Miss. Leverett's Ecosystem Travel Agency Webquest

Introduction

You are a travel agent who is ready to pack your bags and travel to a new and exciting place! You are going to gain enough information so that your clients can be familiar with the destination you are informing them on.  The only problem is that you don't know what to pack for the trip or anything about the ecosystem . Use this webquest to learn  more information about your destination so you will know what to bring! Just remember that where ever you go, you'll have to find your own shelter, find your own food, and collect your own water.

Safe travels and choose wisely!

Task

For your latest trip you will need to pick one of the following ecosystems as your destination:

  • Desert
  • Temperate/Deciduous Forests
  • Tropical Rainforest
  • Grassland
  • Artic Tundra
  • Marine/Coastal
  • Taiga

Once you have picked a new location to travel to, explore the various resources and websites on the area. While you learn more about your destination, make sure you fill in your post card to include detailed information about your destination. Make sure you include the (5) Key Questions:

  1. What ecosystem do you currently live in?
  2. What type of ecosystem is your destination located in?
  3. What kinds of plants live there? What kinds of animals live there?
  4. What type of shelter will you need?
  5. What is the climate?

Print out Postcard:

 

When you have completely filled out your post card, it will be used as a source of information for other people and clients who are interested in traveling to that ecosystem.

Process

Process

Step One:
    Answer key question 1 & 2. Pick which ecosystem you would like to travel to (include an actual location, i.e. Thailand, Egypt, etc).

 

Step Two:
    Visit the various websites on your ecosystem. Make sure you have your journal handy so you can answer important questions about your ecosystem and complete your postcard while you explore each website! Also, make sure to explore each website completely by clicking on links to other pages and pictures!


                Desert

             Temperate Forests

             Tropical Rainforest

             Savanna

          Tundra

             Marine/Coastal

             Taiga

             Grassland

Step Three:

    Completely finish your postcard by inlcuding facts you recored in your journal during your research.

    

 

Evaluation

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Scoring Rubric

 

Trait

4

3

2

1

 

Ideas and Content

·  Ideas are clear and original.

·  Main ideas fully develop the topic.

·  Main ideas are supported with relevant facts, details, examples, and explanations.

·  Ideas are clear and mostly original.

·  Main ideas support the topic without repetition.

·  Main ideas are supported with relevant details and facts.

 

·  Partially addresses prompt.

·  Ideas partially clear.

·  Ideas are unoriginal.

·  Main ideas support topic with some repetition and few relevant details.

 

·  Ideas are unclear or incoccrect.

·  The writing repeats information or presents information as a list rather than in paragraphs.

·  There is no elaboration

·  Completely off topic.

 

 

Organization

·  Includes multiple paragraphs with an appropriate introductory paragraph.

·  Supporting paragraphs have relevant facts and details to develop the main ideas.

·  Includes a concluding summary paragraph.

·  Writes two or more paragraphs that include topic sentences.

·  Main ideas and supporting details are well organized within the paragraphs.

·  The concluding sentences are strong. 

·  The beginning is somewhat week.

·  The writing is partially organized but is confusing in parts.

·  The arrangement of main ideas and details is disjointed.

·  The conclusion is weak

·  There is no real beginning to the paper (no hook or topic sentence).

·  The writing lacks organization and is confusing.

·  The ideas aren’t connected.

·  There is no conclusion.

 

 

Sentence Fluency

·  The writing flows smoothly.

·  Transitional words are used to add interest.

·  Sentence length and structure are varied.

·  The writing moves along smoothly.

·  There is a variety of sentence structure.

·  Some transitional words are used.

·  The writing moves along but may sound repetitive.

·  Little variety in sentence structure.

·  The writing is mechanical or awkward.

·  There is no sentence variety.

 

 

Conventions

·  The writing has minimal errors that do not distract from meaning.

·  The writing has some errors , but mistakes rarely detract from meaning.

·  The writing has some errors in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and usage, and mistakes may cause some confusion.

·  The writing has many errors in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and usage, and mistakes affect understanding. 

 

 

 
Conclusion

You've made it! You have reached your destination and informed your clients. By completing the webquest you have now become a more experienced and informed travel agent of the ecosystems of the world. Before planning your next trip make sure to take a look back at the other postcards provided on other ecosystems.

Credits

Resources:

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https://sites.google.com/site/amazingecosystemswebquest/for-the-teacher

https://www.google.com/search?q=ecosystem+webquest+for+4th+grade&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=k9RFU_SNBO7gsATH34GIDw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1024&bih=629#q=traveling&tbm=isch&imgdii=_

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Biome-Webquest-947517

https://sites.google.com/site/amazingecosystemswebquest/home

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech011.shtml

http://ecosystemquest.weebly.com/process.html

Teacher Page

Standard under CCGP:

4th grade standard

S4L2. Students will identify factors that affect the survival or extinction of organisms such as adaptation, variation of behaviors (hibernation), and external features (camouflage and protection).

a. Identify external features of organisms that allow them to survive or reproduce better than organisms that do not have these features (for example: camouflage, use of hibernation, protection, etc.).

b. Identify factors that may have led to the extinction of some organisms.

Students will

  • Comprehend the meaning of an ecosystem.
  • Discuss the types of interactions within an ecosystem: the relationships between plants and animals; the impact of humans; and the effect of weather and climate.