Decade Project

Healthy Options
(My Webquest!)

Decade Project:  This project took us on a journey through time.  Our task was to use a variety of web resources to summarize a decade in history for the Smithsonian.  As a group effort, we divided topics and moved forward.  I was suprised by all that I learned in this project. It was interesting to use the web resources and then sort the information into topics and headings.  This would be a great activity for students focusing on website evaluation, and critical thinking skills such as organizing information to be used more effectively.

Letter to Uncle Gunther: This was a fun webquest with a motivating task.  In fact, my partner in this activity, Heather, is headed to Cancun for her winter break.  So right away she filled me in on some of her previous research and we built on that.  Using the web sites provided, as welll as others from a google search, we were able to easily find the information needed.  We then made informed decisions and presented our  findings in the letter to Uncle Gunther.  I have done a similar activity with students in the math class and focusing on budgeting.  The students were really excited the project and did a great job. 

Healthy Options:  For this project, I asked a colleague of mine how she ends her nutrition unit.  She responded by indicating that she usually gives a quiz.  I asked if she would be willing to try an alternative assessment - a webquest.  In this webquest, students are directed to a variety of websites to gather information on nutrition and healthy food choices. In the end they are to make recommendations in the form of a letter.  The purpose of a webquest is to send students out to the Internet, but instead of just randomly surfing, looking at specific sites that have already been analyzed by a teacher.  With a clear purpose in mind, students gather new information as well as build on previous knowledge and then demonstrate their understanding in the form of a culminating activity.  I feel that my webquest has the design to grab students interest, guide them to some interesting websites, and provide an alternative end to revealing their understanding on the topic of nutrition.