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Teacher Guide

Introduction:

This WebQuest is designed to introduce mammals, specifically whales, to your students and to help prepare them for a whale watching field trip.

Aim:

This WebQuest aims to help students in grades 1-2 group living things based upon their characteristics. In this particular WebQuest, the students will be learning about whales, with the ultimate goal of having them be able to identify the whales they are seeing on a whale watching field trip.

Rationale:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING STANDARDS

Students in Grades K-2, according to the Massachusetts State Science and Technology/Engineering Standards, should be able “to develop skills that allow them to search out, describe and explain natural phenomena.” (Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework, 2006): While developing those skills they will learn to:

· Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.

· Record observations and data with pictures, numbers, or written statements.

· Discuss observations with others.

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Students in Grades K-2, according to the Massachusetts State Instructional Technology Standards, should be able to (Massachusetts Instructional Technology Standards (Draft, 2006):

K-2: 1.11 Demonstrate beginning steps in using available hardware and applications (e.g., turn on a computer, launch a program, use a pointing device such as a mouse.

K-2: 1.41 Explain that the Internet links computers around the world, allowing people to access information and communicate.

K-2: 1.42 Demonstrate the ability to use tools in painting and/or drawing programs.

K-2: 2.22 Identify the purpose of a media message (to inform, persuade, or entertain).

K-2: 3.11 Use various age-appropriate technologies to locate, collect, and organize information.

K-2: 3.31 Use a variety of age-appropriate technologies (e.g. drawing program, presentation software, etc.) to communicate and exchange ideas.

This WebQuest will have them complete all of the above and meet Science standards in both Life Sciences (Characteristics of a whale) and Physical Science (Observable Properties of the whale including size, shape, color, and weight). It will have them complete all of the above and meet Instructional Technology standards (Basic Operations and Productivity Tools, Ethics, Society, and Safety and Research, Problem-Solving, and Communication. This is a pre-activity for their planned field trip to a Whale Watch. The students will be well prepared for this fun learning adventure while at the same time be able to identify which whales they are seeing.

ISTE STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS

Students will also meet the following standards based on National Educational Technology Standards for Students (ISTE).

Technology productivity tools:

Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

Technology research tools:

Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

General Goals:

This WebQuest was designed by elementary school teachers to help their students learn about the whale. According to Massachusetts State Standards in Science, students in Grades K-2 should be able notice similarities and differences and the ability to group animals based on common features. It is our goal to have your students be able to identify three types of whales that students might see on a Whale Watch off the coast of Massachusetts.

Subject Matter Description:

This project is centered on finding out information on whales:

Characteristics & Knowledge Gathering

Three different types of whales:

· Orcas/Killer Whales

· Fin Whales

· Humpback Whales

Information to be collected on these whales includes:

· Size and Shape

· Type of Teeth

· Diet

· Fin Description

· Blow Holes (How Many and Direction of Mist Spray)

Concepts & Skills

· Use of Web

· Writing

· Reading

· Communication/Teamwork

· Data Collection

Learner Description:

The activities in this WebQuest are meant exclusively for students in grades 1-2. Students should be able to work independently and in a group. Students should have basic skills of reading, writing and being able to communicate with their peers.

PreRequisites:

· Technology Knowledge: In order to use this WebQuest, students should have basic knowledge of using the Internet, clicking on links and being able to move back as well.

· Reading: The students should be able to read information provided on the associated webpages.

· Writing Skills: The students should be able to write down, on provided sheets, the information they are gathering from webpages.

· Communication Skills: The students should be able to communicate to their group the information they have gathered and learned.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this WebQuest, students will be able to:

1. Develop a definition of what a whale is.

2. Identify three types of whales, (Orcas/Killer, Fin and Humbpack)

3. Be able to gather information needed.

4. Be able to communicate that information to their peers

Materials:

· A internet linked computer with a web browser

· The Whale WebQuest

· A printer connected to the computers to print out the associated whale worksheet

· A pencil to write the gathered information

· A teacher (classroom or computer) to help students with any questions or issues that come up.

Instructional Plan:

This WebQuest will be completed in several phases.

PHASE I:

Each student will be broken up into groups of three. Each student will choose one of the whales to research. Individually, each student will begin the WebQuest by printing the worksheet, choosing the correct webpage for the chosen whale and writing down the required information on the worksheet.

PHASE II:

The students will come together as a group and share the information they have learned with the other two students in their group. Then, as a class, we will gather all of the information on each whale on the board or large sheets of white paper. This will verify that the correct information has been gathered by each student and by each group.

Plans for Assessment and Evaluation

PHASE III:

The students will go back to the WebQuest go on their “Whale Watch” by clicking on the appropriate site. This will test their knowledge to see if all of the information they have learned about whales, they can put into actual practice.

PHASE IV:

The students will use a computer program, i.e: Paint, KidPix, to draw a picture of the whale they chose. These pictures will be printed and put into a book for the class to have as they go on their whale watch.

PHASE V:

If time permits, the students will be able to go other websites and listen to what the whales sound like and find out other interesting information regarding whales.

Plans for Assessment and Evaluation:

1. The teacher will collect the worksheets to see how much information the students were able to gather.

2. The teacher will be walking around the classroom listening to the sharing going on between students.

3. The teacher will be able to assess the group’s gained knowledge by gathering the information they have all learned as a class activity.

4. The teacher will collect the student’s pictures of whales. This will be able to assess not only their gained knowledge on whales, but whether the student knows how to use the chosen paint program.

5. The students are able to identify the three types of whales from pictures shown at the end of their WebQuest.

NOTE: See Rubric