Everglades WebQuest

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The Everglades WebQuest

This WebQuest is for  fourth graders covering Environmental Science as their subject material.
 
Designed by
Jennifer Berre and Janine Garcia

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Introduction

This lesson was created as as assignment for Technology in the Classroom.

The lesson helps students searn about the Everglades' ecosystem, habitats and animals, through an interactive website, video, quizes, and games.

Learners

This webquest was created as a fourth grade science lesson. The lesson can be extended to third graders, as well as fifth graders. For third grade students, we recommend addition assistance for the students from the teacher or aid.

We recommend that the students have some basic knowledge about the Everglades and about different types of ecosystems.

Curriculum Standards

 

According to the standards the students used the following communication skills to complete the tasks: critical thinking, creative problem-solving, observation and categorization, and comparison.

Tasks connected to Standards:

Processes that Shape the Earth
Standard 2:
The student understands the need for protection of the
natural systems on Earth. (SC.D.2.2)
1.knows that using, recycling, and reducing the use
of natural resources improve and protect the
quality of life.

The students portrayed this standard when they watched the video on the Everglades restoration and learned what they needed to do to help restore the Everglades such as recycling. They also learned what it takes to restore the Everglades and the importance of preserving the quality of life for that vital ecosystem.

How Living Things Interact with
Their Environment
Standard 1:
The student understands the competitive,
interdependent, cyclic nature of living things in the
environment. (SC.G.1.2)
1.knows ways that plants, animals, and protists
interact.
2. Knows that living things compete in a climatic
region with other living things and that structural
adaptations make them fit for an environment.

In the first task that the students learned the different types of plants and animals for each habitat in the ecosystem which helped them understand how the plants and animals interact in each ecosystem and all together the plants and animals complete their ecosystem.

Standard 2:
The student understands the consequences of using
limited natural resources. (SC.G.2.2)
3.understands that changes in the habitat of an
organism may be beneficial or harmful.

The students learned what happens when something harmful happens to a habitat as they saw with the habitats found in the Everglades and what it takes to restore

Process
This lesson is broken up into three tasks that the students need to complete successfully to pass the lesson. Each task has its own assignment(s) that will help assess the students performence and understanding of the material. This material contains very basic information that can be intertwined with more information about the Everglades for a more complete lesson, although that would take more than just one day while this lesson could necessarily be completed in only one day either in the classroom or at home. This is single disciplinary and can be taught by a novice teacher because all the information is given in the websites. Although it would be helpful if the teacher had some prior knowledge about the Everglades just in case the students have any questions on the material.

To complete the tasks follow these directions:

Task 1:
1.Click on the link labeled Habitats and Animals.

Habitats and Animals

2. On a piece of paper write down the information found on that website concerning the five main habitats of the Everglades and the plants and animals found in each habitat.
3 Then click on the other link found under Habitats and Animals labeled Assignment 1.

Assignment 1

4. Once the link has been opened print the page.
5. Then once the page has been printed use the information that you had written down earlier to help you match the information on the assignment page.
6. Once you have completed the assignment turn it in to your classroom teacher for grading.

Task 2:
1. Click on the link labeled Everglades Video Clip.

Everglades Video Clip

2.Watch the video clip found on this National Geographic website about restoring the Everglades.
3.During the clip you can take notes on what you think is important.
4.After you have watched the clip click on the other link under the Everglades Video Clip labeled Video Quiz.

Video Quiz

5. Once this page has opened print it.
6. Then complete the Video quiz questions with the help of your notes, or watch the movie over again.
7. After you have answered all the questions turn in the Video Quiz to your classroom teacher so he/she can grade your paper.

Task 3:
1. First click on the link labeled Games about the Everglades

Games about the Everglades

2. On this website you must complete the two puzzles.
3. Once you have completed your puzzles write on a sheet of paper your time for the first puzzle and your score for the second puzzle (also include a proper heading for the paper with your name).
4. Then turn this paper into your classroom teacher for it to be graded.
5. The second part of this task is click on the second link under the Games about the Everglades labeled Word Search.

Word Search

6. Once this page has been opened print it.
7. Then complete the word search.
8. Once it has been completed turn it in to your classroom teacher for grading.

 
Resources Needed
* Computers with internet access
* Computers must also be capable of showing videos
* Printer (paper and ink included)
* Speakers for the computers 
* Pen and paper for certain assignments (although these materials   should be provided by the students the teachers should have some extra just in case)
The following is a list of websites used frequently in this webquest:

Everglades: Animals and Habitats

This website has information on the five habitats found in the Everglades and the different animals and plants found in each one.

Everglades Fun and Games

This website has a word search of animals, plants, and habitats found in the Everglades. It also has another puzzle wear the player has to put together the pieces of an animal found in the Everglades.

Official Junior Everglades Ranger

This is the actual website containing the real information of the program for kids to be considered Junior Rangers of the Everglades.

Video of the Everglades

National Geographic video about the Everglades and the controversy of restoring the Everglades.

This lesson is self-explanatory, although it would be helpful if their was at least one teacher available to help any students with questions. Students should be able to complete the tasks without any assitance from parents or other teacher aids. However if they really need assistance then a parent and/or teacher aid can assist the student. A field trip was not designed for this lesson but can be  implemented according to the information found on certain websites listed on this webquest.

Evaluation

Tasks

Excellent
5

Above Average
4
Average
3
Below Average
2
Poor
1

Score

Task 1

The student completed and went above and beyond the required assignments and utilized all of the communicating skills.

The student completed the assignment and his/her information was organized and legible and completed most of the communicating skills.
The student completed the assignment to a satisfactory level and used critical thinking and problem solving skills.
The assignment was attempted but not completed properly and did not use communication skills correctly.
Made no effort to solve the task and used no communication skills.
 
Task 2

The student completed and went above and beyond the required assignments and utilized all of the communicating skills.

The student completed the assignment and his/her information was organized and legible and completed most of the communicating skills.
The student completed the assignment to a satisfactory level and used critical thinking and problem solving skills.
The assignment was attempted but not completed properly and did not use communication skills correctly.
Made no effort to solve the task and used no communication skills.
 
Task 3

The student completed and went above and beyond the required assignments and utilized all of the communicating skills.

The student completed the assignment and his/her information was organized and legible and completed most of the communicating skills.
The student completed the assignment to a satisfactory level and used critical thinking and problem solving skills.
The assignment was attempted but not completed properly and did not use communication skills correctly.
Made no effort to solve the task and used no communication skills.
 
Total Score
           

Conclusion
The Everglades is an extemely important ecosystem in South Florida. We feel that the knowledge gained in our webquest will help students acknowlege the important on conversing the Everglades and protecting the animals that are becoming close to being endangered or even extincted.

Credits & References

The following is list of all the sites we utilized to make this WebQuest:

Everglades: Animals and Habitats

This website has information on the five habitats found in the Everglades and the different animals and plants found in each one.

Everglades Fun and Games

This website has a word search of animals, plants, and habitats found in the Everglades. It also has another puzzle wear the player has to put together the pieces of an animal found in the Everglades.

Everglades Picture on Home page

This is the website for the Everglades picture located on the Home page of this site.

Everglades picture on The Process page

This website contains a picture of a group of people walking through a sawmpy area in the Everglades.

Junior Ranger Badge

This website contains a cartoon picture of a sheriff badge used by this website as a Junior Ranger Badge.

Location of the Everglades

This website contains a picture of the United States and a magnified view of the location of the Everglades.

Official Junior Everglades Ranger

This is the actual website containing the real information of the program for kids to be considered Junior Rangers of the Everglades.

Old style Everglades Picture

This link contains a picture of a black and white picture of the Everglades with two men in a canoe.

Picture of Everglades Red Sunset

This website contains a photograph of the Everglades at sunset.

Picture of Everglades sign

This link is for a picture of a rock with a sign on it indicating the entrance to the Everglades National Park.

Video of the Everglades

National Geographic video about the Everglades and the controversy of restoring the Everglades.

WebQuest Template

This site contains the format and information used to create this WebQuest.

The following is a list of links that have information and games related to this website:

BrainPop/ecosystems

This site has a fun video with a cartoon boy and his robot about different types of ecosystems. the website also includes a quiz to test children on information from the video and provides games on related information.

Everglades Wildlife

This site offers a fun journey through the Everglades for kids using postcards, pictures of animals, and sounds found in the Everglades.

Education Oasis

This site provides a long list of different websites that consist of fun interactive online games for students concerning different subject areas.

The Everglades Ecosystem

This website has lots of information on various topics concerning the Everglades and activities that can be done in class about the Everglades.

Wayne Drop in the Everglades

This website contains a story about a water droplet's journey to and through the Everglades.

Teacher Page Template

This page is where you may locate the template for this page.

Picture on teacher page

This link is for a picture of a sunrise in the Everglades.