Create a Zoo WebQuest

Introduction

You are a member of a zoology team that has been asked to rescue animals who are in need of a new home. It is your job to research the animals and their habitats.  The animals you and your team are researching will be brought together to create a new zoo.

For this activity, your job is to look up information on your assigned animal and use it to fill in your Animal Fact Sheet. You will use the information you find to design an appropriate zoo exhibit habitat for your assigned animal. You will have a fact sheet to fill in as you do your research. The fact sheet has questions that you have to answer and this will help you think about what your animal will need upon its’ arrival at the new zoo. You will go on a virtual tour of a real zoo to view animals in their habitats.

Task

Your assignment is to design an appropriate zoo exhibit habitat for your assigned animal. You will learn about your animal by visiting many websites in the computer lab. You will also go to the library and work with your teacher and Mrs. Weghorst using print resources and data bases. The information you learn about your animal will be used to help you design and describe a zoo exhibit for your animal. It is important to understand the characteristics of your animal and the food web that your animal exists in to help you with the placement of its exhibit in the zoo.

Process
  1. Choose the animal you will be researching to add to the zoo.
  2. Get a copy of the Animal Fact Sheet from your teacher to record your information on.
  3. Complete the Food Chain and Food Web activities in the Computer Lab.
  4. Go to the Library to begin researching your animal.
  5. Use the websites bookmarked in the Computer Lab to research your animal.
  6. Show your Animal Fact Sheet to your teacher when you are done.
  7. Take the virtual tour of the National Zoo and pay close attention to the habitats of the animals and what other animals the animals are placed next to.
  8. As a classroom, talk aobut your animals and come up with a plan for the new zoo that includes the placement of all of the animals your classmates and you have researched. If you and your classmates have a difference of opinion, justify your position.
  9. Either using the large roll of bulletin board paper or KidPix, create a final layout of your zoo. Remember to name your zoo and label all of the animals.

RESOURCES

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/

http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/animals

http://www.zoo.org/

http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo

Evaluation

Create a 3-6 slide PowerPoint on your animal. Use the guiding questions listed under each slide description to help you.

Slide 1 - Introduction of animal

  • Name of animal
  • Characteristics (size, weight, length, color, fur, shell, etc.)
  • What it eats/Animal classification (carnivore or herbivore)

Slide 2 - Tell about animal's habitat

  • What parts of world does it live in?
  • How much space does it need?
  • Warm weather or cold weather to live
  • Anything else?

Slide 3 - Describe Zoo Exhibit

  • What type of environement will animal need to be happy and healthy?
  • How big should it be?
  • Does it need trees, rocks or water?
  • What kinds of food will the zoo need to feed the animal?
  • How much food will it need every day?
  • Does it like company or prefer to be alone?
  • What other animals can it live next to or not live next to?
Conclusion

Using the information you have learned, open a Microsoft Word document and type out your plan for your animal's exhibit.

Paragraph 1 should tell what your animal is, describe its characteristics,  what it eats and what eats it. What special adaptations does it have to survive in the wild? ? Is it a carnivore or herbivore? What else?

Paragraph 2 should tell about your animal’s habitat. What part of the world does it live in? Does it need much space? Does it need warm weather or cold weather? Does it need water to live? Anything else?

Paragraph 3 should describe your zoo exhibit. It should tell what type of environment your animal will need to be happy and healthy. How big should it be? Does it need trees, rocks, or water? What else? What kinds of food will the zoo need to have ready to feed your animal? How much food will it need every day? Does it like company or prefer to be alone?

Credits

Images used in this WebQuest were obtained on Google Images.

Numerous teacher sites on zoo WebQuests were consulted for content and design ideas.

Teacher Page

This WebQuest was created by the second grade teachers of Thorntons Ferry School.

List the standards here.