Web quests

1. Web quests An internet treasure hunt activity.

2. What is a Webquest? • an internet activity which lets you create something useful for your students while increasing your web "comfort level" at the same time. A well-designed webquest lets you turn your students loose on the web for a specific project and get results that both you and your students will like.

3. What are some characteristics? • So what makes a webquest a success? First and foremost, a well-designed webquest puts content in context. It lets students learn about a topic as part of a larger framework. In some cases, a webquest can also let students explore a topic as part of an interdisciplinary unit.

4. What are the components? • Once you have figured out the instructional objectives for your webquest, what elements should that quest have to be effective? A well-designed webquest will include at least the following three elements: • A "road map." This is the list of web sites or locations which you want your students to visit. This section should include an introduction which explains the purpose of the webquest and the object of the search, hunt, or other "hook" that you’ve built into your quest. Design your map carefully! Clarity here will help your students understand the quest and stay on task. • A task sheet. Depending on the structure of your quest, this sheet could be a scoring mechanism, answer sheet, or even a list of clues. Regardless of the precise structure, however, this sheet is used to record the results of the quest. There may be one sheet per student or one per group, depending on how you want students to complete the assignment. • A summary presentation. Good webquests require students to show what they have learned. Age, ability, time, and circumstances will all govern how much latitude you give your students in presenting their findings. Remember, though, that the web is a multimedia tool, and if you can allow students a wide range of flexibility in presenting their findings, you will carry this approach back into the classroom long after the computers are turned off.

5. Here are 2 Webquests I can use right now. • Dinosaurs – All about Dinosaurs • Hunting for Numbers

6. This is an idea for my class creating a Webquest. • WebQuest Development • Concept: Animal Science • Topic: Owls • Guiding Questions: What are 3 types of owls? • Where do owls live? • What are some myths about owls?  • Websites: Owls in the Family: A Novel Study

7. Where Can I get a template? • Scholastic/Teachers Online Activities • WebQuest Training Materials