1.
This WebQuest is geared towards sixth grade social studies students.
2.
This WebQuest addresses:
6th Grade Social Studies GLCEs:
G5.2.1 Describe the effects that a change in the physical environment could have on human activities and the choices people would have to make in adjusting to the change.
G6.1.1 Conduct research on contemporary global topics and issues, compose persuasive essays, and develop a plan for action.
6th Grade Language Arts GLCE:
W.GN.06.02 Write a personal, persuasive, or comparative essay that includes organizational patterns supporting key ideas.
6th-8th Technology Standard:
Technology Productivity Tools 2. Use a variety of technology resources, including the internet, to increase learning and productivity
3.
I tried to help my students select a variety of informational resources by coordinating this project with my school’s media specialist. In addition to securing the computer lab for access to online articles, we identified dozens of books, magazines, and encyclopedias that span across the 4th-8th grade reading levels. Exclusive access to these books during this project will help to ensure that my struggling readers and more advanced students all have their needs met by being appropriately challenged within the information-gathering stage of this project. Furthermore, besides requiring a mix of print and electronic text resources, I also spent hours finding videos online about each of the natural disasters (both describing them in general and specifically relating to a historical occurrence). This is sure to help stimulate a large number of students who prefer to obtain some of their knowledge through viewing and listening, as opposed to only reading.
4.
This project helps teach my students about the inquiry process by allowing them to decide which natural disaster they want to research within a small group (for the extra support of a partner on such a large task) and then by guiding them to several different sources of information to conduct that research. Along every step of the way, I provided scaffolding (usually in the form of a strategy guide) to help walk students through the research process. I carefully constructed the worksheets to help steer them towards determining what type of information will be most relevant AND towards comparing information from multiple sources. Additionally, within the guides they will use while researching print and electronic texts, I included a section that will help them remember to evaluate the importance of the information they are documenting by asking themselves if it truly was helpful or not. (All guides and worksheets can be accessed through links on the Process page and at the bottom of this page.) Finally, to help students gauge how much time they have throughout this project, I placed a time frame (in number of days) at the beginning of all seven steps throughout this project.
5.
Students presented their findings through multiple avenues towards the end of this project. First, students worked within their small groups to create a poster that described five major aspects of their natural disaster and its effects. Second, in a small group setting, students presented their posters to other students in an effort to teach them about the effects of the natural disaster they researched. Lastly, students had to individually write an essay that compares and contrasts information found (by themselves and their peers) about multiple natural disasters in order to determine which of the four original locations they would prefer to live in based on the effects determined in the poster presentations. By asking students to conduct this higher level thinking in groups before developing an individual response, I’ve ensured success for every student, regardless of ability. The struggling students will obviously benefit from having someone else to talk to about the information presented within each resource. However, even the academically stronger students also benefit from this arrangement because while explaining a concept to a peer, they begin to develop a deeper understanding of the topic too. In fact, they often have to challenge themselves to look at the same concept from different angles or perspectives in order to communicate their thoughts to their peers.
Throughout the poster presentations, audience members within each small presentation group will be recording what they learned from their peers' posters. This documentation will occur on a compare/contrast worksheet that requires students to evaluate the pros and cons of their peers’ findings within each natural disaster. (Again, all guides and worksheets can be accessed through links on the Process page and at the bottom of this page.)
6.
Summative assessments: When students are finished with their posters and have presented them to their peers, I will grade each poster based on a scoring guide that breaks down the important required components. Students will also need to complete a page that breaks down exactly what each group member contributed to the project and how well they worked together as a team.
Additionally, students will also be assessed on their poster presentations and the culminating essay they must write based on the conclusions they draw from listening to their group member’s presentations. (All of these assessments can be accessed through the Evaluation page and at the bottom of this page.)
Creating the poster after conducting research corresponds to both of the 6th grade social studies GLCEs (G5.2.1 and G6.1.1) and the K-12 language arts content standard and benchmark (C.S.11:B.3) I identified above in #2. Writing the persuasive essay as a way to synthesize all of the information learned throughout this unit corresponds to the second 6th grade social studies GLCE (G6.1.1) and the 6th grade language arts GLCE (W.GN.06.02) I identified above in #2.
Formative assessments: As students are researching, they are required to complete multiple strategy guides and worksheets to help them understand and organize the information they are researching. I will check in with each group to evaluate these strategy guides (on a daily basis, if possible) as a way of determining where each group needs more specific help with this project. (Again, all guides and worksheets can be accessed through links on the Process page and at the bottom of this page.)
Completing these strategy guides and worksheets throughout the research process corresponds to the second 6th grade social studies GLCE (G6.1.1) and the K-12 language arts content standard and benchmark (C.S.11:B.3) I identified above in #2.
Credits:
All graphics retrieved from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx
Inspiration for several graphic organizers: Wood, K., Lapp, D., Flood, J., & Taylor, D. (2008). Guiding readers through text: Strategy guides for new times. Newark: International Reading Association.
Each video link states the title of the video and the website it was accessed through.
Documents Found Throughout this WebQuest:
Bibliography Record Sheet
Graphic Organizer of the 5 W's
Research Guide for Muliple Print Sources
Collaborative Listening-Viewing Guide
Research Guide for Mulitple Electronic Sources
Scoring Guidelines
Peer Evaluation Form
Pros vs. Cons Worksheet
This WebQuest is geared towards sixth grade social studies students.
2.
This WebQuest addresses:
6th Grade Social Studies GLCEs:
G5.2.1 Describe the effects that a change in the physical environment could have on human activities and the choices people would have to make in adjusting to the change.
G6.1.1 Conduct research on contemporary global topics and issues, compose persuasive essays, and develop a plan for action.
6th Grade Language Arts GLCE:
W.GN.06.02 Write a personal, persuasive, or comparative essay that includes organizational patterns supporting key ideas.
6th-8th Technology Standard:
Technology Productivity Tools 2. Use a variety of technology resources, including the internet, to increase learning and productivity
3.
I tried to help my students select a variety of informational resources by coordinating this project with my school’s media specialist. In addition to securing the computer lab for access to online articles, we identified dozens of books, magazines, and encyclopedias that span across the 4th-8th grade reading levels. Exclusive access to these books during this project will help to ensure that my struggling readers and more advanced students all have their needs met by being appropriately challenged within the information-gathering stage of this project. Furthermore, besides requiring a mix of print and electronic text resources, I also spent hours finding videos online about each of the natural disasters (both describing them in general and specifically relating to a historical occurrence). This is sure to help stimulate a large number of students who prefer to obtain some of their knowledge through viewing and listening, as opposed to only reading.
4.
This project helps teach my students about the inquiry process by allowing them to decide which natural disaster they want to research within a small group (for the extra support of a partner on such a large task) and then by guiding them to several different sources of information to conduct that research. Along every step of the way, I provided scaffolding (usually in the form of a strategy guide) to help walk students through the research process. I carefully constructed the worksheets to help steer them towards determining what type of information will be most relevant AND towards comparing information from multiple sources. Additionally, within the guides they will use while researching print and electronic texts, I included a section that will help them remember to evaluate the importance of the information they are documenting by asking themselves if it truly was helpful or not. (All guides and worksheets can be accessed through links on the Process page and at the bottom of this page.) Finally, to help students gauge how much time they have throughout this project, I placed a time frame (in number of days) at the beginning of all seven steps throughout this project.
5.
Students presented their findings through multiple avenues towards the end of this project. First, students worked within their small groups to create a poster that described five major aspects of their natural disaster and its effects. Second, in a small group setting, students presented their posters to other students in an effort to teach them about the effects of the natural disaster they researched. Lastly, students had to individually write an essay that compares and contrasts information found (by themselves and their peers) about multiple natural disasters in order to determine which of the four original locations they would prefer to live in based on the effects determined in the poster presentations. By asking students to conduct this higher level thinking in groups before developing an individual response, I’ve ensured success for every student, regardless of ability. The struggling students will obviously benefit from having someone else to talk to about the information presented within each resource. However, even the academically stronger students also benefit from this arrangement because while explaining a concept to a peer, they begin to develop a deeper understanding of the topic too. In fact, they often have to challenge themselves to look at the same concept from different angles or perspectives in order to communicate their thoughts to their peers.
Throughout the poster presentations, audience members within each small presentation group will be recording what they learned from their peers' posters. This documentation will occur on a compare/contrast worksheet that requires students to evaluate the pros and cons of their peers’ findings within each natural disaster. (Again, all guides and worksheets can be accessed through links on the Process page and at the bottom of this page.)
6.
Summative assessments: When students are finished with their posters and have presented them to their peers, I will grade each poster based on a scoring guide that breaks down the important required components. Students will also need to complete a page that breaks down exactly what each group member contributed to the project and how well they worked together as a team.
Additionally, students will also be assessed on their poster presentations and the culminating essay they must write based on the conclusions they draw from listening to their group member’s presentations. (All of these assessments can be accessed through the Evaluation page and at the bottom of this page.)
Creating the poster after conducting research corresponds to both of the 6th grade social studies GLCEs (G5.2.1 and G6.1.1) and the K-12 language arts content standard and benchmark (C.S.11:B.3) I identified above in #2. Writing the persuasive essay as a way to synthesize all of the information learned throughout this unit corresponds to the second 6th grade social studies GLCE (G6.1.1) and the 6th grade language arts GLCE (W.GN.06.02) I identified above in #2.
Formative assessments: As students are researching, they are required to complete multiple strategy guides and worksheets to help them understand and organize the information they are researching. I will check in with each group to evaluate these strategy guides (on a daily basis, if possible) as a way of determining where each group needs more specific help with this project. (Again, all guides and worksheets can be accessed through links on the Process page and at the bottom of this page.)
Completing these strategy guides and worksheets throughout the research process corresponds to the second 6th grade social studies GLCE (G6.1.1) and the K-12 language arts content standard and benchmark (C.S.11:B.3) I identified above in #2.
Credits:
All graphics retrieved from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx
Inspiration for several graphic organizers: Wood, K., Lapp, D., Flood, J., & Taylor, D. (2008). Guiding readers through text: Strategy guides for new times. Newark: International Reading Association.
Each video link states the title of the video and the website it was accessed through.
Documents Found Throughout this WebQuest:
Bibliography Record Sheet
Graphic Organizer of the 5 W's
Research Guide for Muliple Print Sources
Collaborative Listening-Viewing Guide
Research Guide for Mulitple Electronic Sources
Scoring Guidelines
Peer Evaluation Form
Pros vs. Cons Worksheet
