Introduction
The Learning Power of WebQuests. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://tommarch.com/writings/ascdwebquests/
Webcasts are much like a project-based learning activity. Students will still learn what the teacher plans for them, but the teacher allows them enough freedom to find the information on their own. They will rely on the web for the instruction, process, and evaluation. This gives them the opportunity to learn how to find information on their own, with a structure that supports them without putting too tight of constraints, or too little control.
Task
2030, A day in the Life Of Tomorrow Kids. According to Bernie Dodge, “A webquest is a classroom-based lesson in which most or all of the information that students explore and evaluate comes from the World Wide Web.” (Dodge, 2015)
So we came up withan adventure story for 4th grade readers. The reader will travel into the future with the main characters. Readers will enjoy the adventure of time traveling. This gives our students an opportunity for some improvement. They will have a chance to do some critical thinking, inventing and understanding of the problems of today. This is a great story for students to see how things can change.
Students can read in pairs to help the struggling readers keep up with comprehension. Students who are struggling can be paired with more advanced readers who will benefit from the ability to help explain or define meaning in the text.
Process
The students will read the book. As they read, the students will make notes in their journal about what has changed, and what has improved with the new inventions. Then they will research some of the major issues or concerns around the world or even in their own community. This is where the higher level thinking comes in. According to Dodge, “a WebQuest must involve higher-level thinking and a transfer of information from one intellectual domain to another.’ (Dodge, 2015) Our webquest does just that. Students must transfer the problems they have researched from the internet on to their paper. Then they must solve the issue.
They will explain how they are going to improve the world with the invention they brought back from the future.
They will explain what the inventions is, how it works, how it will help and why they chose the invention.
Struggling learners will have adapted expectations, or more help completing them depending on their individual challenges. Advanced learners can be given the opportunity to help the struggling learners which will help both students obtain higher level thinking. Since the students will be given the freedom to choose an invention, the advanced learners will be equally challenged inherently in their own choosing, as well as struggling learners. The students can push themselves to their personal best because of the structure provided by the assignment.
This webquest does not only cover reading, writing, reserch on the internet, but also science and history. The new inventions are creative ways to explore science. The research will allow students to see their country's histroy.
Evaluation
Students must specify whether the invention is to benefit either their community or their school. They must choose one of the two.
Students will describe and explain what it is, what it is for, and what it will do.
What interested the student in the particular invention?
Student will accompany this description with a model prototype or a drawing. They have a choice between the two.
Advanced students will be graded on their inventions equally, with considerations to whether they helped a struggling student.
Struggling learners will be graded with considerations to their ability and if they received help from another student, if the assignment was done to the best of their ability.
Conclusion
Congratulations to all the fourth-grade time travelers on a job well done! Your friends, family, and I would like to thank you for your diligence and team work that helped you create inventions that would improve our communities and schools worldwide. It is our hope that the information you collected while on your time travel adventure have helped open your mind to the endless possibilities this world has to offer. We are confident you will use this newly obtained knowledge of our future to help promote positive life changes, and encourage others to research and develop innovative ideas that will help enhance our world.
Credits
The clipart used in this presentation were obtained from Google Images https://images.google.com/
The creators of this presentation give authorization for changes to be made to enhance the educational experience. People making changes to the WebQuest understand that they must credit the primary creators of the project. Any use of this Webquest must follow the same guidelines spelled out here.