Through this project, students will be using the different lobes of their brain. The frontal lobe which deals with planning and thinking will be utilized when the students need to research then decide which information they gathered will be important information to be relay to their peers. The temporal lobe which deals with sound, speech and some parts of long-term memory will be utilized through this WebQuest when the students have to present/teach the information they learned to their classmates. The occipital lobe will be utilized when the students have to look through the websites for the appropriate information for their project. They will also use the occipital lobe during the presentation with the use of visual aides.
Learning Styles-Gregorc
The concrete random learner enjoys learning without teacher intervention which directly correlates to the idea of a WebQuest. The students are adventurous and creative. This project allows for choices and self direction on the part of the student.
This project will cater to the concrete sequential learner with the creation of the map or travel brochure as a product of this step-by-step, "if/then," project. For a successful final presentation, this project needs to be well organized which will definitely be achieved by the concrete sequential learner.
The abstract random learner needs to "evaluate the whole experience" to find that there is a reason for their work. Voting after listening to all the presentation adds sense and meaning to the project. The abstract learner prefers group discussions so while the students do a large majority of work independently, they do need to work as a group to produce the final project. Having the quality of flexibility will be utilized by the abstract learner with the discussion of what information is used in the presentation and what won't.
This cooperative learning presentation uses a group presentations to present the obtained information. This presentation will satisfy the abstract sequential learner who prefers presentations to learn. The WebQuest is set up with a great deal of organized sections to easily guide the student through the process. This organization will help the abstract sequential learner. The students also need to be organized in presentation the appropriate information to "sell" their state and "win the competition" of answering what state will be "America's Best Kept Secret."
Verbal Linguistic: lecture, textbooks, and board work
The verbal/linguistic intelligence needs to express oneself orally and in writing the final presentation allows them to do just that through the explanation of the information.
The visual/spatial intelligence enjoys the use of maps and illustrations. The final presentation of the creation of a map or a travel brochure that illustrates the state the students researched will cater to this intelligence.
The bodily/kinesthetic intelligence needs manipulatives and hands-on activities. This project's success is based on hands-on activities and the ability of the student to become their "role" to answer the questions.
The intrapersonal intelligence needs to know "Why do I need to learn this?" This project asks the students to persuade their classmates on why their state is "America's Best Kept Secret." Asking the students to participate in this "competition" gives them sense and meaning.
The interpersonal intelligence enjoys cooperative groups. Without the use of cooperative group work it is impossible to succeed on this WebQuest.
The naturalist intelligence is used in this project through the use of the "geographical expert" who needs to read maps and learn about the topography of the state they are researching.
Sense and Meaning
The WebQuest will create sense and meaning in a few ways. The use of American Idol image and voting for America's best kept secret will enable the student to relate to a television show that most students are familiar with. In turn this will create meaning to the students because they will be more than likely to store the information they received from each group in Long-term memory.
Bloom's Taxonomy
The WebQuest will fulfill Bloom's Taxonomy in the following ways:
-KNOWLEDGE: students will state the information they researched into a presentation and apply it to their different tasks.
-COMPREHENSION: students will listen to the presentations that each group will present and then vote on whose state is the "America's Best Kept Secret."
-APPLICATION: students will rewrite the information they researched and transform it into a presentation as well as inform the other members of their group of the information they received.
-ANALYSIS: students will compare the information of their state to that of where they live.
-SYNTHESIS: students will create a presentation to help them win the title of "America's Best Kept Secret." as well as create a brochure/map to enhance their presentation.
-EVALUATION: students will access the evaluation pages to ensure they have fulfilled the requirements as well as take their own individual assessment.