Introduction:
Welcome students
and parents! We will be engaging in a quest for animals and
insects for every letter of the alphabet. Students will be working
in groups, each assigned to a different task. Students will use webquests located by the teacher in order to complete their tasks.
They will also engage in other activities, i.e., drawing, coloring,
writing, typing, and picture taking. Students will learn about animal
habitats, diet, and country of origin. Soon you will see the
students involved in webquests, photography, art, and learning.
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Aim:
To help kindergarten and first grade level students research
animals' habitats, diet, and country of origin. To use this
information to compose an ABC animal and insect book.
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Rationale:
The purpose of
this project is to familiarize students with the use of various
technology including webquests and word processing. The teacher
will use the information located by the students to assist in the
setting up of web pages. Students will also have the opportunity
to utilize other forms of creativity, such as drawing, coloring,
writing, typing, and picture taking.
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Goals and
Objectives:
Goal: Students will be able to use the teacher
selected webquests, plus any other forms of creativity i.e., picture
taking, and drawing, to research an
assigned animal.
Illinois Learning Standard:
English Language Arts:
| A. Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas. |
5.A.1a Identify
questions and gather information.
5.A.1b Locate information using a variety of resources. |
| B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources. |
5.B.1a Select and
organize information from various sources for a specific
purpose.
5.B.1b Cite sources used. |
| C. Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats. |
5.C.1a Write
letters, reports and stories based on acquired information.
5.C.1b Use print, nonprint, human and technological resources to acquire and use information. |
Writing:
| A. Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure. | 3.A.1 Construct complete sentences which demonstrate subject/verb agreement; appropriate capitalization and punctuation; correct spelling of appropriate, high-frequency words; and appropriate use of the eight parts of speech. |
| B. Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences. | 3.B.1a Use prewriting strategies to generate and organize ideas (e.g., focus on one topic; organize writing to include a beginning, middle and end; use descriptive words when writing about people, places, things, events). |
Science:
| A. Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change. | A.1b Categorize living organisms using a variety of observable features (e.g., size, color, shape, backbone). |
| B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment. |
12.B.1a
Describe and compare characteristics of living things in
relationship to their environments.
|
Objectives:
1. Students will utilize teacher
selected webquests, nonfiction books, magazines and newspaper articles, to research their assigned animal's habitat, diet,
and country of origin.
2. Students will type a three to five sentence
paragraph using the information acquired from their research.
3. Students will
depict their assigned animal either by drawing, downloading a picture
from a teacher selected webquest, or with the use of a camera.
4. Students will organize acquired information into a class picture
book.
5. Students will assist teacher (when possible) in the develop of a
web page.
Audience:
This project is geared for kindergarten and first grade level
students.
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Prerequisites:
Students need to be familiar
with the alphabet names and sounds, have basic writing skills, and be
emerging readers. They should also be familiar with the keyboard.
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Subject-Matter:
The use of technology and the internet as an aide to research
information. In addition, the use of encyclopedias, nonfiction
books, magazines, and newspaper articles as an aide to research
information.
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Lesson
One: Objectives:
1. Students will utilize teacher selected webquests,
nonfiction books, newspaper and magazine articles to research their assigned animal's habitat, diet and country
of origin.
2. Students will use this information to type a three to
five paragraph about their animal.
1. Students will have animals assigned to them by teacher.
2. Students will research webquests, nonfiction books, newspaper and magazine articles, locating information on animal--habitat, diet, country of origin.
3. With teacher assistance, students will download information and save to files for future reference when typing their paragraph.
Lesson One Evaluation:
1. Students will be
evaluated on their ability to utilize teacher selected webquests,
nonfiction books, newspaper and magazine articles to
research their animal.
Total Points: 20
2. Students will be evaluated on their ability to utilize researched information to type a three to five paragraph about their animal. Total Points: 15
Materials:
1. Computer
with internet access 2. Teacher selected webquests 3.
nonfiction books, newspaper and magazine articles about various animals
4.
Paper 5. Pencil
Assessment and Evaluation: Overall evaluation for the entire project will be based on a point system as follows:
Requirements and Points:
|
Topic Research: |
20 | Grammar Spelling Punctuation: | 10 |
| Inclusion of all ABC's: | 5 | Quality of Work: | 10 |
| Typed Work: | 15 | Originality: | 15 |
| Illustrations: | 15 | Cooperative Worker: | 10 |
| Total Points: | 100 |
A detailed explanation of the grading system is covered in the
Teacher Rubric.Click here for a printable page of Student Rubric
National Wildlife Organization
The Squirrel Place
Burnsville Minnesota
Wilton
Library Children's Center
Exworthy Educational
Resources
Primary Games
RubiStar
National Geographic
Wildlife
Safari
University
of Illinois Urban Extension
Animal Planet
The Butterfly
Farmer
Nature Alien
Empire
Shedd
Aquarium
ABC
Teach
Alphabet Soup
Create A Book
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Click here to return to main menuHabitat: A habitat is the place where an animal lives. It provides the animal with everything it needs to survive, food, water, and shelter.
Diet: What an animal consumes by eating and drinking.
Country of Origin: The country the animal originates from.
Webquests: The process of location information from the internet.
Challenged Learners:
Instead of typing out the required
paragraph information, students may draw a picture for each required aspect of
the paragraph.
Students may also use two to three word phrases to describe each
required aspect.
Average to Above Average Learners:
To receive extra
credit, students may locate the following information:
Status of
animal--endangered, threatened, vulnerable, or stable.
Describe the animal's color, size, shape, and any other distinctive
characteristics.
What is the animal's scientific name both genus and species?
Implementation Plan:
In the library media center at Marya Yates Elementary school,
there are fifteen to twenty computers. My class may consists of
six to fifteen students. Each student may work on their own
computer. Students will work individually on the computer, yet may
work in groups for the book research and picture drawing. I will
reserve the computer lab one to two times a week for thirty to
forty-five minutes each.
My webquest will require two to three months to complete. We will
start in September, which is when we begin phonics.
While in the lab, I will have myself, plus one aide with three students
working on the computers researching their animals. The other aide
will assist the rest of the students with book research or their animal
pictures in the library area.
On the days the computer may be down, or is not available, the students
will work on their book research or pictures.
Students will require a lesson on keyboard and word use. Still,
they will require teacher's assistance throughout the webquest.
If student's who are working on their webquests finish early, they may
play educational games I have downloaded, or they may switch with
another student who may work on their webquest, and the first student
may do book research or work on their pictures.
The students will have various ability levels from non-readers, to
emerging readers, to above level readers.
Students who are non-readers to emerging readers will need teacher or
aide assistance with the locating and reading of information and with
typed work. The student may dictate to teacher what information is
to be typed, then the student will type out the information from
the teacher copy.
The average to above average reader will need help surfing teacher links
and locating information, yet, will be able to copy necessary
information to type.
Students will also need a simple lesson on piracy laws, what they mean,
and how they apply to their research. It will be the
responsibility of the teacher to make sure all student work is
documented.
|
Developed by Janet Gray-McKennis based on previous versions
created by Craig Cunningham, Mecca Murphy, Nenette Luarca, Nicole
Zumpano, and Linda Dernbach. Last updated on May 10, 2003. |
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