A Web Quest for 2nd Grade
By: Lisa Ward
Introduction | Task | Sources | Process | Guidance | Conclusion
IntroductionTropical rainforests cover 2% of the earth's surface. They serve many purposes but are being destroyed by people in alarming rates. Tropical rainforests are home to approximately half the population of 5 to 10 million plants and animals on earth. Many of the medicines we use today came from plants in the rainforest. Also, several of the foods we eat originally came from the rainforest. Rainforests affect our atmosphere, too. When the rainforests are burned or the trees decay after they are cut, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere (Rainforest Action Network, internet).
Your task is to research several different aspects of the Amazon rainforest, including:
Why are our rainforests in danger?
What can we do to help save our rainforests?
How are we similar to the people who live in the Amazon rainforest?
What are some plants and animals of the rainforest?
You will read about the rainforest (both fiction and nonfiction), complete a Venn Diagram, write a letter, and write a story.
1.09 Use active comprehension strategies to derive meaning while reading and check for understanding after reading.
1.10 Introduce informational skills to facilitate learning.
1.11 Develop skills to facilitate reading to learn in a variety of content areas.
1.12 Read independently for a variety of purposes.
2.02 Write for a variety of purposes.
2.05 Evaluate own and others’ writing.
3.01 Demonstrate knowledge of standard English usage.
3.02 Demonstrate knowledge of standard English mechanics.
3.03 Demonstrate knowledge of standard English spelling.
3.04 Demonstrate knowledge of correct sentence structure.
2.1 Recognize the distinction between living and non-living things.
2.2 Realize that organisms use their senses to interact with their environment.
2.3 Examine interrelationships among plants, animals, and their environment.
2.4 Recognize that the environment and the organisms that live in it can be affected by pollution.
6.1 Recognize that some plants and animals that once lived are no longer found on earth.
1.01 Understand the diversity of human cultures.
1.02 Discuss cultures and human patterns of places and regions of the world.
Pictures courtesy of Free jungle pictures. Retrieved March 23, 2004,from http://www.freejunglepictures.com
Rainforest Action Network. (1995-2004). Kid's corner. Retrieved March 23, 2004, from http://www.ran.org
Rainforest Alliance. (2004). Rainforest Alliance learning site: connecting kids to conservation. Retrieved March 23, 2004, from http://www.rainforest-alliance.org
South Guam Elementary School. (n.d.). The rainforest. Retrieved March 23, 2004, from http://library.thinkquest.org/5393/index.html
Tennessee.gov. (n.d). Education in Tennessee. Retrieved March 29, 2004, from http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/education/index.html
Before beginning, please look at the rubrics in the Guidance section below.
Step 1: Read about the rainforest (click on pictures).
Consider the following things while you are reading both the nonfiction and fiction pieces.
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Why are our rainforests in danger? |
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What can we do to help save our rainforests? |
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How are we similar to the people of the Amazon rainforest? |
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How are we different? |
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What are some plants and animals of the rainforest? |
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Nonfiction |
Fiction |
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(Rainforest Action Network, internet) |
(Rainforest Alliance, internet) |
Step 2: Complete a Venn Diagram on how the people of the Amazon rainforest and the people in our town are similar and different. Click on the picture to see an example.
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Example of Venn Diagram |
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(Rainforest Alliance, internet) |
Step 3: Write a letter to someone explaining why we need to save the rain forests. Include what we can do individually to help save the rainforests. Click on the pictures to see examples.
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Examples of what we can do |
Examples of letters |
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(Rainforest Alliance, internet) |
(Rainforest Action Network, internet) |
Step 4: Write a story about a trip to the rainforest. Be sure tell about your encounter with the people, at least one animal, and at least one unusual plant. Click on the pictures to see examples of people, plants, and animals of the Amazon rainforest.
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| Animals | Plants | People |
| (South Guam Elementary School, Internet) | ||
You have completed your research of the Amazon rainforest. The rainforests of the world are important to all of us. You have learned many things about the rainforests and why they are important. You have also learned about the people, plants, and animals of the rainforest. Please check the rubrics below to analyze your work. Make changes to your work if necessary to achieve maximum points. Remember to get your partner to review your work, too!
Venn Diagram |
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| 3 | 2 | 1 | Total Points |
| I discovered at least 6 ways people in the Amazon are different than people in my community. | I discovered 4-5 ways people in the Amazon are different than people in my community. | I discovered 1-3 ways people in the Amazon are different than people in my community. | |
| I discovered at least 4 ways that people in the Amazon are similar to people in my community. | I discovered at least 2-3 ways that people in the Amazon are similar to people in my community. | I discovered 1 way that people in the Amazon are similar to people in my community. |
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Letter |
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| 3 | 2 | 1 | Total Points |
| I used a correct letter format, including a heading, body, and closing. | My letter format is not completely correct. Only one part is not included. | More than one part of my letter format is not correct. | |
| The sentence structure, capitalization, and punctuation in my letter are correct. | There are 1-2 errors in sentence structure, capitalization, or punctuation in my letter. | There are more than 2 errors in sentence structure, capitalization, or punctuation in my letter. | |
| My letter is persuasive. It supports both the idea that saving the rainforests are important and discusses what we can do individually to save the rainforests. | My letter is persuasive. It supports only one of the ideas. | My letter is not persuasive. It does not support either of the ideas. | |
Story |
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| 3 | 2 | 1 | Total Points |
| I used an introduction (including a problem), a climax, and resolution in my story. | I did not use 1 part of the story. | I did not use more than 1 part of the story. | |
| The sentence structure, capitalization, and punctuation in my story are correct. | There are 1-2 errors in sentence structure, capitalization, or punctuation in my story. | There are more than 2 errors in sentence structure, capitalization, or punctuation in my story. | |
| My story includes information about the people, plants, and animals of the rainforest. | My story includes information about only 2 of the three topics (people, plants, and animals). | My story includes information about only 1 of the three topics (people, plants, and animals). | |
Purpose of product
The purpose of this web quest is for my students to explore and learn about the rainforest. They will learn about different plants, animals, and people of the rainforest. They will also learn about conservation. In their explorations, they will be exposed to the internet as a resource tool for research. They will develop their comprehension skills by reading several articles and short stories. They will also develop their letter writing skills by writing a letter and a short story. They will be able to critique their own work, using the rubric provided.
Statement of preceding and ensuing events
Preceding this web quest, we would discuss what the children already know or think they know about rainforests. We would also discuss any questions they might have about rainforests. I would record their statements and questions on a chart. After the web quest, the children and I would meet again. We would discuss the preceding statements made by the children and see if their statements were accurate. We would also discuss the questions they had about the rainforest, to see if they discovered the answers during their web quest. We would also discuss other information they discovered on their web quest.
Improvement and expansion
This activity could be improved or expanded by requiring the students to create a PowerPoint presentation about different aspects of rainforests. The children could work in groups with each group creating a presentation about information they learned on the web quest.
Debriefing
This activity will improve learning in several ways. First, it will introduce the students to the internet, as a research tool. It will also provide my students with scientific knowledge regarding rainforests, other cultures, and conservation. They will practice persuasive writing and fictional writing.
