Webquests
(this page is currently under revision - scroll down for Baldwin County Teacher created webquests)

Here are some helpful guidelines for creating a winning webquest:

I. Basic Format of a Webquest:

Title of the WebQuest
Developed by (put your name, an email link, and your URL)

Overview

	Describe what the lesson is about.
	Specify content area (mathematics, language arts, etc) and grade level (middle, elementary, early childhood, etc.).
	Specify strands and objectives from the Georgia QCC’s Standards that this WebQuest Supports. List by subject area (WebQuests should be interdisciplinary projects).
	List any special resources that a teacher would need in the classroom or in the media center for the students to complete the activity. For example, print resources in the media center, art reproductions, or video and audio materials.

Introduction

Write an introduction to your WebQuest that will give students some background about your topic. Try to interest them.

	If your webquest is about a place, include some general information, a picture, and/or audio files.
	If it is about a person, describe something about the person that gives general background to the students.
	If you are creating a scenario with opposing points of view, describe the views briefly.

Remember, you want to interest the students in pursuing this WebQuest.

Questions and the Task

What are the guiding questions that students need to keep in mind in order to accomplish their task? What is the task that the student(s) must undertake? Why is the job necessary? What are the circumstances surrounding the task or the question that may cause conflict? What led up to this circumstance? Is there more than one way of looking at this. Can you see conflicting roles for people--such as environmentalist and industrialist.

You should briefly outline for student(s) what they are expected to learn. For example: Despite the known risks of space flight should the elderly be encouraged to make space shuttle flights for the sake of gaining potentially beneficial medical knowledge?

Assign various roles to students. A good WebQuest generates some tension or conflict that must be resolved so you should try to develop two to four roles. Remember that you want this to be a collaborative activity for students.

Person 1 - Person 1 (Fill in Person 's Role)

Describe role: Tell student what he has to accomplish. What are the major issues that he will be facing.

Background Information: So that students may gain a clear understanding of their role, direct them to follow the URL's that you provide or access specified information from print, audio or visual resources in your media center.

Explain to the students that they should read the information contained at each site with their individual role and task in mind.

Report: What format should the student presentation take? Do you wish the student to create a PowerPoint presentation? A research paper? A persuasive essay? What questions must be addressed in this report--specify, three to four different questions. What grading criteria will you be using to judge the student's work?

Person 2 - Person 2 (Fill in Person 's Role)

Describe role:

Background Information:

Explain to the students that they should read the information contained at each site with their individual role and task in mind.

Report:

Person 3 – same as above

Process

Explain that students who have similar roles may work together to compare ideas based on the factual information they have collected, or that students may continue to pursue their role individually until the conflict generated by the original guiding question(s) forces them to resolve the issue with the entire group.
Once students have understood their roles and investigated the background material necessary to make informed decisions, then it is time for them to come together as a group and to discuss the issue(s). Group work should result in a consensus document or presentation.
Give students directions on this group work.
Be sure that they understand that their role may place them in conflict with another person's role.
How should they resolve this conflict?
What overall idea should they keep in mind that will allow them to compromise?
Is there a greater good?
Provide options for how students may present their information to the group. Here are some ideas:

	Flowcharts
	Multimedia Presentations
	Web Page
	Summary Tables
	Concept Maps
	Venn Diagrams

Resources

Identify for the students which other resources they may use to complete their task(s). Other resources may include:

	PowerPoint software to develop an informative slideshow
	Any URL links provided in this section
	Classroom Encyclopedias
	Color Printer
	Periodicals from the Media Center

Evaluation

Provide students with a clear understanding of the grading criteria which will be used to evaluate their efforts. See rubric example below.

You will also receive a collaborative grade. Explain how the grades will be counted or averaged.

Conclusion

Explain to students how the conclusion will offer the opportunity to engage in further analysis. For example:

	Ask students how their roles could have been interpreted in a different light?
	Ask students if they had interpreted their roles differently, how might the outcome have changed?
	Ask students if they were flexible enough to compromise with the group and attain resolution, or did they yield to group pressures?
	Ask students what new questions did the issue(s) generate? Why would these new questions be important in answering the original question(s)?

II. Evaluation

Rubric Template
(Describe here the task or performance that this rubric is designed to evaluate.)

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.

Written by Your Name. Last updated mm/dd/yy

III. WebQuest Templates for Web Pages

Templates provide an easy way to get started creating your WebQuest. These templates were developed by San Diego State University Educational Technology Department. The Webquest Page has complete details about creating the perfect webquest to enhance your curriculum.The WebQuest Anatomy Page describes what each subpage is all about.

Traditional, No-Frame Version

Click to Download
Binhexed version (for Mac)

Zipped version (for PCs)

Framed Versions with Text Links

Navigation Bar on Left
Click to Download

Binhexed version (for Mac)

Zipped version (for PCs)

Navigation Bar on Bottom
Click to Download

Binhexed version (for Mac)

Zipped version (for PCs)

Navigation Bar on Top
Click to Download

Binhexed version (for Mac)

Zipped version (for PCs)

Framed Versions with Graphic Text Rollovers

Navigation Bar on Left
Click to Download
Binhexed version (for Mac)
Zipped version (for PCs)

Navigation Bar on Bottom
Click to Download
Binhexed version (for Mac)
Zipped version (for PCs)

Thanks to Mike Casey of the San Diego Unified School District Ed Tech Department for providing the following directions:

The WebQuest templates are compressed so you will need to have software on your computer to uncompress the files. Macintosh users should have the program 'Stuffit Expander' on their computers and PC users should have 'WinZip' or 'unzip' already installed. When you download the appropriate template file, it should automatically uncompress.

To edit the templates, open them using your favorite web authoring software. Claris Homepage, Dreamweaver, Front Page or Netscape Composer will do just fine. The templates were created in Claris Homepage. If you are editing using a different program, you will have to open the templates from within the program i.e. FILE -> OPEN.

FRAMES VERSION USERS- The index.htm file is not really meant to be edited. It contains the code defining the frames etc. It should be used only to preview (view) your project from within the frames (so you can get the full effect). I suggest that if you are not a power user, don't edit it - just leave it alone and use it to view your project.

IV. Take a look at the creative webquests designed by Baldwin County
teachers: Please be courteous and ask permission before using any of these webquests

First Grade: Butterflies by Ms. C. Bazemore - Midway

Gifted: Savannah by Ms. J. Drew - Eagle Ridge

Baldwin Co. Technology Home Page

Rubric Template(Describe here the task or performance that this rubric is designed to evaluate.)

Rubric Template
(Describe here the task or performance that this rubric is designed to evaluate.)