Assignments for the Course

 

 

Links for December 4, 2007

Links to five areas corresponding to class findings:

1, 2, 3 Podcasting, online collaboration, and visual technologies   http://www.polarhusky.com

4 Expert systems: my students love this site  http://www.smalltime.com/Dictator 

 5 Digital cameras http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htm

 

 

Course Web Page

Use the link on your name above to link to your wiki page that has been created for this course (or from a previous course that you have taken this summer).  On your wiki page, you should have:

• Links to the various assignments you create this week
  www.edhelper.com  (edhelperblog is used multiple times each week)
  www.geocities.com
  www.unitedstreaming.com
  www.harcourtschool.com
  www.google.com
   
   Links to websites for content specifically useful for you

    http://visual.merriam-webster.com/index.php

 

Websites course members shared that I wish to try

 www.internet4classrooms.com

  http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listvirtualgr.html

http://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/index.aspx

 http://www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/VirtualTour/vt.html

www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/

http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=70

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/charters.html

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/salem/

www.froguts.com

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WorldTour/

http://www.virtual-field-trips.com/

 http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/dinos/dinos.1.html

http://www.tramline.com/tours/cross/xmas/

www.medtropolis.com/vbody.asp

http://pilgrims.net/plimothplantation/vtour/index.htm

 www.spacewander.com/USA/english.html

www.msichicago.org/exhibit/U505/index.html

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/vc/visitor_info/CapitolTour/Capindex/index.cfm  

Pod Cast

 Group members: Linda, Mary, Bonnie, Amy, Lori, Jaime

Our team created a podcast of our district's artist in resident, Hua Hua Zhang.  The main idea of the podcast is to promote teamwork.  Hua Hua teaches the students Chinese, but more importantly she uses the art of three dimensional shadow puppetry to tap into their creative and dramatic intelligence.

 

Inspiration/PowerPoint

I would use Inspiration and a non-linear Power Point slide show to have my students create a Science quiz.  For instance, after teaching lessons on vertebrates I would instruct the students to choose any animal and using Inspiration, design a concept map and post internet links to websites they found information on.  The next step could be writing questions in a yes/no format on paper.  This information would be plotted on a flow chart in Inspiration.  This flowchart may then be applied to non-linear Power Point slides with action buttons, inserted pictures, and positive feedback for the correct answer and negative feedback for incorrect answers.  Through researching the information, writing the slides, and editing the final copy, students will have multiple repetitions of the information and the satisfaction of completing a way of showing what they have learned.

 http://www.powerlibrary.net/Remote/MainR.asp?ID=PL2770

 

Excel

 I have ventured into using Excel to create bar graphs and circle graphs from a survey the Learning Support students conducted on favorite food.  This exercise allowed them to approach individuals to ask their favorite food, record the information, and report it during class.  As a large group the information was recorded on Excel and the graphs will be used to assist the students in being successful on the Pennsylvania Alternate State Assessment.

 

Virtual Technology

Use the web to find vitual technology/virtual tours that can be useful for your classroom.  Create links to these sites on your wiki page.  Find as many as you want, but I would expect a minimum of 3 to 5 sites.

http://www.polarhusky.com

www.unitedstreaming.com

www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/fossilhalls/virtualtours/  (Vertebrates)

www.amnh.org/exhibitions/butterflies/tour.html  (Metamorphesis)

 http://visual.merriam-webster.com/index.php

 

 

 

WebQuest

 Lewis and Clark Adventures

An Internet WebQuest on Lewis and Clark

Created by Linda Campbell

H. Austin Snyder Elementary School

lcampbell@sayresd.org

 

Introduction | The Task | The Process & Resources | Conclusion | HyperText Dictionary

Introduction

The year was 1803 with President Thomas Jefferson dreaming of discovering a water passage to the Pacific Ocean. Congress approved an expedition and Jefferson chose two men to lead a small group to discover the unknown. They were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The group was known as the Corps of Discovery.

 

We know that the Corps of Discovery made the trip to the Pacific Ocean and back. It has been more than 200 years since they returned. What do we know about the brave people who were members of this corps? You and your classmates are about to find out who the members were, chose one of them, and write a creative story in the narrative form based on true information taken from the journal entries.

The Quest

You and your classmates have volunteered to be reporters for the Valley Morning Times. It is your job to choose a topic to write about. Some suggestions are:

 

1. Choose one member of the Corps of Discovery and read about their experience of exploring the new frontier. Discover as much information as you can about that person and write a newspaper article.

 

2. Read about the experiences the Corps of Discovery had when they first encountered waterways and write a newspaper article.

 

3. Find out if they had any bad experiences with the wildlife during their adventure, and write the story for the paper.

 

4. Research the tribe of Native Americans that were helpful to the members of the Corps of Discovery. Write an article from their point of view.

 

It is up to you to gather the information and write the article before the deadline for next week’s edition of the newspaper.

The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group in class. Each group will choose a task. As a member of the group you will explore Webpages from people all over the world who care about Lewis and Clark. Because these are real Webpages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom.

 

You'll begin with you and your partners getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

·             Information about the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery - Enter this website to learn more about the Lewis and Clark expedition.

 

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1. Individuals or pairs from your WebQuest team will explore the role of the reporter below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

 

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to prove your point.

 

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

Background Information for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Background Information for Everyone:

Information about the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery

 

Why was it important to find a water passageway to the West?

How much money did they have to spend on their adventure?

Who did they meet along the way?

Reporter

 

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Reporter:

 

What wildlife did the Corps of Discovery meet and what happened?

What did the Shoshone Native Americans do to help the expedition?

How did the members of the expedition handle the waterways they encountered?

Which one person on the Corps of Discovery is most like you?

Going to the Bears - Read about the experiences of meeting up with grizzly bear on the expedition.

Meet the Shoshone Native Americans - Lewis and Clark were in need of horses to complete a section of the expedition. Read about their experience when they first met the Shoshone Native Americans.

Waterfalls and More Waterfalls - Read about the explorers experience when they came to the first waterfall.

Who's Who In the Corps of Discovery - Enter this site to read about the different members of the Corps of Discovery.

                         

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

As reporters it is your job to be objective. Be prepared to share your findings with the class and answer any questions they may have.

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

 

1. Begin your article for the newspaper with a statement of whom you are (make up a name) and why you are writing your message to this particular person or organization.

 

2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.

 

STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

 

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).

 

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.

Your Contact is: Linda Campbell - Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery

 Conclusion

In every chapter of your Social Studies book are real people who experienced real-life situations. Getting to know the members of the Corps of Discovery and their encounters on their expedition helps to bring the story to life. Now you all know a lot more. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to see beyond the black and white of a topic and into the grayer areas? What other parts of Lewis and Clark could still be explored? Remember, learning never stops.

  

 

Please create a link to your webquest that you create on your wiki.  I would strongly recommend the basic template from the webquest.org website.

Link to WebQuest Template 

Example WebQuest 

 

 

Presentations

You will be required to do 2 individual presentations.

1. Virtual Technology- present to the class one of the websites that you found concerning virtual technology.  Give a brief description of what you have found out about the website, how it will be useful in one of your classes, and let us explore it.
   http://www.polarhusky.com

   www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/fossilhalls/virtualtours/  (Vertebrates)

2. Final Presentation- present to the class one of the assignments you created in either PowerPoint, Excel, or Inspiration.  Give a brief description of the content area it covers, how you will utilize it, and let us try it.