in Microsoft Word and will receive help in putting them up on the Internet.
Conclusion
Put a couple of sentences here that summarize what your K-12 students will have accomplished or learned by completing this activity or lesson. You might also include some rhetorical questions or additional links to encourage them to extend their thinking into other content beyond this lesson.
Credits & References
Literary Fan Club
by Joyce L. Morris Ed.D. , University of Vermont, adapted from Deanna Boshoven, M. P. Henck Intermediate School
You are the president of a fan club for your favorite author. Eager for literary discussion and insights into your author's works, you set up a mailing list and wait patiently for the flood of subscribers. After a week one member signs up. His first message asks the question, "What books did this author write?" This is not exactly the kind of literary discussion you had in mind. You decide to create some promotional materials to target the right audience for your fan club.
Background Information
A WebQuest is an inquiry oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. Web Quests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on gathering and interpreting information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
WebQuests were developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University. His site at http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html contains a matrix of subject and age grouped WebQuests as well as supporting information about webquests.Critical Attributes of WebQuests Web Quests of either short or long duration are deliberately designed to make the best use of a learner's time. There is questionable educational benefit in having learners surfing the net without a clear task in mind, and most schools must ration student connect time severely. To achieve that efficiency and clarity of purpose, Web Quests should contain at least the following parts:
1. An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background information.
2. A task that is doable and interesting.
3. A set of information sources needed to complete the task. Many (though not necessarily all) of the resources are embedded in the Web Quest document itself as anchors pointing to information on the World Wide Web. Information sources might include web documents, experts available via e-mail or real-time conferencing, searchable databases on the net, and books and other documents physically available in the learner's setting. Because pointers to resources are included, the learner is not left to wander through webspace completely adrift.
4. A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. The process should be broken out into clearly described steps.
5. Some guidance on how to organize the information acquired. This can take the form of guiding questions, or directions to complete organizational frameworks such as timelines, concept maps, or cause-and-effect diagrams.
6. A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other domains.
(the information above has been copied or adapted from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/about_webquests.html, by Bernie Dodge, San Diego State University.
Some other good examples of webquests can also be found at:
- WebQuests created by teachers from the Burlington School District in Vermont http://www.bsdvt.org/webquest/
- Created by students at UVM in Elementary Education during the Inquiry Block http://www.uvm.edu/~inquiryb
- Shrocks Guide of WebQuests http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/webquest/webquest.html
- WebQuests written by Memphis K-12 teachers http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/tlapages/web_que.htm
- Saskatoon East School District in Canada. http://sesd.sk.ca/teacherresource/webquest/webquest.htm
The Task
To attract members to your author's fan club you have decided to create your own web pages. You design an advertisement for the fan club and create a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list to distribute to new members. You can create these in Microsoft Word and will receive help in putting them up on the Internet. The Process
- Choose an author whom you have read and enjoyed. Research your author to find out details of his/her life:
- where and how he/she grew up
- his/her personal relationships
- his/her works
- how his/her work has generally been received
- any other area of his/her life which interests you
- Develop an FAQ list about your author. What should be obvious to fans of this author? What pieces of trivia would fans enjoy knowing about this author? Remember, your FAQ list should include answers to what you believe may be the most common questions, curiosities, and confusions about your author.
- Create a full-page advertisement for your fan club. Include:
- a catchy slogan
- the goals of your club (what do you envision members discussing?)
- a few interesting facts about your author that might grab the attention of prospective members
- at least one graphic
Resources
- To see some examples of FAQs, try the Elaine Cunningham FAQ , the Isaac Asimov FAQ, or the Tom Clancy FAQ.
- Internet Public Library: Ask the Author has questions submitted by students and answered by the authors themselves.
- Business Letter Writing is a unit from the Misssissippi State University Agriculture Department that includes both html and pdf examples of letters.
- Children's Authors & Illustrators, and their Books contains links to authors and illustrators of children's books.
- Women and Literature contains brief biographies of women authors.
- Portrait Gallery of American Authors
- Author Webliography contains links to other pages about authors.
- Middle School Authors from Germantown Public Schools
- The Poe Museum
- Yahoo's young adult authors
- The Literary Menagerie contains still more links to pages about authors.
- Yahooligans! - School Bell:Language Arts:Authors
- www.fireandwater.com | authors
- BookJackets.com
- Yahooligans- Read Across America
- KidsBookshelf - Bringing children and books together
- Children's Literature Page
- Hall Kids Authors.com - Children Literature
- The Stephen King Fan Club
Evaluation
FAQs, advertisements, welcome letters, and newsletters will be graded on the quality of writing and accuracy of form and content. Is the FAQ complete and accurate? Is your advertisement visually appealing? Is the voice of your letter formal, yet inviting? Did you use correct form in your letter? Is your newsletter visually appealing? Does your opinion essay answer the question of how the author's life is reflected in his/her work?Information | included shallow research | | |||
no alignment big empty spaces | |||||
Information | included shallow research Other books not mentioned | few other books included, no identification of genre of writing | Includes genre and style of writing. Many other books and awards mentioned. | ||
poor. | |||||
Conclusion
Put a couple of sentences here that summarize what your K-12 students will have accomplished or learned by completing this activity or lesson. You might also include some rhetorical questions or additional links to encourage them to extend their thinking into other content beyond this lesson.
Credits & References
- Bernie Dodge at SanDiego State University and all the educators who created and shared their webquests, thank you for your work.
- Deanna Boshoven, M. P. Henck Intermediate School, Rim of the World Unified School District,thank you for the model and idea that has been adapted in this webqauest.
WebQuest: Take Me on Vacation!
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=24&edid=3&wqcatid=
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
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/442webquest/home/early-childhood-primary/math-science/take-me-on-a-vacation
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
WebQuest: Literary Fan Club
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=5&edid=4&wqcatid=
Content area(s): English & Language Arts
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: Deanna Boshoven, M. P. Henck Intermediate School, Rim of the World Unified School District
Description:
"You are the president of a fan club for your favorite author. Eager for literary discussion and insights into your author's works, you set up a mailing list and wait patiently for the flood of subscribers. After a week one member signs up. His first message asks the question, "What books did this author write?" This is not exactly the kind of literary discussion you had in mind. You decide to create some promotional materials to target the right audience for your fan club."
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
Content area(s): English & Language Arts
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: Deanna Boshoven, M. P. Henck Intermediate School, Rim of the World Unified School District
Description:
"You are the president of a fan club for your favorite author. Eager for literary discussion and insights into your author's works, you set up a mailing list and wait patiently for the flood of subscribers. After a week one member signs up. His first message asks the question, "What books did this author write?" This is not exactly the kind of literary discussion you had in mind. You decide to create some promotional materials to target the right audience for your fan club."
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
- Note: This is a really good WebQuest, but it hasn't been updated in years. So use it as a model, not something to implement in the classroom as is.
- The Introduction gives students a dilemma that needs a solution
- Enough Background links to provide solid foundation for the topic
- What makes this terrific is that students don't just learn about their author, but then write an interpretation that transforms acquired knowledge into new understanding
- The Real World Feedback is practical and relevant
WebQuest: Influencing Your Photographic Eye
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=31&edid=4&wqcatid=
Content area(s): Arts & Music
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: "Heather," North Hudson Electronic Education Empowerment Project, New York
Description:
"You have learned about how to create wonderful photographs, and many of you have created your own distinct style. Now it's your mission to continue your growth as a photographer and artist by allowing someone else's work, processes, and knowledge to influence your own style."
Questions: How has that photographer influenced you and your work?
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
Content area(s): Arts & Music
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: "Heather," North Hudson Electronic Education Empowerment Project, New York
Description:
"You have learned about how to create wonderful photographs, and many of you have created your own distinct style. Now it's your mission to continue your growth as a photographer and artist by allowing someone else's work, processes, and knowledge to influence your own style."
Questions: How has that photographer influenced you and your work?
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
- Very simple task generates stylistic understanding and assesses through performance.
- Choosing links from one source is a quick way to go, but beware of losing the source to 404s or copyright issues (and pop-up windows!).
- A good example of how a short assignment can generate a lot of higher-order learning. Using an assessment guide or asking students to defend their works in light of the influencing photographer could ensure this happens.
- Open-ended nature encourages student self-motivation and expression.
WebQuest: WebQuest for Peace: An Internet WebQuest on Kashmir
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=10&edid=4&wqcatid=
Content area(s): History & Social Studies
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: Fatemeh Sheikh, Lahore American School, Lahore, Pakistan
Description:
"World War III is about to occur!The source of the conflict is the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir. Negotiators have so far been unsuccessful in obtaining a peace agreement between the two countries. A Peace Summit has been called at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, by the U.N. Security Council as a final attempt to avert nuclear warfare in Pakistan and India.
A war between these two nations could escalate to encompass the entire world."
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
Content area(s): History & Social Studies
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: Fatemeh Sheikh, Lahore American School, Lahore, Pakistan
Description:
"World War III is about to occur!The source of the conflict is the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir. Negotiators have so far been unsuccessful in obtaining a peace agreement between the two countries. A Peace Summit has been called at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, by the U.N. Security Council as a final attempt to avert nuclear warfare in Pakistan and India.
A war between these two nations could escalate to encompass the entire world."
What makes this an interesting WebQuest
- The opening introduces students to a compelling topic that will likely require force itself on their adult lives
- Exhaustive Background section creates solid foundation on topic
- Beware of web host ads
WebQuest: Antarctica - An Issue for all Australians
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=71&edid=3&wqcatid=
Content area(s): History & Social Studies, Science,
Grade levels: middle
Author(s) & location: Jacqui Zervos, Brisbane, Australia
Description:
"The year is 2010 and the Antarctic Treaty is due to be renegotiated. The Prime Minister has invited various interest groups to make a presentation regarding their views on the position Australia should take at the forthcoming conference."
Question: What position should Australia take when renegotiating the Antarctic Treaty?
What makes this an interesting WebQuest:
Content area(s): History & Social Studies, Science,
Grade levels: middle
Author(s) & location: Jacqui Zervos, Brisbane, Australia
Description:
"The year is 2010 and the Antarctic Treaty is due to be renegotiated. The Prime Minister has invited various interest groups to make a presentation regarding their views on the position Australia should take at the forthcoming conference."
Question: What position should Australia take when renegotiating the Antarctic Treaty?
What makes this an interesting WebQuest:
- Specific questions for the Roles will help middle school students focus on key content
- Excellent instructions on the group process will prevent team members from slacking off
- A focused activity that shows how a quality WebQuest can contribute to learning effectively
Webquest: A Separate Peace: A Teenager Experiences World War II
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=72&edid=4&wqcatid=
Content area(s): English & Language Arts, History & Social Studies,
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: Sally Hursey, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Description:
You are a teenager living in the United States during World War II. You read the newspapers and hear the radio broadcasts, but it is hard to make sense of this war that involves so many countries and people. This webquest will take you back to the Home Front of the 1940's to learn what it was like to grow up during this turbulent time. As a group you're going to explore the topic of A Separate Peace.
What would it have been like to have been a teenager during World War II? How would teenagers of today deal with the conflicts of war and friendship?
What makes this an interesting WebQuest:
Content area(s): English & Language Arts, History & Social Studies,
Grade levels: high
Author(s) & location: Sally Hursey, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Description:
You are a teenager living in the United States during World War II. You read the newspapers and hear the radio broadcasts, but it is hard to make sense of this war that involves so many countries and people. This webquest will take you back to the Home Front of the 1940's to learn what it was like to grow up during this turbulent time. As a group you're going to explore the topic of A Separate Peace.
What would it have been like to have been a teenager during World War II? How would teenagers of today deal with the conflicts of war and friendship?
What makes this an interesting WebQuest:
- Nice attempt to fill in the context around a work of fiction
- Use of the peer mediation model could help the synthesis of new learning by applying it to the characters of the novel
- More explicit use of Peer Mediation in the Group Process with scaffolding would likely ensure greater achievement
WebQuest: 2030: Homesteading Mars
Source: http://bestwebquests.com/bwq/wqdetail.asp?orgid=&suborgid=&ssid=&pid=&ppid=&uid=&siteid=29&edid=3&wqcatid=
Content area(s): History & Social Studies
Grade levels: middle
Author(s) & location: Mary Deschamp, San Francisco State University
Content area(s): History & Social Studies
Grade levels: middle
Author(s) & location: Mary Deschamp, San Francisco State University
| Description: |
| ""The Martians," noted Carl Sagan, "will be us." If life has not previously existed on Mars, it's scheduled to exist there by the year 2030. Can you imagine yourself as a Martian architect, sociologist, or fashion designer, living where even colors appear differently than on our earth? This is an opportunity for you and your classmates to imagine, research, and design living and working quarters for a colony of 100 earthling pioneers to live on the surface of Mars for one year, probably 2030. This is a very real mission. NASA is already making plans." "As teams, you are asked to find out how early pioneers solved the problems of building homes and communities in a strange land. These findings help your group make decisions about what difficulties Martian settlers may face." |
| What makes this an interesting WebQuest |
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