Lesson Plan for I-Spy WebQuest

By 

Jason Fuller (thunder@ns.sympatico.ca)
Andrew Gorowski (gorowski@goinet.ca)
and Dean Vendramin (vendi@accesscomm.ca)

 

University College of Cape Breton
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Education 537
Diane Janes
August 22, 2004

 

Click here for PDF version of this document

Subject: Social Studies

Learning Level: Grade 9

Author(s): Jason Fuller (thunder@ns.sympatico.ca)

Andrew Gorowski (gorowski@goinet.ca)

Dean Vendramin (vendi@accesscomm.ca)

Purpose/thesis: Students will e explore the Middle Ages constructing their own knowledge in addition to sharing it with others through character sketches and “Wanted Posters” which accommodate a variety of intelligence existing in the classroom.

Credit for lesson idea:

Bickman, I. (2004). The Door in the Wall and the Middle Ages WebQuest. Retrieved July19, 2004, from http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/ibickman/door/doorindex.htm

Dolley, D., Dionne, S., and Dubay, S. (2004). Aztec Adventure WebQuest. Retrieved July 20, 2004, from http://webby.umeedu.maine.edu/coehd/aztec/

Educational Broadcasting Corporation. (2004). WebQuests. Retrieved July 16, 2004, from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/webquests/index.html

Field, M. (2003). Norman Conquest School Site. Retrieved July 21, 2004, from http://www.normanconquest.co.uk/index.html

Saskatchewan Education. (2004). Social Studies Nine Curriculum. Retrieved July 26, 2004, from http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/midlsoc/gr9/index.html

Thaxter, S. (1997). LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES - A Medieval WebQuest Retrieved July 18, 2004, from http://curriculum.lexingtonma.org/Medieval%20Webquest%20/MedievalQuest.htmlThinkquest. (1997). Medieval Fiefdom

ThinkQuest. Retrieved July 17, 2004, from http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/lofeudal.html

Outcomes/Objectives:

• to develop students' knowledge of concepts, generalizations and theories so that they are able to make reflective decisions and participate in society as responsible citizens
• to develop students' thinking, inquiry, academic and group skills
• to develop students' attitudes and values regarding human dignity, equality and diversity, and to enhance their ability to take action consistent with those attitudes and values
• to develop students' critical understanding of events of the past and present as they affect the future, and to help them recognize that they have the opportunity to shape their future

Source: Saskatchewan Education. (2004). Social Studies Nine Curriculum. Assessment and Evaluation, Retrieved August 17, 2004, from http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/midlsoc/gr9/index.html

Background to lesson:

Students would need to have the following prerequisite content knowledge. These topics are laid out in the Saskatchewan Education Grade Nine Social Studies Curriculum.

Topic One: Geographical Orientation of Europe
Topic Two: Worldview
Topic Three: The Concept of Change
Topic Four: The Roman Empire and Why it Failed
Topic Five: Migration Contributed to the Fall of the Roman Society

Students would also need exposure to critical thinking skills and technical skills such as using the Internet and Word Processing.

Tasks:

Take Multiple Intelligence Inventory

1. Once in the Inn the student is assigned a Room number (1, 2, or 3) to enter based on the results of their MI inventory: Room 1 - Intrapersonal/Visual/Exessential, Room 2 - Interpersonal/Verbal/Visual, and Room 3- Body/Mathematical/Naturalist
2. Once in the room the student must uncover the clues and collect information about the person they are trailing.
3. Make a character sketch of suspect and use this information to determine whether or not the spy has been found.
4. Construct “Wanted Poster”
5. Presentation of character sketch and poster to class.

Interaction:

Suggestion: Students will work as individuals in the Pre-testing, Quest, Character Sketch, and Poster Creation stages of the Webquest. Students will then gather in small groups for the Oral Presentation and Conclusion activities.

Assessment or Evaluation:

• Character sketches and “Wanted Posters”
• Rubrics to make more qualitative judgments.
• Record anecdotal comments based upon observation of students’ oral presentations and activities. These comments will support subsequent evaluation and reporting to students and parents/guardians.
• Interview students to determine how they believe they are progressing as learners.
• Have students (or teachers) gather work samples and store them in portfolios as evidence of their best work, or of their progress and achievements. Portfolios are useful during reporting period to provide parents with examples of their children’s abilities and needs.
• Encourage students to reflect about their learning experiences by writing in learning logs or content journals.
• Encourage students to be reflective learners by involving them in the assessment of their own learning experiences and activities. Self-assessment promotes students’ abilities to assume more responsibility for their own learning by encouraging them to think about what it is they are trying to achieve, whether they have achieved, and if not, why not.
• Students learn from observing, discussing and reflecting upon the learning experiences of their peers. It is crucial to instruct Middle Level students about the need for sensitivity and tact during peer assessment. Using predetermined criteria that have been discussed with students prior to assessment can help to clarify expectations, and encourage positive comments and interaction.
• Ideally, the instruments for peer and self-assessment should be collaboratively constructed by teachers and students. Students should understand that assessment criteria are based on learning objectives. It is best to limit the number of criteria in order to make students’ observations more focused. It may be useful to have several groups of peers observing for different criteria.

Source: Saskatchewan Education. (2004). Social Studies Nine Curriculum. Assessment and Evaluation, Retrieved August 17, 2004, from http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/midlsoc/gr9/index.html

Assignments

Character Sketch Information and Rubric

Poster Information and Rubric

Oral Presentation Rubic

 

Tools:

 

* optional

Technology Integrated:

Successful integration of technology is accomplished through the devices listed in the table above in “Tools” section. Reality is that any given social studies class with only one internet ready computer with a word processor could use this WebQuest. Ideally a teacher would want as many computers as possible for this activity but you could do it with just one computer – it would just take longer. Not all schools have the software or hardware listed as “optional”. In creating the “Wanted Poster” for example maybe a particular school has no photo-editing software. This school could simply do the “Wanted Poster” the old fashioned way – hand draw it with pencil and paper. Or perhaps the school does have all the software but maybe the student would prefer to do it by hand (draw the poster). In drawing the poster by hand, a digital camera or scanner would make it pretty easy to post student work to the web. If the teacher is accessible to an LCD projector, perhaps he/she would like to project the site for everyone beforehand just to give some direction in terms of the layout. Later, this same projector could be used to display posted work to the web and/or it could be hooked up to an Elmo projector to show-off the “Wanted Poster” to the class rather than simply holding it up for everyone to see.

Student Expectations (in point form):

Students will complete the Multiple Intelligence Inventory to determine their particular Intelligence type, as described by Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory

1. Students will gather information, using the Webquest as a guide, on the day-to-day life and social interactions of members of Medieval society.
2. Students will analyze the information they have gathered to create fictional composites of various members of medieval society.
3. Students will express this analysis and composite in written form (character sketch), verbal form (oral presentation), and graphic form (‘wanted poster)
4. Students will work as individuals (information gathering and analysis), and as a large group (discussion, conclusion)

Click here for PDF version of this document

Back to Teacher Materials