WebQuest Design Template
Teacher/Design Information
Learners
Describe your intended audience so other teachers can better understand your work.
Science students 7th-9th grades
Educational Goal
Describe what this WebQuest is supposed to accomplish. How will you know if you have accomplished it? This should give you a basis for the development of the rubric below.
Students will develop their knowledge on the parts of plant cells and their functions, and will be asked to demonstrate this knowledge of this concept. In their completed PowerPoint, they should clearly show each part of the plant cell and describe their function in the cell accurately.
Standards
Identify the standards your WebQuest addresses.
Science/Strand III/Content Standard 1/Middle SchoolBenchmark 1Demonstrate evidence that all parts of living things are made of cells.
Process
Give a thumbnail sketch of the process students will follow. Describe your rationale and explain the process to help other teachers better understand your strategies. Include key pointers such as special concerns or challenging points in the WebQuest.
The students will be assigned a particular function of the cell. They will perform internet searches on provided resources to find out which parts of the plant cell they are depending on their function. They will then be required to make PowerPoint slides on a provided template about their parts and functions providing images and logic. They will then come together as a group to create an image of the completed cell. Instructional strategies include induction and social construction. Challenges may come when they argue about which parts go with each function.
Resources
Give a complete list of what is required to complete this WebQuest. The list may include books, supplies, resources, or other planning and preparation that would be needed. Also describe any additional resources or background material that may be helpful.
There will be several internet sources provided, along with a PowerPoint template for the students to create their final product. There will also be worksheets provided that will suffice as notes pages for each of the three students.
WebQuest Elements
Title
Audience (grade level) 7th-9th grade
Subject matter Biology – parts of a plant cell
Author Jeff Davis and John Lager
Introduction
Tell your students what this WebQuest is all about. What is the ‘big question’ that they are to address? If they are to play a part (e.g., a detective), explain the situation to them. Get them excited about participating.
This will be accomplished (hopefully) by giving them each a specific function within the cell. “We will die without you!” Students will come together BE a plant cell and without learning to help each other they will die.
Task
Tell your students what the required outcome and/or product is. Maybe they are to:
Explain or summarize something
Create a PowerPoint presentation or digital video or poster board
Process
Explain to your students the process they are to follow in order to complete the task. Number the tasks and explain what they are to do. Put all the information here that they need (as much as you can) such as links on the Internet or other online resources as well as any explanation. Perhaps you’ll explain some things in person, but also include it here for completeness and so it will be useful for others who aren’t in class to hear your explanation.
1. Each student will be give a job which will be particular functions of the cell.
2. They will then go out to the web to find out what parts of the cell that they are responsible for.
3. They will then continue with their research by finding out what each of their parts contribute specifically to the cell. During this time they will be taking notes and filling in their individualized worksheets.
4. Each student will create individual PowerPoint slides using their notes and a provided template.
5. Students will come together as a group, discuss, assemble their PowerPoint slides and create a working model of a plant cell on a final slide.
Explain how you want the students to collaborate, especially if you have identified different roles you want different students to take.
Students will come together as a group, discuss, assemble their PowerPoint slides and create a working model of a plant cell on a final slide. They may also have to resolve disagreements about who is responsible for which parts. “Do we have all fourteen cell parts?”
Include any tools (for example, flow charts or diagrams) you expect the students to use, and provide examples of any tools you want them to create (for example, summary tables).
We will provide worksheets and a PowerPoint template.
Evaluation
Provide your rubric for evaluation. Indicate which categories are for individual evaluation and which are for group evaluation.
The PowerPoint will be the main piece that will be assessed, and must include the following key points;
All fourteen parts, with images and descriptions (functions)
Completeness of descriptions (text)
Relevance of images
Flow/Consistency of presentation style
Presentation
Accuracy of completed cell (final slide)
Conclusion
Summarize the key accomplishments upon completion of this WebQuest. You might also describe ideas for additional questions they might explore along similar lines of research.
Students have learned the parts and functions of the plant cell. They had fun doing it. They can extend this knowledge by accomplishing a similar quest for an animal cell.
Credits
Give credit where credit is due.