Introduction
By Socorro Lobato Búa
You are an alien from the planet Nebacanezer. You are on a mission to seek out new planets and study the different kinds of life on each. You have recently come across the blue planet called Earth and are surprised at the variety of life forms on the planet. You see humans and insects and fish, but the life form that interests you the most is.... the plant. You have never seen a plant before and want to learn everything about this interesting living thing. You can't wait to get started so you pull out your Observation Notebook and get right to work!
CLICK ON THE TASK BUTTON.
Task
Your task is to answer these questions:
What is a plant?
How do they grow, survive, and reproduce (make new plants)?
You will be working with a partner to complete this task. Your role is to pretend that you are alien botanists (people who study plants). You will work together to complete your Plant Life Observation Journal and your final project. As you work together, both of you should be actively searching to fill out your Observation Journals.
Because it is important that both of you do your own part, you will receive a participation grade for this activity. Click on the Evaluation button on the left to see a rubric that tells you how you will be graded on this activity.
CLICK ON THE PROCESS BUTTON.
Process
Process
Before you begin, you will need the following resources:
- One computer with the Internet for you and your partner to share
- A pencil
- Two copies of the Plant Life Observation Journal (one for you and one for your partner)
- Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils
- Two copies of the Letter Graphic Organizer to help you complete your final project
- Loose-leaf notebook paper
Now that you have everything that you need, you and a fellow botanist (a person who studies plants) can begin your investigation of plants. Your partner will be chosen at random by your teacher. Your role and your partner's are the same. You will both be working together to complete your Plant Life Observation Journal in order to send back to your planet Nebaccanezer so that your honorable leader, Chu Chu Twinkletoes can read it. Because the Honorable Chu Chu Twinkletoes is your supreme leader, it is important that your Observation Journal is fully complete, accurate, and to the best of your ability.
When you have completed your Observation Journal, you and your partner will complete a final project to send back to the Honorable Chu Chu Twinkletoes. This final project will be a letter to Chu Chu Twinkletoes describing what you learned about plants from completing this investigation. This letter will be sent with your Observation Journal back to the planet Nebaccanezer.
Altogether, it should take you and your partner 10 days to complete your Observation Journals and letters to Chu Chu Twinkletoes.
Now you are ready to begin your project. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU FOLLOW EACH STEP LISTED BELOW. EACH STEP SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP!
Click HERE to print out a copy of the Plant Life Observation Journal. Staple the journal together in the right order and look it over to make sure the everything looks okay before beginning.
1. First, you will study the LIFE CYCLE OF A PLANT. Click HERE to learn more about life cycles. (Click on any of the plants or animals to find out what a life cycle is.)
Your job is to look at, read, and complete the activities at each of the websites listed below. Then, use the information that you learn to answer the questions on PAGE 1 of your Observation Journal. Make sure that you answer all the questions on PAGE 1 of your Observation Journal before moving on to step 3.
Click on each website below to learn more about the life cycle of a plant:
Now that you are finished looking at the websites, complete the questions on PAGE 1 of your Plant Life Observation Journal. Remember to be neat and complete.
2. NEXT, you will study HOW PLANTS GROW.
Remember that your job is to look at, read, and complete the activities at each of the websites listed below. Then, use the information that you learn to answer the questions on PAGE 2 of your Observation Journal. Make sure that you answer all the questions on PAGE 2 of your Observation Journal before moving on to step 4.
Click on each website below to learn more about the how plants grow:
What are the Plant Parts? Quiz
Now that you are finished looking at the websites, complete the questions on PAGE 2 of your Plant Life Observation Journal. Remember to be neat and complete.
3. NEXT, you will study HOW PLANTS SURVIVE.
Remember that your job is to look at, read, and complete the activities at each of the websites listed below. Then, use the information that you learn to answer the questions on PAGE 3 of your Observation Journal. Make sure that you answer all the questions on PAGE 3 of your Observation Journal before moving on to step 5.
Click on each website below to learn more about the how plants survive:
Now that you are finished looking at the websites, complete the questions on PAGE 3 of your Plant Life Observation Journal. Remember to be neat and complete.
4. NEXT, you will study HOW PLANTS REPRODUCE.
Remember that your job is to look at, read, and complete the activities at each of the websites listed below. Then, use the information that you learn to answer the questions on PAGE 4 of your Observation Journal. Make sure that you answer all the questions on PAGE 4 of your Observation Journal before moving on to step 6.
Click on each website below to learn more about the how plants reproduce:
Nonflowering Plants & Reproduction
What are the Parts of a Flower? Quiz
Now that you are finished looking at the websites, complete the questions on PAGE 4 of your Plant Life Observation Journal. Remember to be neat and complete.
5. NEXT, you will study HOW PLANTS DIFFER.
Remember that your job is to look at, read, and complete the activities at each of the websites listed below. Then, use the information that you learn to answer the questions on PAGE 5 of your Observation Journal. Make sure that you answer all the questions on PAGE 5 of your Observation Journal before moving on to step 7.
Click on each website below to learn more about the how plants differ:
Now that you are finished looking at the websites, complete the questions on PAGE 5 of your Plant Life Observation Journal. Remember to be neat and complete.
6. NEXT, you will study HOW PLANTS AND ANIMALS INTERACT.
Remember that your job is to look at, read, and complete the activities at each of the websites listed below. Then, use the information that you learn to answer the questions on PAGE 6 of your Observation Journal. Make sure that you answer all the questions on PAGE 6 of your Observation Journal before moving on to step 8.
Click on each website below to learn more about the how plants and animals interact:
Plants & The Food Chain Quick Flick (Watch the movie and take the quiz!)
Now that you are finished looking at the websites, complete the questions on PAGE 6 of your Plant Life Observation Journal. Remember to be neat and complete.
8. Your final step is to complete your final project. Before you begin, check over your Observation Journals to make sure every question is complete and to the best of your ability.
Take this quiz about plants to show what you know -- Plants Quiz
Your final task is to write a letter to Chu Chu Twinkletoes. This letter should describe what you learned while completing your plant investigation. This letter should tell what 5 of the most important or interesting pieces of information that you learned about plant life.
You and your partner will NOT be working together for this part of the project. You can use your own copy of the Plant Life Observation Journal to help you.
This first thing to should do is CLICK HERE to print off a copy of the letter graphic organizer. Fill out the letter graphic organizer completely.
If there is enough time, you can use the Letter Generator at www.readwritethink.org to publish your letter. However, if there is not enough time, you must hand write your final copy. HINT: When using the letter generator, you can NOT save your work so you must have everything on your graphic organizer complete before starting to type.
WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED, CLICK ON THE EVALUATION BUTTON ON THE LEFT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW HOW YOUR OBSERVATION JOURNAL AND LETTER WILL BE GRADED.
THEN CLICK ON THE CONCLUSION BUTTON.
Evaluation
Evaluation
The following rubric shows you how you will be graded on this Plant Power WebQuest activity. Refer back to this page often to make sure that you are on task and have everything completed for this project.
|
|
Beginning 6 or Below |
Developing 7 |
Accomplished 8 |
Exemplary 9 |
Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observation Journal Questions (Each page is a single grade) |
Student accurately completes 6 or less questions to the best of his/her ability. | Student accurately completes 7 out of 9 questions to the best of his/her ability. | Student accurately completes 8 out of 9 questions to the best of his/her ability. | Student accurately completes 9 out of 9 questions to the best of his/her ability. | |
|
Final Project - Letter |
Less than 75% of the required content listed on the Letter Graphic Organizer is present. | At least 75% of the required content listed on the Letter Graphic Organizer is present. | Almost all of the required content listed on the Letter Graphic Organizer is present. | All of the required content listed on the Letter Graphic Organizer is present. | |
|
Final Project - Understanding of Content |
Student accurately describes 2 or less facts learned about plant life. | Student accurately describes 3 important or interesting facts learned about plant life. | Student accurately describes 4 important or interesting facts learned about plant life. | Student accurately describes 5 important or interesting facts learned about plant life. | |
|
Participation |
Student hardly makes an effort to participate in the WebQuest process. | Student sometimes makes and effort to participate in the WebQuest process. | Student makes an effort to actively participate in the WebQuest process. | Student constantly makes an effort to actively participate in the WebQuest process. |
Conclusion
Conclusion
CONGRATULATIONS!!
You have successfully sent your Plant Life Observation Journal and letter to the Honorable Chu Chu Twinkletoes. He has already replied and is high satisfied with your work.
Although this makes you happy, you are even more excited that you have learned so much about plants. You now know what a plant is and how they grow, survive, and reproduce.
You have already got your next assignment. You are going to visit the orange planet called Snickerdoodledog and study the life form that they call the Ferocious Barking Spiny-Tailed Angry Mordorf. You have heard that they are 100 feet tall and like to eat anything. You take a big gulp and get in your ship for your next adventure.
GOOD LUCK!
Credits
Credits
References
Allen, D. & Allen D. (2003). Photosynthesis. Plants. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/vphoto.htm
BBC. (2005). Life Cycles. Science Clips. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/life_cycles.shtml
BBC. (2006). Living Things: Plants. Revisewise. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revisewise/science/living/06_act.shtml
BrainPop. (2006). Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.brainpop.com/
Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association. (2006). Plant Life. Catie for Schools. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.catie.org.uk/plants_galore_page.html
Do You Know Your Leaves? (2006). Bonus.com. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.bonus.com/bonus/nav/scooter/scooterize.htmp?loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebonus%2Ecom%2Fbonus%2Fcard%2Fscs%5Fquiz%5Fleaves%2Ehtml%3Fscooterize%3D1&useragent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%29&refv=1&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fclassroom%2Ejc%2Dschools%2Enet%2Fsci%2Dunits%2Ffood%2Ehtm&entry=bonus&SERVER=www%2Ebonus%2Ecom
Harcourt School. (2006). Root Factory. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/root/rootfac.html
Hinkle Creek ThinkQuest Team. (2001). Photosynthesis. Plants and Our Environment. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/photo3.html
Hinkle Creek ThinkQuest Team. (2001). Seeds. Plants and Our Environment. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/seeds.html
Holmes, T. (2001). What is the life cycle of a plant? Fullerton Arborteum. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://arboretum.fullerton.edu/grow/primer/cycle.asp
Howard Hughes Medical Institute. (2006). Meet the plant parts. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/vegquiz/plantparts.html
IRA/NCTE. (2006). Letter Generator. Read, Write, Think. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator/
KidsConnect 2000. (2006). Life Cycles. KidsConnect.com. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.kidskonnect.com/LifeCycles/LifeCycleHome.html
Missouri Botanical Gardens. (2006). Biology of Plants. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/
Morguefile Pictures. (2006). Retrieved July 25, 2006, from www.morguefile.com
RM Company. (2006). The parts of a plant/What plants need to grow. Primary Resources. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/science/plants.htm
Staffordshire City Council. (2001). The Life Cycle of a Plant. Staffordshire Learning Net. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.sln.org.uk/science/lifecycle/
Scherer, J., Stack, G., & Wolford, R. (2002). The Great Plant Escape. Urban Programs Resource Network. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/index.html
Splash. (2005). Flower Facts. Mather Field Vernal Pools. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.sacsplash.org/mather/flowers.htm
Woodlands Junior School. (2006). Interactive Plants Quiz. Science Games and Activities for Kids. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/Science/plant.htm
Teacher Page
Teacher Introduction
This webquest is designed to provide an interesting and informative way for students to study the plant life indicators under the 4th grade.
In an effort to make somewhat uninteresting content enjoyable, the movies, activities, and readings on the websites contained within this webquest engage students in the content and let them actively learn and investigate by themselves.