Teachers,
I created this lesson to take six days working one 50 minute class period per day. The first 3 days of the assignment will either be spent in the computer lab doing research, or if you have computers that can be brought into your classroom, you will need those for the first three days. While the students are on the computers they will be doing research following the links that I have provided for them under the Resources section of this WebQuest. I will also allow the students to do research at other sites if they so choose.
On the last three days, students will be allowed to use their in class time to start planning and putting together their dioramas of the zoo exhibit they are creating as well as their information poster. What they do not finish in class can be done at home over the weekend. The assignment will be due on the seventh day. The projects must be done on this day as they will not be given time to work on it anymore. This day will be dedicated to zoo presentations. Everybody will be required to stand up and give a brief oral presentation about their zoo. The groups will introduce their animals and give some information about them. Then, the zoos will be left on display around the room for the students to go around and look at.
The students will need to bring in shoe boxes for their dioramas. They can create posters using butcher paper that the school provides, or they may choose to go out and buy a poster board. I will provide the students with glue and markers, but any other materials they wish to use in their dioramas they must provide themselves.
Most of this assignment can be graded on an individual basis. However, I do have them working in groups to create the zoos. I will be giving 16 points for the group effort. I will allow each group member to grade the other group members. They can give up to 8 points each for a total of 16 possible points to be earned from the group members.
Following are some modification ideas for your many levels of students:
Basic Skills- These students will be required to do the research and to make the diorama and present it to the class in an oral presentation format. They do not have to create the poster to go along with the diorama.
Average Skills- These students will be required to complete the project as is. They must build the diorama and create the informative poster using the information that they gathered while doing research.
Advanced Skills- These students will also be required to do the diorama as is. Their poster will be slightly different. They will need to complete the components of the poster listed above as well as they will need to include a section that lists at least 3 suggestions on how to save their animal. They can come up with ideas on how to conserve their animal's habitat or what can be done with the actual animal (keeping them in reserves, etc.) to help ensure its survival.
I created this WebQuest with the intent of being able to share it with other teachers. If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me at Heather.Feher@asu.edu Let me know of any successes you have with this WebQuest or any ideas that you have to add. Thanks!
Heather