WebQuest
for 5th Grade Students

by Wendy Maldonado

Task | Process & Resources | Learning Advice | Evaluation | Reflection | Conclusion | Extension | Standards

Task Setting the Stage: As you embark on the voyage through the classic, Johnny Tremain, you may need background information. To thoroughly understand the behaviors and attitudes of the characters you will want to find out more about the time period, family structure, trades, apprentices, and government struggles during the Revolutionary War period. You will use the Internet as well as other resources to research important aspects surrounding this novel. In order to do this in the most efficient way, you and your classmates will divide in to five groups. Each group will research historical events that contributed to the rising action of the American Revolution. To demonstrate your understanding, groups will share what they have learned in a presentation for the class.

Process and Resources Each group will: * investigate and discuss the main points of an important historical event surrounding the American Revolution; * use Internet and other resources to gather information; * briefly report your findings to the other groups. Follow each link to find on-line information for each group. After investigating these sites, use the BACK button in your browser to return to this page.   GROUP #1: TOPIC: BOSTON TEA PARTY Virtually Boston: The Boston Tea Party * An essay about the Boston Tea Party written by fifth graders. The History Place * An eyewitness account of a participant. The Boston Tea Party * A good source of background information surrounding the event.     GROUP #2: TOPIC: STAMP ACT The Stamp Act (The American Revolution Homepage) * Great sources of facts and pictures of various stamps. The Stamp Act * A look at the effect the Stamp Act had on the colonists. The Stamp Act Riots with Tar and Feathering * An example of how the colonists reacted to the Stamp Act.   GROUP #3: TOPIC: SONS OF LIBERTY  The Sons of Liberty * Who were the Sons of Liberty? Sons of Liberty * Different times the Sons of Liberty rebelled against Britain. Sons of Liberty: Patriots or Terrorists? * A comprehensive essay discussing the role of the Sons of Liberty in early America.   GROUP #4: TOPIC: BOSTON IN THE 1770s Lifestyle and Culture * Link to Lifestyle and Culture to explore aspects of daily colonial life Historical Trades * A comprehensive list of trades Colonial Life in America * Understanding why people immigrated to America, where they came from, and where they settled   Mural GROUP #5: TOPIC: BATTLE OF LEXINGTON Battle of Lexington * A look at the instability of the colonies at the time leading up to the battle of Lexington and Concord Lexington and Concord * Specific details surrounding both battle sites Lexington * A brief abstract specifically about Lexington (Link to read about Concord!)

 

Learning Advice Your sources of information will be on the Internet at the sites listed in the "Resources" section above. You may also need to go to the library to get books, encyclopedias, magazines, maps, or other reference materials. Remember, many sources may give you the same information. The more sources you have, the more likely you are to gather additional information. Take good, clear notes with your group that you will be able to share with the class.

Evaluation Use this rubric to evaluate your group's efforts during the completion of this WebQuest: . Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score . 1 2 3 . Group Work Some contribution to the group project Works cooperatively to research facts and information Helps group members find information, answer any questions .. Researched Topic Thoroughly Little information or facts about topic Accurate information and facts on main points surrounding topic Complete, additional, interesting information and facts related to the topic . Correct Grammar and Spelling Frequent grammar and/or spelling mistakes Less than five errors in spelling and grammar Less than two errors in grammar and spelling . Wrote clearly and with detail Poor organization, hard to read at times Well organized, mostly easy to read Easy to follow, well organized. . Oral Presentation Little participation Active role in participation Active role and made sure all group members participated .

 

Reflection Self-evaluation: Write a short reflection, on paper, on each of the following questions: * How did you use your class time? * Did you waste time or use it effectively? * Did you work well with members of your group? * Is your research on your topic accurate? * Was your part of your groups oral presentation well organized, informative, and interesting? * If you were to do the same project over again, what would you do differently? * What did you like about the research part of this project? * Do you think this Webquest helped you do better on the quizzes and tests, then just reading the book and doing worksheets? Explain your answer. * What was your opinion on the novel, Johnny Tremain? Give three supporting examples.

Conclusion After completion of research, all groups will determine how to share their information with the rest of the class in an interesting way. Examples may include: role playing, speech, mock debate, PowerPoint presentation, skits, etc. All group members should have an active role in presenting. Whatever each group decides, it is crucial that they are able to communicate the important facts and information about their topic.

 

Extension Here are some activities to do before, during, and after reading Johnny Tremain. 1. Discuss what colonial life must have been like. Include aspects of every day life, schooling, trades, apprenticeships, poverty, wealth, and political instability. 2. Find out about master craftsmen and their apprentices. What were the terms and agreements? 3. Study the history of the postal service, beginning in 1772 with the first Committee of Correspondence. 4. Contrast the wants and needs of the Patriots versus the Loyalists. 5. Research the Revolutionary War. 6. Read Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell. Compare the characters of Sarah Bishop and Johnny Tremain. 7. Pretend that you became disabled from an accident. Write a personal narrative explaining how you would go on with your life. 8. Watch the movie, Johnny Tremain, available at most libraries. 9. Answer questions after each chapter. 10. Construct a map of Boston. 11. Compare and contrast the battles at Lexington and Concord. 12. Do an author study on Esther Forbes.

Standards This WebQuest's objectives are aligned with the following Arizona Standards: ESSENTIALS (Grades 4-8) Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following: • R-E1. Use structural analysis skills such as identifying root words, prefixes, suffixes and word origins to decode words unfamiliar in print PO 3. Confirm meaning of words using context clues PO 1. Identify the main ideas; critical and supporting details; and the author's purpose, feelings and point of view of the text PO 2. Distinguish fact from opinion PO 3. Summarize the text in own words (assessed at district level only) PO 4. Compare and contrast the text (e.g., characters, genre, cultural differences, fact, fiction) PO 5. Determine cause-and-effect relationships PO 6. Identify the text in chronological, sequential or logical order PO 7. Make an inference using contextual clues • W-F6. Write well-organized communications, such as friendly letters, memos and invitations, for a specific audience and with a clear purpose PO 1. Organize content, including necessary components of the selected format, for a specified audience ESSENTIALS (Grades 4-8) Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following: • W-E1. Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and usage, along with varied sentence structure and paragraph organization, to complete effectively a variety of writing tasks (Grades 4-5) PO 1. Spell correctly PO 2. Punctuate correctly (e.g., sentence endings, commas in a friendly letter's greeting and closing, commas in a series, abbreviations, quotations in dialog, apostrophes) PO 3. Apply rules of capitalization (e.g., sentence beginnings, titles, abbreviations, proper nouns) PO 4. Apply standard grammar and usage (e.g., subject-verb agreement, simple and compound sentences, appropriate verb tense, plurals) PO 5. Organize paragraphs with a variety of sentence structures   This WebQuest's objectives are also aligned with the following National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS): ESSENTIALS (Grades 4-8) Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following: • 1T-E1. Communicate about technology using developmentally appropriate and accurate terminology See: Language Arts (VP-E) PO 1. Use basic vocabulary related to technology (e.g., FireWire, USB, parallel, serial, scanning, digitizing, OCR) PO 2. Use basic vocabulary related to systems (e.g., network, infrastructure, Internet, Intranet, LAN, WAN, Ethernet, firewall, server, TCP-IP) • 1T-E2. Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated operation of technology components PO 2. Retrieve and save information remotely (e.g., network servers, Internet, Intranet, peripheral devices) PO 3. Demonstrate functional operation of technology devices (e.g., presentation devices, digital cameras, scanners, document cameras, scientific probes) (See Technology 3T-E2, PO1) • 1T-E3. When a system is not working properly, demonstrate an understanding of hardware, software and connectivity problem solving processes See: Science (1SC-E1) PO 1. Use troubleshooting strategies to solve applications problems (e.g., file management strategies, online help strategies, documentation, collaboration with others) PO 2. Use troubleshooting strategies to solve basic hardware problems (e.g., use online help, use documentation, collaboration with others) PO 3. Use troubleshooting strategies to identify basic connectivity problems (e.g., use online help, use documentation, collaboration with others)

Task | Process & Resources | Learning Advice | Evaluation | Reflection | Conclusion | Extension | Standards  

End of WebQuest