Target Grade/Subject: Heterogeneous sixth grade class. Students are
comfortable with and have efficiency in the computer lab. They have prior
knowledge of using Microsoft Publisher to create brochures and they have had
experience saving graphics off of the internet.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Developmentally, according to Piaget, children of this
age would be transitioning from the concrete-operational stage to the stage of
formal operations. Students in the concrete-operational stage should be given
opportunities to classify ideas on increasingly complex levels and they should
be offered problems that require logical, analytical thinking. As they proceed
into the formal operational stage, a teacher should continue to use
concrete-operational teaching strategies, but provide opportunities to explore
hypothetical questions. As the children develop their planet travel brochures,
they will need to demonstrate hypothetico-deductive reasoning, a
formal-operations problem-solving strategy in which an individual begins by
identifying all the factors that might affect the problem and then deduces and
systematically evaluates specific solutions (Woolfolk, 2001).
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Socially, Erik Erikson suggests that children at this age
are going through the industry vs. inferiority stage of psychosocial
development when they must deal with the demands to learn a new skill or risk a
sense of inferiority, failure, and incompetence (Woolfolk, 2001). This
assignment will give the student a chance to show their independence and
responsibility. By grouping in twos, students will receive the benefits of
collaborative work, such as social support and scaffolding, however groups will
be small enough to ensure that each child has a chance to participate in
problem solving and computer learning.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Students enjoy working with partners and they enjoy work
with the computer. They thrive on assignments that elicit their creativity.
Standards: Virginia Science SOL (6.10) φ The student will
investigate and understand the organization of the solar system and the
relationships among the various bodies that comprise it. Key concepts include
α
the sun, moon, Earth, other
planets and their moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets
α
relative size of and
distance between planets
α
revolution and rotation
α
the mechanics of day and
night and phases of the moon
α
the history and
technology of space exploration
Objectives:
1. With an assigned partner
using planet links provided in web quest, students will recordΚ
ΚΚΚ the following information on a designated planet: temperature,
size, relative location to
ΚΚΚ Sun, relative location to two closest planets, terrain,
weather, rotation period, period of
ΚΚΚ revolution, history (discovery), history (exploration), and
special attributes.
2. Using a provided template,
student groups will produce a creative travel brochure
ΚΚΚ about their planet using the recorded information, at least
three different pictures, and
ΚΚΚ correct spelling and grammar.
3. Dividing material equally
between students, groups will persuasively present their travel brochure to the
rest of the class in a clear and concise manner.
Materials:
α
computers in computer
lab, one for each student
α
web quest @ www.resnet.wm.edu/~jkholb/webquest
α
travel brochure template
included in web quest
α
rubrics for evaluation
included in web quest
Lesson Description:
See Process section of
Web Quest
Evaluation:
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Students will complete Web Quest activity.Κ They will visit web
sites listed on Web Quest
page and answer the following questions about
the planet assigned. The
questions to be completed are: what is the
temperature, what is the
size, what is the relative location to the sun
and two closest planets, what
is the terrain, what is the weather, what is
the rotation period, what is
the period of revolution, what is the history
and what are some special
attributes.Κ Students are to answer
these
questions in a brochure
format.Κ Students will include at least
three
pictures of planet. These
requirements will be graded based on the
included rubric.Κ
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Students will also complete an oral presentation of their
brochure.Κ Students will share brochure with class, go
over information
related to questions
answered, and tell why one should visit their planet.
Students should speak clearly
and slowly, and show enthusiasm for their planet.
These requirements will be
graded based on the included rubric.
Woolfolk,
A. (2001). Educational Psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.