Introduction
In this subsection, the objective of learning is primarily focused on encouraging observation, classification, and explanation as derived from Bloom's Taxonomy, in a preschool setting. The main theme is one that prompts students to explore the characteristics, habitats, and behaviors of insects through guided play and curiosity and how they can relate their lives to the lives of insects.
A few questions that could be supplemental to this theme are as follows:
- How do insects help our world?
- What can we learn from how insects live?
- What are things that make insects special or one-of-a-kind?
Task
Young scholars will work together in small groups to create a three-dimensional insect habitat model, in which showcases where the insect lives, what it needs to survive, and what are the insects' daily behavior in its own environment. The model will be designed using a "shoebox style" that serves to represent the home of the chosen insect. For instance, let's say the children collectively voted for ants, then the shoebox would resemble the ants' environment. This becomes a complete responsibility for the young scholars because it is an engaging, hands-on task that allows them to learn through being creative and exploring. Natural items such as dirt or grass or leaves, craft materials such as pipe cleaners or cotton balls or clay, and digital references such as PBS Kids interactive or National Geographic virtual field trips are tools that they would need to bring the insect habitat model to life. Students will be able to observe, classify, and explain the environment, characteristics, mannerisms, and role in nature of their chosen insect.
Process
- Discover & Choose an Insect
- Scholars will begin by exploring various pictures and short videos of different insects in their environments.
- They will choose one insect to learn about. (Beetle, Butterfly, Ant, Bee, etc)
- Form Small Groups with Assigned Roles
- Insect Detective (Research Helpers)
- Insect Builder (Assembles Insect)
- Nature Collector (Arranges Environment)
- Gather Materials
- Young scholars will collect necessary materials to build the 3D diorama.
- To incorporate digital learning, scholars will also upload a photo of their materials to their ClassDojo folder for sharing.
- Build the 3D Insect Habitat
- The small groups will create their chosen insects' habitat that shows how the insects' live and behave.
- Asynchronous Collaborations
- Uploads of photos to ClassDojo
- Posts of Flip videos
- Comment feedback on other groups' Flip videos and 3D habitats
- Presentation Time
Evaluation
Preschool-Level Rubric
Four Categories:
Participation, Creativity, Understanding, Presentation
Scoring:
Up to 12 points for each category
Outstanding, Good, Developing, Needs Guidance
Teacher Notes:
Stickers for support in visual scoring
Conclusion
In essence, this WebQuest serves to encourage interactive content for preschool children who are learning about the things in life for the first time. Included are a structured flow, collaborative, digital and hands-on activities, and a clear breakdown of the rubric for age-appropriate evaluation. "Little Lives, Big World" could be viewed as a double entendre, where the young scholars are given the opportunity to classify, explore, and analyze insects in their world and how they are special to their environment, in a similar way to them at their age and how them as "little lives" are important and special to the world around them as well. At the end of the lesson, students are to be able to share what they learned about insects' and their role in nature. Incorporating a three-dimensional activity resembling a live insect habitat for young learners extends learning into a real world aspect which promotes connected learning. The use of natural, traditional and digital materials create an engaging and cohesive learning moment for young scholars.
Enrichment Activity: Nature Walk Activity (Scholars will identify insects in their environment)
- Supplemental Activities include: Letter 'I' Recognition (for the word "Insect"), Picture Match (Match characteristics of insects with their name and picture), Puzzle (put together puzzle pieces that create the body of the insect or one that creates the environment in which insects live)