| Purpose | Standards | Implementation | Lesson Planning | Grading |
I used this program in the beginning of the fifth grade year. Students took quickly to the Quest and enjoyed the project. I believe it may have been better to use this project later in the year after the students have developed their research skills. Library and printed text were necessary and sometimes preferred to the Internet sites. The Internet does not always present text in small chunks with pictures interspersed. Students needed to make inferences and conclusions based on what they read and the practical issues involved in survival. Historical support must be presented to back up the future decisions. This was difficult for some students and was left out of their final presentation. Many students were not accustomed to using a rubric and they left out requirements that affected their grade and the grade of their group. I prefer having students select their own role but this project definitely had roles that were more challenging than others:
Lawyer- Research is difficult in this area but the project letters were excellent and showed the students learned a lot.
Purser- Supply lists and resources used in the early colonies were not always spelled out in the research materials. Students used pictures and common sense to make decisions about the supplies needed for their new colony.
Demographer-Students needed to use passenger lists and text about the colonies to understand the roles and jobs required to start a colony. The final project for this group was not difficult.
Geographer-Information for this role was easy to find through maps and setting descriptions. The final map projects were fun to produce (stress that a compass rose must be included). The Antarctic colonies were often selected on a bay or by a stream. The WebQuest sets the stage that global warming has made the continent a viable place to live so the actual maps of Antarctica contain geographic elements that will have changed in the year 2020.
It turned out to be a wonderful learning experience and the excitement level was high. Good luck and please share any feedback or suggestions.
Clare Reed
Duffy Elementary
Clare_Reed@whps.org
The purpose of this WebQuest is to diversify and enhance the research process through technology. This WebQuest offers students and teachers an alternate method of gathering information and experiences, sometimes unobtainable through printed resources.
This WebQuest was written to be used with students in grades 4 and up. During this WebQuest, students will investigate early American colonies to develop, create and propose a modern American colony in Antarctica.
Completing this WebQuest will require library research, computer lab access, classroom instruction and homework assignments. Please allot at least four weeks for completion of this WebQuest. Some student may work more quickly than others. Please encourage your students to set goals and to adhere to them. We recommend that you guide their progress by implementing a weekly schedule of task accomplishments.
Week 1: Students will navigate through the WebQuest and begin to explore early American colonies based on their assigned roles and begin taking notes. Library books and historical text will also be needed for research. (three computer lab/library visits). Word documents are included for easy printing: Research Forms-Geographer, Lawyer, Purser, Demographer. Evaluation
Week 2: Students will complete their research, note taking, and answering their role specific questions. Teams will start sharing their discoveries and begin planning their new colony. (classroom books and classroom computer)
Week 3: Students will complete the writing, design and presentation materials. (classroom books and classroom computer)
Week 4: Students will finish writing, revising and editing their presentation materials. Teams will practice their presentations and present to the class at end of the week.
Remember that students have access to the Internet and are at risk for venturing beyond the sites provided in this WebQuest. Please monitor their web searching as you are monitoring their progress on this WebQuest.
| It is your job to use this as an addition to any program or series of lessons you already do. It is not intended to be the sole core of research. I strongly encourage you to gather appropriate literature for the core teachings of this unit. |
| It will also be your job to teach students "along the way" throughout this WebQuest. The WebQuest is not a teacher. It is a tool for students to gather information. Like any other activity, it will need to be taught, guided and monitored. You may wish to develop additional assessments for each portion of the WebQuest to ensure its appropriate use and for the students to meet your expectations. |
| Outlines of lesson plans are available for you. Please make any changes necessary to accommodate to your needs. These are only suggested plans. |
| You MUST arrange a schedule in your classroom or in a computer lab for students to have an appropriate amount of time to work on this project. I suggest 30 - 50 minute working sessions. |
| It is the job of the student to use his/her time effectively while engaged in the WebQuest. |
| It is his/her job to use the WebQuest as a tool for researching Colonies, nothing else. |
| It is his/her job to ask for help when necessary-to avoid wasting valuable time. |
| It is his/her job to challenge his/her self during the WebQuest. |
| It is his/her job to use materials other than the WebQuest, such as literature, to gather information and complete projects. |
Sample Lesson Plans: (change according to your needs!) *Times, duration and use of each plan may change according to teacher/student abilities and/or needs.
Plan 1 Gather all materials needed to teach a unit on American Colonies and present to the students.
Plan 2 Introduce the term WebQuest and show examples.
Plan 3 Develop an "Expectations" or "Rights and Responsibilities" chart for the WebQuest.
Plan 4 Model how to use this WebQuest. Show them how to navigate through it and all of the different functions of it; especially how to research using the links.
Plan 5 Model how to use the Colony Question Packet.
Plan 6 Develop organization/rotation of computer use in the classroom or lab.
Plan 7 Student Work time - (30 - 50 minute working sessions)
Plan 8 Student Work time - (30 - 50 minute working sessions)
Plan 9 Student Work time - (30 - 50 minute working sessions)
Plan 10 Sharing
Plan 11 Evaluation
Students will be graded on both individual work and group work. Students will use a self evaluation rubric for their core grade. This form includes group grading, homework, writing and presenting.