This week, Miss Salamanca Hiddle will be visiting our Language Arts class. Sal was in such a hurry to get out to Lewiston and find her mother that she didn’t pay too much attention to all the incredible sites she saw along the way. Now that she’s back in Bybanks, she’d like to learn more about those incredible places but it is way too hard for her to get back there- remember- she doesn’t even have a driver’s license! She’s visiting us so she can find all the answers to her questions about those impressive landmarks she visited. Your group’s job this week will be to investigate, research, and discover all the secrets and wonders of the landmarks she sped through, in order to teach Sal about these places at the end of the week.

Now, I can already guess your first question:

Which landmarks were they again???

  • The Badlands
  • The Black Hills
  • Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful
  • Mount Rushmore

Also, we will be exploring a little of Lewiston, Idaho.

Remember, this is a group webquest and group effort will be required to succeed, so each of you need to give 100%. You may “divide and conquer” in order to finish the tasks, BUT I want each group member to participate in EACH job- so no saying “you do job one, I’ll do job two.” Doing THAT is against the rules. 

Two small helpful hints for your journey: Throughout this webquest, two symbols are sprinkled around.

The lightbulb will give you advice or helpful hints.

The car will take you back to the table of contents.

Use them to help you navigate your trip.

With that being said, let’s get started.

Check out the table of contents below and be sure to read through each section before you begin.

My advice? First read through the basic jobs, then read the specifics.

Next, read through the rubrics to see what is being asked of you.

Now, read the specifics, AGAIN

Then, last, get started checking out the resource pages.

Take some notes as you go through the resource pages, and be sure to document what page you found the info on so you can create a good works cited page later on.

The Jobs- Basic / Map / Postcards / Presentation
The Jobs- Specific / Map / Postcards / Presentation
The Resources / Mount Rushmore / The Badlands / The Black Hills / Yellowstone National Park / Lewiston, Idaho / Common Resources
The Rubrics / Map / Postcards / Presentation
Other / The
“I’m All Done” Checklist / Conclusion / The Teacher/Librarian Page

For this webquest, you will have three specific jobs to do.

  1. You will create a map of Sal’s journey west
  2. You will create postcards to share with Sal that tell about the places she saw
  3. You will create a presentation to share with her that highlights the four main locations she visited, as well as discuses Lewiston Idaho.

Below you will find 3 sections for each of these three jobs.

First you will find a better BASIC discussion of your three jobs

Second, you will find a SPECIFIC discussion of your jobs, including a checklist of what I’ll be looking for as I grade.

Last, you will find RESOURCES that you will be able to use in order to complete you three jobs.

  1. MAP – the basics

Go back through the text of Walk Two Moons and track Sal and her grandparent’s journey across the country. You do not need to track their route home.

Pinpoint each location on the map

This will give you a good understanding of where they traveled and how each of the locations you will be studying fit into the bigger picture of the trip

  1. POSTCARDS – the basics

Sal received postcards from many of these locations as her mother made her trip west. Now, on our trip, we’ll be making postcards that WE can give to Sal.

Our postcards will share basic information about each location, as well as contain an illustration of the location.

  1. PRESENTATION – the basics

Last, each of you will need to prepare a presentation for Sal. The presentation will be sharing your findings about Rushmore, Badlands, Black Hills, Yellowstone, and a little about Lewiston, Idaho.

The presentation can be a PowerPoint, slide show, a series of posters or pictures, or an original book.

  1. MAP – the specifics

To create this map, you need to go to

  1. Click on “sign in” in the top right corner
  2. type my email in for “email”

email-

password- kaiser

3. click “sign in”

4. Now, click “my maps” in the top left corner

5. On the left side, you will now see a list of

“Walk Two Moons” maps. Look at the example map to find about where Bybanks, KY is.

6. Click on the Walk Two Moons- Group ___ Map that belongs to your group.

7. play with the features to see what they do

8. Using the features, map Sal and her grandparent’s journey using the pinpoints and lines, and write a BREIF description of each stop in the description box.

9. Start with Bybanks and end in Lewiston, ID

10. Be sure to save each time you finish a mapping step.

11. After the presentation is complete I will get on and check your map.

Be sure to check the MAP RUBRIC to be sure you are including all parts

  1. POSTCARDS – the specifics

These postcards will be handmade postcards by your group members and addressed to Sal. We will “give” them to her this week.

The postcards should be:

  1. Handmade AND computer generated- I would like a combination of hands-on art and computer generated art (Paint computer program)
  2. The four computer made ones may be made in any computer art program you have at home, or Paint, here at school.
  3. The four handmade ones may be made using ANY resources you find in the art cabinet. Be creative. They DO NOT have to be white paper with colored pencil drawings. (how boring!)
  4. I will be expecting a minimum of 8 postcards. Two per each study location (Rushmore, Black Hills, Yellowstone, Badlands) One computer made and one handmade for each location.
  5. Since these postcards will not be actually sent in the mail, you may make them texturized or raised if you wish.
  6. I expected each group member to participate in the postcard activity- NOT JUST THE ARTY KID. Please initial in small letters in the corner of any postcard you help work on.
  7. ON THE BACK of the postcards, write a simple description of the location- kind of a “who- what- when – where – why.”

Like this:

“The Statue of Liberty was built is 1857 and was a gift from the aliens on Mars. It is located in Pearl Harbor, North Dakota and stands for the freedom to wear purple underwear. It weighs 48 pounds and is 100 inches tall and took 10 days to complete building. It is made of purple JELLO.”

  1. Be sure to title each illustration so we know what landmark is being demonstrated
  2. You may complete extra postcards for fun or do multiple cards of each location if you wish.
  3. Be sure to check the “Postcard Rubric” to be sure you are including all parts
  1. PRESENTATION – the specifics

Your presentation will be the last step in your webquest. You will be presenting to the class and to “Sal” your findings on the following locations:

  • The Badlands
  • The Black Hills
  • Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful
  • Mount Rushmore
  • Lewiston, Idaho

You may present in any way you wish AND you may mix and match different methods if you wish. Remember all the fun and interesting presentation methods we’ve learned this year- here’s a reminder:

  • Powerpoint
  • Posters
  • Pictures and images
  • Sound and video
  • Display Board
  • Transparencies and overheads
  • Slide shows

I’ll expect each person to talk and present at some point in the presentation- introducing the group doesn’t count. Plan ahead and use some time to practice your presentation so it goes off flawlessly.

Your presentation should include the “why” and “so what” of each of the landmarks and monuments. Everyone will know the who’s what’s and when’s- mention those briefly but I’m interested in hearing what you found that other groups didn’t. I’ll be looking for interesting answers to questions like:

  • Whose idea was it to build Mount Rushmore?
  • How does Old Faithful work, and how often does it erupt?
  • How big is Yellowstone National Park?
  • What ELSE is in Yellowstone BESIDES Old Faithful?
  • Does anyone live in the Badlands?

You don’t have to answer these questions, but think of interesting questions people like Sal might have about these landmarks and find the answers to those.

Also, be sure to keep track of what resources you use- internet, online encyclopedia, books, etc and turn in a works cited page. Be sure to format it as we have all year. Feel free to use .

The citation machine handout we’ve used this year is available at the back of the room in the resource file if you’ve forgotten how to use Citation Machine.

The sky is the limit when it comes to your presentation- after a whole year of 7th grade I’m counting on you to impress me. Be creative and have fun. Remember- your goal is to let Sal know about all the places her mother and she visited as well as tell Sal a little about the city of Lewiston, Idaho. Tell her the good stuff- she doesn’t need to know the bad stuff. Make her feel good about the place her mother is buried.

Check out the “Presentation Rubric” to see what I’ll be grading your presentation on.

I bet you’re wondering where you’re going to find all the information about these places, huh? Have no fear- I’ll help you out.

LOCATION / INFORMATION
/ These information pages are all different. Some are picture galleries, some are virtual tours. Some are movies and interactive websites. Some are just pages you have to read. (Yuck!) Check out all the links to get varied information and to learn the most about the locations.
Mount Rushmore

- This is a link to the whole site- some of the links below go to specific pages of the sites I think are helpful but feel free to explore the whole thing.









The Badlands





The Black Hills




Yellowstone







Lewiston, Idaho


Common Resources
Remember that this year we have extensively used Inspire as a resource. You could certainly do an Inspire search to find more information about any of these places. (Probably not Lewiston, ID though)
Directions for using Inspire
Remember that our school subscribes to world book online. Feel free to login to World Book and do any necessary searches there as well.
The school library does have some books on these national parks- the books have already been pulled for you and are on a cart in the classroom- feel free to use any and/or all of them if you wish.
Citation Machine handouts we have used all year. Use the one in your folder or they are available in the resource file at the back of the room. Directions for using Citation Machine
Inspire handouts we have used all year. Use the one in your folder or they are available in the resource file at the back of the room.

Not so fast. Check through the following checklist to see if you are REALLY finished:

oI researched all five locations and have interesting and new information to present to “Sal” on each of them.

oI have made 8 postcards- 4 on the computer and 4 handmade

  • The postcards depict the 4 main locations- Rushmore- Yellowstone-Black Hills- Badlands
  • The postcards have basic info on the back of them the “what and where” if you will

oI have created my map of Sal’s journey, pinpointed her stops, and checked the book to see if I got them all. I connected the dots on the map AND gave a brief explanation of each stop in the description box

oI have printed my map and have it ready to hand in

oI have made a works cited page, following the format we have used all year- it is printed and ready to turn in

oI have a great visual presentation- like a series of posters, or a PowerPoint, and I know what I’m going to say and describe about each page or picture.

oI have checked each rubric carefully and I know I will do awesome.

oMy group has practiced our presentation. We know what to say and when to say it. There will be no confusion when it’s our turn to go.

When you’ve finished your webquest, completed all activities, and checked off each spot on the checklist, YOU’RE DONE!!!

Sal is going to be so excited to hear all about the fantastic places she “Saw” along the way and she is glad that you have had a chance to learn about them- and even see some of the- too.

Your presentations will begin next week and I know Sal and myself are eager to hear all about how bad the Badlands are, how big Mount Rushmore is, how often Old Faithful erupts, and why the Black Hills are Black. Sal is especially interested in hearing some positive things about Lewiston, where her mother is buried. She’d like to know what it is known for, and what fun things there are to do when she goes back to visit.

Thanks for helping her learn more about her journey!

WALK TWO MOONS
Map Rubric / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Locations / Student failed to include most locations
Only 3 or so listed / Student included some of Sal’s stops in her journey
Only 5 or so listed / Student included most every important or significant stop made by Sal
Every significant stop listed in book / Student went above and beyond, including all stops made by Sal
Every Stop listed in book
Descriptions / Student failed to give brief descriptions of stops / Students gave a few descriptions but was lacking in them or was incorrect in description / Student gave good descriptions for stops / Student gave great descriptions for each significant stop that told what happened at this location or why it was significant to the story
Correctness / Student was completely incorrect in given locations and descriptions / Student was mostly correct when targeting points of stopping / Student was nearly always correct in pinpointing the stopping locations / Student ALWAYS located the correct spot in which Sal and her family stopped
WALK TWO MOONS
Postcard Rubric / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Postcards / Student turns in fewer than 4 postcards- or - not all pictures are of appropriate locations / Student turns in 4-5 postcards all pictures of appropriate locations / Student turns in 6-7 postcards- all pictures of appropriate locations / Student turn in 8 quality postcards- all pictures of appropriate locations
Explanation / Student fails to give explanation or who-what-when-where-why of locations / Student includes who-what-when-where-why of locations but the information is weak and brief. / Student does a good job writing the who-what-when-where-why of locations. Some may lack good details. / Student does a great job writing the who-what-when-where-why of locations and the information is correct
Creativity and Art Quality / Student draws in pencil on plain white or lined paper- no artistic effort visible and work is sloppy. (If pencil drawing/ graphite is your medium of choice, please discuss with me before hand so we can determine your quality standards.) / Student does a sloppy job. Little time was spent trying to create creative artistic images. / Student does a nice job. Art is neat and presentable but nothing overall interesting or creative. / Student displays a variety of creative and artistic techniques. Student clearly attempted to portray images in artistic and appealing way.
WALK TWO MOONS
Presentation Rubric / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Format / Student stood at the front and read off a paper / Student attempted a presentation but it was difficult to see/ read OR was messy and confusing OR media did not work. / Student created a presentation that was good but simplistic / Student created quality program- a PowerPoint, poster, display board, overheads, etc. or a combination of the above.
Visuals / Student presentation had NO visuals / Student presentation had one or two visuals / Student had some visuals. / Student program was filled with visuals- lots of pictures or videos from internet- models created by student, or posters or pictures drawn.
Presentation / Student mumbled and was difficult to hear- when prompted failed to get any better / Student was difficult to understand but improved a bit when prompted / Student was clearly audible and people could hear. Student did not seem eager or interested in presentation. / Student presented loudly and enthusiastically. Everyone had a clear understanding of what they were discussing.
Information / Student had gibberish for information- clearly, no research had been done / Student relayed only the basics- the who’s, what’s and when’s. / Student did a good job relaying information but some info given was basic and showed a lack of research depth. Some elaboration was done on a few topics. / Student shared interesting and informative bits of information. In addition to basic info, student shared in-depth info too, explaining the how and why of the landmarks. Student had clearly researched and understood all that was asked of him.
Preparedness / Student was clearly unprepared and had no idea what to do when his turn came. Materials were not at school or were not ready. / Student was mostly prepared but had some mini-conferences with his group mates about when and where. Materials were ready but clearly group had not practiced. / None / Student was clearly well prepared, started quickly and efficiently without messing around up front. Student knew his part and did not have to whisper with group mates in order to understand when and what to do. All materials were in class on time and ready to go when group was called.
Overall Quality / Presentation was messy and/or poor. Student was not knowledge about topic or prepared. / Presentation was just OK. Materials were uninteresting or poor and presentation was weak. / Student did a good job. Materials were nice and information as good. Overall though, not exceedingly impressive. / Materials presentation and discussion was impressive. Clearly good work had been done all week long.
Works Cited / Fails to turn in Works cited page / Turns in works cited page but page is error filled or formatted incorrectly / None / Includes a works Cited Page- turned in with final documents