WebQuest
Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion
Spanish is the primary language spoken in the following islands: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Equatorial Guinea. As middle school teachers, our goal this year is to allow you (the students!) to have plenty of flexibility in what you study, how you present what you have learned, and mix in both individual and group work in order to accomplish tasks.
PART ONE... You will first do what's called preliminary research- of course, you know the prefix pre- means before, so you should infer that this is just the beginning of the research process. Each grade level will have guidance from teachers as to how to tackle the research process, but here are some possible topics you might explore related to each country:
Major Attractions- Find at least five important, scenic, fun places people visit, in at least three major cities in your focus country.
Geography- What are some significant geographical features of the land? It's an island, so what is important about the body of water which surrounds the country?
History- What makes this country great? Choose at least three significant events in the country's history that may be of interest.
Government- Were there significant rulers? What kind of government exists, and does the country seem to thrive under the current rule?
Culture- What can a visitor expect to see in this country? Are there festivals, celebrations, traditions that make the country richly attractive?
Quality of Life- How does the lifestyle of the average citizen compare to that of an average US citizen? What is the health care like? Education? Life span/infant mortality?
Economy- What is the main source of income in the country? Imports? Exports? What natural resources are abundant in this country?
Religion- What kind of impact does religion have on the area? Is there one main religion or multiple?
Travel Arrangements/Cost- Leaving from Columbus, Ohio, at the present time, what costs should a person expect to incur? Who offers the best airline (or boat) route? What accomodations are available in your focus country? Offer at least two options for travel and lodging.
PART TWO... Once you are well versed in your research area, your SECOND task will require you to narrow your focus to a country, and later, to a specific research topic. To allow you to work with your top choice, you must present justification in the form of a position paper explaining why you feel strongly that you should be able to continue research on the topic/country you've chosen. Your teachers will guide you in the format of this writing task.
UNDER construction for later use...
Create a Power Point presentation- Must include: a title card listing all group members, at least one card introducing your country of focus, at least two cards for each of the four focal points, and a persuasive concluding card, all presented in an eye-pleasing manner. See rubrics below for further details.
Use Microsoft Publisher to create a travel brochure or newsletter- Must include: an eye-catching title, a listing of all group members, a clear front page introduction of your country of focus, at least a two paragraph article for each of the four focal points, and a persuasive conclusion. See rubrics below for further details.
Create a Website- Use appropriate web developing software to create a website that showcases your information in a pleasing manner. Must include an introduction of your focus country, and two paragraphs about each of the four focal points, and a persuasive conclusion. See rubrics below for further details.
As a staff, we will review each group's presentation, and we will decide which presentation is most accurate and factual, eye-catching, and persuasive. The group whose presentation is chosen gets a BONUS! Then we will work to put information about all three islands together for our customers.
Research your country using the following sites, plus any published materials (books, magazines) or interviews you conduct (with travel agents, for example):
Oh! You're in luck- the following teachers at CSIA have first-hand information they can share about the countries we're studying this year, so MAKE AN APPOINTMENT (don't just run them down in the hallway at lunch) to ask some prepared questions!
Cuba-
Dominican Republic-
Puerto Rico-
Equatorial Guinea-
After you've chosen a presentation type, click on the links below to view the rubric for this presentation.
Remember to include a correctly formatted BIBLIOGRAPHY.
After completing this project, answer the following questions as a reflection:
1. Compare your presentation to one given by an actual travel agent. How are they similar or different?
2. Explain how the process of the WebQuest assignment did or did not help you learn about our focus countries.
3. Offer feedback on how to improve this WebQuest activity.
