Introduction
What makes the best chemistry teacher? Do they incorporate technology in their everyday plans? How could they incorporate technology? What visuals could teachers use to increase student understanding of critical topics? How might they increase student achievement in their class?
Task
You have just been hired as the new Science Curriculum Coordinator in a local school district. You also serve as the mentor for the newest chemistry teacher who seems to be having trouble relaying information to her students. Your task is to create a model for the new chemistry teacher that best describes one of the bond types listed below while incorporating the use of technology.
- Create a presentation that includes 5-10 sections of information, effective pictures, readable font, transitions and animations, music and/or sounds and clear/concise representation of facts.
- Present the information to the rest of your classmates and be prepared to answer questions.
- Create a handout for each student in the class to keep and use for a reference. It might include pictures, diagrams, summary or your findings or an outline of key points presented.
- Create an assessment tool for evaluating how well your classmates grasped the information you present. A short quiz or a crossword puzzle would be appropriate.
Process
TOPICS
Each group of approximately 3 students should select a topic from the list below to research and present.
- Covalent bonding
- Types of covalent bonding (nonpolar versus polar)
- Ionic bonding
- Network solids
- Metallic bonding
Next assign a "role" to each person in the group:
- Research specialist- this person will search the web to find significant information regarding the bond type chosenand lead the discussion for explaining to the rest of the group members what information should be included in the presentation.
- Software specialist - this person will be responsible for the construction of the presentation
- Speaker- this individual will be prepared to explain the information to his/her classmates.
- Handout specialist – this person will be responsible for constructing both the handout and assessment tool for your peers.
Evaluation
A rubric that clearly identifies the criteria for grading the Webquest is below.
|
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Quality of Information (presentation) |
Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples. |
Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples. |
Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given. |
Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic. |
|
Amount of Information (presentation) |
All topics are addressed and structural formulas for examples are identified. |
All topics are addressed but structural formulas for examples are missing. |
One required topic is missing. |
More than one required topic was not addressed. |
|
Diagrams & Illustrations (presentation) |
Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Information (Presentation) |
All information presented in the presentation was clear, accurate and thorough. |
Most information presented in the presentation was clear, accurate and thorough. |
Most information presented in the presentation was clear and accurate, but was not usually thorough. |
Information had several inaccuracies OR was usually not clear. |
|
Understanding of Topic (Presentation) |
The team clearly understood the topic in-depth and was able to answer their classmates’ questions. |
The team clearly understood the topic in-depth and presented their information with ease. |
The team seemed to understand the main points of the topic but had difficulty answering questions. |
The team did not show an adequate understanding of the topic. |
|
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
Quality of Information (Handout) |
Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples. |
Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples. |
Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given. |
Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic. |
|
|
|
Amount of Information (Handout) |
All topics are addressed and structural formulas for examples are identified. |
All topics are addressed but structural formulas for examples are missing. |
One required topic is missing. |
More than one required topic was not addressed. |
|
|
|
Diagrams & Illustrations (Handout) |
Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
|
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
||
|
Assessment |
The assessment included several relevant follow-up questions based on the material presented. |
The assessment included several relevant follow-up questions based on the material presented. |
The assessment included several questions, but only a couple of them were relevant to the presentation. |
The student did not ask any relevant follow-up questions based on the material presented. |
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have demonstrated some of the best strategies that teachers can use to teach chemistry at the secondary level! By completing this Webquest you have worked cooperatively to successfully complete the required tasks: to understand difficult scientific concepts, to make visual representations that best illustrate those concepts, to clearly explain the concepts to your peers and to evaluate how well your peers grasped the information!