A Renaissance WebQuester

Following our discussion in class today about WebQuest, I came to the realization of the importance of making sure that each specific Quest is designed with a group in mind. In order for these activities to be successful, a group must be created, and a class collaboration must be the essence. In addition to this, it is important to monitor the aesthetic side of the website as well as the facilitation of critical thinking. My group agreed that our favorite WebQuest of the group that we reviewed is the Land Fills WebQuest. It forces students to consider their personal experiences and translate their pre-existing knowledge to true application cooperatively with their classmates. Rachel, Whitney, Tiffani and I decided that the site needs to include more links and to further critical thinking, the addition of a real-world example within the students' own town would be a progressive and positive addition.

I have found a particularly successful WebQuest amidst my search for one that I can use in my classroom. Though I am an English major, my minor is in the sciences which opens up a plethora of opportunities for my teaching of various subject areas. In an effort to become familiar with and further my knowledge about the content of middle grades science classes, I decided to research and obtain a WebQuest on the sustainability of Fossil Fuels. This webquest is designed for a seventh grade classroom. It provides the opportunity for students to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding about energy and photosynthesis. In addition, some background knowledge about cells, potential and kinetic energy, and different forms of energy would be useful before beginning this WebQuest which provides an opportunity to review and retain the prior understanding. The activity allows the students to collaborate through groups of four. Each student has a specific role: The Energy Engineer, The Biologist, The Enviornmentalist and The Ecologist. The way that I will be able to evaluate the students' understanding is through their presentation of the information gathered to the class who will serve as the Board of Directors at the imagined "GreenTech."

I have also posted on the sidebar an additional VoiceThread that I have created. Voicethread is an excellent tool that can be utilized in and out of the classroom. I have created one as an example and also as a potential tool to provide the audience or my students with a better understanding of the country of Ghana. My favorite aspects of VoiceThread are the drawing tool, where you can trace the item within the image that you wish to focus upon and the simplicity of creating and sharing on the site. It does not hurt that is completely free! It is an alternative approach to topics that might other wise be just another lecture, it allows the audience to engage visually and intellectually. It might also provide a great segue into a reflective journal entry or group discussion!