Process

This WebQuest is designed for groups of four students which the teacher should select, paying careful attention to students who work well with each other. The lesson should take about 1 ½  to complete.

Students should be clear on what their task is and meet the standards required for completion each day.  This link provides excellent background on time management.

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/processguides/time_manage.html

Below is an example of how a schedule for the WebQuest might look:

Day 2:  Students are placed into their groups, each assigned an explorer and begin gathering information on their particular explorer.

Day 3:  Students finish researching their explorer and fill in graphic organizer.

Day 4:  Group members teach the other members about their particular explorer and group discusses which explorer’s adventures are the most interesting.

Day 5:  Group begins work on their “message in a bottle.”  Tasks are assigned:  two scribes will write letters, a photographer will draw pictures, and a mapmaker will map the route.

Day 6:  Continue work on the “message in a bottle”

Day 7:  Conclude the WebQuest and share their creations!

Teacher should be well versed with these four explorers and have extra resources in the classroom for students to use.  Teachers should also know how to use PowerPoint and the Internet.  The lesson is easy enough for any novice teacher to pull off!

Variations:

The lesson can be adapted for diverse learners by grouping them with more advanced students.  If the classroom does not have PowerPoint, the teacher may preface the WebQuest with a brief introduction to the history of exploration.