Introduction

Teacher Page

Introduction

This WebQuest is designed to provide young learners with practice accessing information on the web while providing them the opportunity to learn about six different species of animals. They have the opportunity to use a world map and find each of the continents on it. It is designed to use as a supplement to a normal Social Sciences curriculum that provides learning about animal classifications and geography.

The Learner

The lesson is designed for first grade students. It does not require adult help if students are independent readers or if ClipSpeaker (this is a Macintosh software product that will read text to children and can be downloaded from www.shareware.com) is available to assist with the more difficult reading sections. It could also be appropriate for second grade students if it meets the curriculum standards for that grade level.

Curriculum Standards

This WebQuest lesson would meet standards in the Science area that deal with the classification of animals, life cycles, researching and compiling facts, and creating illustrations of living creatures. It also provides practice in finding land masses on maps and learning the names of the continents.

Directions for Use

To introduce this lesson, the teacher should read aloud or have available for student use a copy of Chickens Aren't the Only Ones by Ruth Heller. After reading this book, the students are ready to be taught the process involved in using the format of this WebQuest. The yellow tool bar on the left hand side of the page allows you to go from one page to the next. After using the web, student will need to click on the yellow bar to get themselves back and move on to the next task. The teacher will need to have supplies available to make the book that the students need to complete. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the evaluation rubric below before you talk to them about the book, so that you set the quality standards that fit you and your students.

Evaluation
Students will be assessed individually based on their ability to work with their partner and on the quality of the book that they produce. The student-created book should include the following elements:
*Cover page with name of student and title of book.
*Illustrations of each animal with recognizable details .
*Factual information presented through student writing.

The following rubric will be used to assess the student created book.

Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Exemplary

4
Score

Illustrations of each animal show recognizable detail
Drawings show minimum of detail, but are recognizable.
Drawings show some detail and appropriate coloring for the animal depicted.
Drawings show detail and coloring appropriate to the animal depicted.
Drawings show detail and coloring appropriate to the animal depicted and show habitat.

Student handwriting is readable and demonstrates appropriate use of capital letters and punctuation.

Student handwriting is readable and has appropriate spacing between words.
Student handwriting is readable, correctly spaced and shows some correct usage of capitals and punctuation.
Student handwriting is readable, correctly spaced and shows correct usage of capitals and punctuation.
Student handwriting is readable, correctly spaced and shows advanced usage of capitals and punctuation.

Student writing contains three to five appropriate facts about each animal.

Student writing contains less than three to five appropriate facts about each animal.
Student writing contains three to five facts about each animal.
Student writing contains three to five appropriate facts about each animal.
Student writing contains more than three to five detailed facts about each animal.

Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly.
Student was not able to cooperate, share ideas, contribute ideas, or speak kindly to their partner.
Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly some of the time.
Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly most of the time.
Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly all of the time.

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4
Illustrations of each animal show recognizable detail	Drawings show minimum of detail, but are recognizable.	Drawings show some detail and appropriate coloring for the animal depicted.	Drawings show detail and coloring appropriate to the animal depicted.	Drawings show detail and coloring appropriate to the animal depicted and show habitat.
Student handwriting is readable and demonstrates appropriate use of capital letters and punctuation.	Student handwriting is readable and has appropriate spacing between words.	Student handwriting is readable, correctly spaced and shows some correct usage of capitals and punctuation.	Student handwriting is readable, correctly spaced and shows correct usage of capitals and punctuation.	Student handwriting is readable, correctly spaced and shows advanced usage of capitals and punctuation.
Student writing contains three to five appropriate facts about each animal.	Student writing contains less than three to five appropriate facts about each animal.	Student writing contains three to five facts about each animal.	Student writing contains three to five appropriate facts about each animal.	Student writing contains more than three to five detailed facts about each animal.
Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly.	Student was not able to cooperate, share ideas, contribute ideas, or speak kindly to their partner.	Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly some of the time.	Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly most of the time.	Student worked well with partner by cooperating, sharing ideas, contributing ideas, and speaking kindly all of the time.