This is a science webquest created specifically for 5th graders. It may be found useful in classrooms grades 3-6 as well.
This webquest is designed to address National Science Education Standards including:
· Develop abilities of technological design
· Develop understanding of structure and function in living systems
· Develop understanding of populations and ecosystems
· Develop understanding of organisms in environments
· Begin to understand how to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective
This webquest is designed to address National English Education Standards including:
· Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge
Students will also have the opportunity to develop and exercise necessary skills including: internet research, gathering and analyzing data, following directions, organization, considering and choosing preferences, working with Google Earth, drawing lifelike, accurate models, and research guided writing.
In order to achieve maximum learning and achievement in this webquest, students should possess prior knowledge and experience in following directions not directly given from the teacher and working independently.
This webquest is designed to be completed in 2-3 weeks, if working on it an hour a day, depending on teacher preferences and student progress. More time or less time should be considered depending on students’ pace during the research portion of this webquest.
The Final Project alone should be given a full 50-minute class period to finish. During this portion, the student may or may not need access to their computer, but it should be available to them.
For grading purposes, the research portion and Final Project should be graded with the most weight, as they are the foundation and purpose of this webquest. Students should display enough detail in their final project to adequately and accurately describe their habitat, mammal, and plant choices in the required 3-4 paragraphs.
Very good work would consist of multiple facts of how the habitat, mammal, and plant life interact with each other and why they belong in the same environment. A student with very good work would have an accurate and detailed picture of their habitat, as well as accurate and sufficient answers on their handout.
Work that is OK or average would consist of mediocre reasoning for their choices and how they all fit together in one environment. The student may also be lacking detail and accuracy in either their drawing or their handout.
Not so good work would include poorly supported reasoning for their choices and how they fit together in one environment. The student will be lacking in detail and accuracy in their drawing and/or their handout.
