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More Class Lessons for WebQuests 2000
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A Traveler's Graphic Journal
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Summary:
Provides students in Language Arts and Social Studies with instruction and practice in the following:
1) Narrative writing
2 )Internet research
3) Library research
4) Organizing research materials
5) Publication procedures
6) Cooperative learning
7) Developing word processing techniques
8) Developing skills using graphic images
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Grade Level: 8,9,11,12
Curricular Area:
Language Arts and Social Studies
Class Time Required:
4-6 class periods (Estimated)
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| Standards: |
| Section 2.22.5. The strand: Writing and Oral English Language Conventions.
1) Write historical investigations reports
2) Deliver multimedia presentations
3) Write fictional, autobiographical, or biographical narratives
4) Write reflective compositions
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| Learning and Teaching Activities: |
Using familiar activities such as driving and sightseeing, the students take a hypothetical journey from San Diego to San Francisco by either car, motorcycle, or by boat. They select from three routes and plan a journey, taking notes and collecting pictures along the way. All of the research materials are provided in the WebQuest, including photographs and maps. However, the students are encouraged to go beyond the information provided to find additional information on the Internet and in the library. The students work in teams and record what they have seen and something of the history of several stopping points. They record the information in a journal which is produced on a word processor. Images in the form of pictures and maps are used to illustrate the journal. Skills in narrative writing, research, organizing, computer use, and collaborative learning are important activities in the process. The final product is printed and bound. The WebQuest is flexible, allowing for variations according to academic level and limitations in technology. The WebQuest can be adapted to other virtual trips by creating other routes, perhaps in other periods of history. There could be shorter journeys on bicycles or on foot. The journals can be put on a school website and shared with students in other parts of the district or state. This WebQuest requires active teacher involvement at the beginning. Students should have some prior preparation with search engines, word processessing, and manipulating graphics.
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| Outcomes and Assessment: |
| 1) Demonstrates effective and efficient use of the Internet and library resources for locating appropriate sources of information.
2)Demonstrates an ability to effectively use and organize many sources of information
3)Demonstrates the ability to write clearly, following the rules of Standard American English so to effectively communicate information, ideas, and conclusions.
4)Demonstrates the ability to create a well-organized, graphically rich publication which effectively integrates images and text.
5)Demonstrates the ability to work cooperatively, sharing information and skills necessary for effective collaborative learning.
6)Provides proper citations and references to sources of information.
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| Materials Needed: |
| Computers with Internet access
Access to library materials
LCD projector recommended but not necessary
Word processing software or desktop publishing software
Graphic viewer
California road maps
California Geography references
Laser or inkject printer
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| Resources: |
Resource 1
Resource 2
- Resource: State of California
- URL/Publisher: http://www.ca.gov
- How Used: Resource for California
Resource 3
Resource 4
Resource 5
Resource 6
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| Opening: | Prior to beginning the WebQuest lesson, the teacher reviews Internet and library research techniques. A preliminary activity might include a discussion concerning automobile trips the students have taken to various places or to places they would like to visit. A discussion concerning what you might see if you went from San Diego to San Francisco could effectively set up the lesson. The teacher could ask the students to look at a map of California to locate and pronounce some of the cities and towns between San Diego and San Francisco. Written accounts of early California, the early Native American population, and the role of Mexican and Chinese cultures in California history would provide some motivation and some prior knowledge. When the stage has been set, the teacher announces that the entire class is going on a journey from San Diego to San Francisco, via the Internet! The teacher uses the included rubric to explain how the activity will be evaluated. Students are given a copy of the rubric for reference. All of the forms required are in the WebQuest. It is important for the teacher to explain to the students how to complete these forms accurately. |
| Development: | The teacher can "walk" the students through the various steps of the process, discussing some of the activities required to complete A Traveler's Journal. When the students have an adequate understanding about how to navigate the WebQuest, the lesson can begin. The teacher must monitor the progress of the writing and research and the techniques the students are using to coordinate text with various images. All of the materials for the teacher and the students are on the WebQuest site, but the teacher might want additional resources to accommodate specific students. Only the teacher can determine the length of time required for the class to complete the lesson. After the research and the writing has been completed, the final product is printed and bound. Some teachers my want to have the journal only on the computer to be saved as a Word document or in some other word processing format. You may want the students to use a desktop publishing program such as Microsoft Publisher, Corel Ventura 8 Publisher, or Adobe PageMaker. |
| Closing: | When the journals have been completed, printed and bound (or in digital form), the teacher can ask all of the students to look at the journals of the other groups. Each student can refer to the rubric and decide the strengths and weaknesses of each journal. Awards can be given for various categories: writing, graphics, design, creativity. A web site can be created to showcase the skills of the students. The printed, bound journal approach is highly recommended. It is portable, easy to display, and more realistic than a journal available only on the computer. There is the issue concerning color. Many graphics the students will find will be in color. Your school may not have the resources to print pages in color. Although journals with color photographs would be quite effective, it is possible to demonstrate excellence in writing, design, and research without the added benefit of color. You may want to have only the front cover of each journal in color. Publish the journals on the local or District server so the full effect of the color graphics can be appreciated. |
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| Ideas for extending the lesson: |
In some cases, it might be possible to actually take the journey from San Diego to San Francisco or to visit one or two places along one of the suggested routes. Perhaps a trip to one historical site mentioned in one of the journals would help the students bring additional meaning to the research and writing process. Other virtual journeys which take other routes could be created by the students. The process in A Traveler's Journal WebQuest could be used as a model for journeys in other states, other countries, other time periods, and by other means of transportation.
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