Introduction
Welcome, Florida Wildlife Explorers! Florida is home to many amazing animals, from manatees swimming in our waters to Florida panthers roaming through forests and wetlands. Each animal has special characteristics that help it survive in its environment. During this WebQuest, you will work with a team to explore a Florida animal and discover where it lives, what it eats, how it survives, and why it is important to Florida’s ecosystem. By the end of your adventure, you will use what you learned to teach others about your animal and ways we can help protect Florida’s wildlife.
Guiding Question:
How do Florida animals survive in their environments, and what can we do to help protect them?
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this WebQuest, students will be able to identify and describe characteristics of Florida animals, explain how their characteristics and behaviors help them survive, and create a presentation to communicate their research.
Florida State Standard:
SC.3.L.15.1 – Classify animals into major groups according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Students will apply, analyze, and create by researching a Florida animal, examining its characteristics and behaviors, and creating a presentation to demonstrate what they learned.
Task
Your team will become Florida Wildlife Experts! You will work together to research one animal that lives in Florida. Your group will learn about the animal’s habitat, diet, adaptations, and any threats it faces. After completing your research, your team will create a Canva presentation to teach the class about your animal. Your presentation should include important facts, pictures, and ways people can help protect the animal and its habitat.
Process
Step 1: Choose Your Florida Animal
Your group will choose one Florida animal to research, such as the Florida panther, American alligator, manatee, loggerhead sea turtle, Key deer, or bottlenose dolphin.
Step 2: Assign Group Roles
Each group member will have a role:
- Habitat Expert: Research where the animal lives and what its habitat is like.
- Animal Expert: Research what the animal eats, its characteristics, and adaptations that help it survive.
- Conservation Expert: Research threats the animal faces and ways people can help protect it.
- Presentation Designer: Organize the group's information and help create the Canva presentation.
Everyone should help with research and contribute ideas to the final presentation.
Step 3: Research Your Animal
Use the provided websites to find reliable information about your animal. Take notes about its habitat, diet, adaptations, importance to the environment, and any threats it faces.
Research Resources:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC):
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/
Use this website to learn about Florida wildlife, habitats, conservation, and threats facing different species.
National Geographic Kids – Animals:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals
Use this website to find animal facts, characteristics, diets, habitats, and other information that may help with your research.
Step 4: Work Together Online
Your group will use a shared Google Doc to record research and share information. Each group member should add the information they found for their assigned role. Group members can also leave comments or questions for each other in the document.
Step 5: Create Your Presentation
Use Canva to create a presentation about your Florida animal. Include the animal's name, pictures, habitat, diet, adaptations, threats, and at least two ways people can help protect the animal or its habitat.
Step 6: Share Your Findings
Your group will present the completed Canva presentation to the class. Each group member should participate and explain the information they researched.
Evaluation
Your group will be evaluated on the research, accuracy, creativity, teamwork, and presentation of your Florida animal project. Each group should make sure all required information is included in the Canva presentation.
| Category | 4 – Excellent | 3 – Good | 2 – Developing | 1 – Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research & Accuracy | Information is accurate, detailed, and shows strong research. | Information is mostly accurate and includes enough details. | Some information is missing or inaccurate. | Information is very limited or mostly inaccurate. |
| Required Information | Includes habitat, diet, adaptations, threats, and ways to protect the animal. | Includes most of the required information. | Includes some of the required information. | Includes very little of the required information. |
| Canva Presentation | Presentation is organized, creative, easy to read, and includes helpful pictures. | Presentation is organized and includes pictures. | Presentation is somewhat difficult to follow or is missing visuals. | Presentation is incomplete or difficult to understand. |
| Teamwork | All group members completed their roles and worked well together. | Most group members participated and completed their roles. | Group members needed help working together or completing roles. | There was little evidence of teamwork. |
| Class Presentation | All members participate and clearly explain what they learned. | Most members participate and explain their research. | Some members participate or information is unclear. | Very little information is presented or participation is limited. |
Total Possible Score: 20 points
Conclusion
Congratulations, Florida Wildlife Explorers! Throughout this WebQuest, you worked with your group to learn about an animal that lives in Florida. You discovered where your animal lives, what it eats, the adaptations that help it survive, and some of the threats it faces. You also learned how people can help protect Florida’s animals and their habitats. By sharing your presentation with the class, you helped others learn more about Florida’s amazing wildlife!
Enrichment Activity:
Now that you are a Florida Wildlife Expert, explore another Florida animal using the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website. Choose an animal that your group did not research. Find three interesting facts about the animal and compare its habitat and adaptations to the animal from your group project.
Enrichment Activity:
Now that you are a Florida Wildlife Expert, continue your exploration by choosing a Florida animal that your group did not research. Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website and find three interesting facts about your new animal. Then, compare its habitat and adaptations to the animal your group researched. Think about what the two animals have in common and what makes them different.
Enrichment Link:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – Wildlife and Habitats
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/
Credits
Thank you to the following resources for providing information and tools used throughout this WebQuest:
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) – Florida wildlife information and educational resources
- National Geographic Kids – Animal facts and educational resources
- Canva for Education – Digital presentation creation
- CPALMS – Florida State Standards
All images and information used in student projects should be properly credited to their original sources.
Teacher Page
Teacher Page
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Science
Topic: Florida Animals and Their Habitats
Purpose:
This WebQuest is designed to help students explore animals native to Florida while developing research, collaboration, communication, and technology skills. Students will work in small groups to research a Florida animal and create a Canva presentation to demonstrate what they have learned.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this WebQuest, students will be able to:
- Identify and describe a Florida animal and its habitat.
- Explain how an animal's adaptations help it survive in its environment.
- Research information using reliable online resources.
- Collaborate with group members using a shared digital document.
- Create and present a digital presentation that communicates their findings.
- Suggest ways people can help protect Florida wildlife and habitats.
Teacher Instructions:
Divide students into small groups and help each group select a Florida animal to research. Assign or allow students to choose their group roles. Before beginning, review appropriate Internet research and digital citizenship expectations. Monitor students as they complete their research and collaborate in their shared Google Doc. Provide assistance with Canva as needed. At the end of the WebQuest, each group will present its completed project to the class.
Assessment:
Use the rubric provided in the Evaluation section to assess students' research, required content, Canva presentation, teamwork, and class presentation.