Unit

Introduction:

1. Class Discussion & Introductory Video:
Teacher reads: "Have you ever been out walking and found a new path? And have you followed it to see where it would go? Have you ever stood on the bank of a river? And have you wondered where it would take you? Maybe you have looked at a mountain and said, "One day I'll climb that mountain and find out what is on the other side." If you have done any of these things, then you have had the itch to be an explorer. The itch to follow unknown paths, to travel along unknown rivers and to cross unknown mountains is what exploring is all about. It means going to new places. It means finding out what they are like and how the people there live." (The Explorers by Ernest Langford)

You will join a webquest and follow the journeys of explorers who came to Canada long ago. You will learn about the dangers and triumphs they faced. The information you learn is part of Canada's story and part of yours too! The whole class, led by the teacher-librarian in the library, will discuss exploration. The students will be asked to share how they feel when they are at a brand new place and have free time to explore and learn about it. The main concepts of exploration and discovery will be introduced. Many of the students' ancestors have lived in Canada for thousands of years but a number of the students' ancestors came from different countries. Canada was a brand new place for them. It was unknown and seemed very wild. We are going to learn about the brave men and women who explored and recorded their discoveries of historic Canada. A short video, on Alexander MacKenzie, will be viewed. (Alexander MacKenzie Project. Image Media Services) Please view The Explorer Hall of Fame Webquest.

2. Introduction to the Webquest:
The whole class, in the computer lab, will access the webquest page. The task and procedure will be read to the class while they follow along. They will then be given time to investigate the site and the names of the explorers and the links to explorer information.

They will be asked to fill out a selection questionnaire which will indicate which type of explorer they are interested in. The selection questionnaire will appear as follows:

The explorer that I would like to study:
Explored the east coast. O
Explored the west coast. O
Explored the Arctic. O
Explored the interior. O

The teacher-librarian will assign appropriate explorers for the next class. A group of very low readers will work together researching one explorer (Alexander MacKenzie) so that maximum assistance can be given to them. They will still produce their own poster.

The poster will be discussed, while referring to the Webquest's poster directions, and the students will be asked to describe their criteria for a good poster. Examples of posters will be available for comparison. Their suggestions will be written on chart paper.

3. Starting research:
In the library, the teacher-librarian will explain the procedure for the unit. The class will be divided up into three initial work groups. They will cycle through the research centers: computer lab web search, library print search, and classroom encyclopedia search. The teacher will review the note taking procedure that the students have been using. Note taking sheets will be distributed. Work groups will be announced. The groups will move to their assigned location where they will receive an introduction from the teacher in charge.

4. Research:
Research will proceed with approximately three sessions spent at each center.

5. Processing:
Approximately three sessions will be allowed in the computer lab to process the research. This word processing standards will be reviewed before hand (titles, paragraphing and spacing). The class will work in the classroom and library on the production of their posters, supervised by the teacher and TL. Approximately three sessions will be allowed for poster production. The students will have a poster consultant, a partner and peer that they trust, to periodically look at their poster and to advise them on how they think it is progressing towards meeting the criteria.

6. Presentation:
The awards criteria will be explained. Note taking will be explained and encouraged so that the students can accumulate the explorer facts for their final voting. The students will make a brief presentation on their explorer (see Webquest for details). This may take from two to three sessions. The posters will be hung in the hallway. Ballots will be distributed, time for perusing the posters will be allowed and the completed ballots will be returned.

7. Conclusion:
There will be an award ceremony where the explorer awards will be presented plus some fun awards for posters. Later the selected explorers will also be placed on the online version of the Hall of Fame.

8. Evaluation.

 

Teachers' Suggestions

Nancy Gleeson
- I would change the biography requirements by simplifying the information that the grade 4's had to find because it was a little difficult for them.
- The students were divided into 3 groups and each group spent 2 sessions at each of the 3 research stations. This was long enough to allow the students to start word-processing, and they can find more information later on.
- We had to do a session on word processing rules (spacing, underling, indents, etc.).
- The timeline for the webquest is fine.

 

Students' Suggestions

Student suggestions will be taken from Mrs. Augustyn's class and added once the unit is completed.

Additional Internet Resources

Explorers of Canada A project from Grade 4 students at Walnut Park Elementary School in Smithers, BC.

CBC: Online Explorers Wordsearch that can be done online or printed out.

The WebQuest Page contains a lot of information on how to make your own webquest, and hundreds of original webquests based on their model.