You will be working together as a group exploring web sites that your teacher has selected. You should start with the pages that are labelled 'Background Information' before dividing into roles. Each group has their own roles to complete and a separate set of web sites to use. There is a process organizer and an evaluation rubric in Background Information to guide your work.

Phase 1 - Background Information
Please print this page to help guide you through your WebQuest.

Process Organizer:
1. Gather your team and select a leader and a recorder (one person can be both)
2. Review the roles that are available
3. Discuss what members would like which role and why (record everyone's thoughts)
4. Review thoughts on roles, and make an agreement on who will do each one
5. Discuss possible presentation formats, record each members suggestions
6. Decide as a group, which presentation you will do
7. Make a schedule for assignment deadlines
8. Complete the questions in your assigned role
9. Discuss what each person has discovered
10. Discuss the big question. Each person may have their own viewpoint, so make sure to listen and record all opinions.
11. Work to combine your thoughts to give an answer to the big question, you will be asked to share this during your presentation
12. Work cooperatively to design the presentation so that it flows together
13. Practice presenting your information

These sites are important because they will provide basic information about the topic as a whole. Everyone should explore these sites before starting your Task.

Here are the rubrics that I will be using to grade your project.

1. Student Assessment of Each Group Member (To be done at the end of the assessment)
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/morse/oceanhealth/rubrics/collrubric.html

2. Overall Group Cooperation Rubric
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson95/coop_rubric.pdf

Individual Project Rubrics:

1. PowerPoint/Poster Board Rubric
http://www.teacherwebquest.com/WI/CarrollCollege/Pauley,A-WebQuest/GroupProjectRubric.htm

2. Diorama/Artifact Rubric:
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Allesandro_EL/docs%20and%20temps/Diorama%20rubric.pdf

3. Brochure Rubric:
http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/tech/k6/3/puget_sound/brochure_rubric.htm

• Discovering the Desert Biome
• Map of the World's Largest Deserts
• Desert Survival Quiz
• Photographs of the Desert
• Sandboarding
• Quad Biking

Phase 2 - Roles
These roles were chosen because they each define the most important elements of World Deserts. Each of you will select a role with links and instructions below. Here are the general instructions for all of you. Please see your specific instructions and questions below.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Three members from each WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files designated for your roles. You can print out pages and underline the parts that you feel are important or cut and paste from the webpage into a word processor.

3. Remember to include the URL of the page you take information from so you can return to it and use it as a citation.

4. Focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) at the end of the assignment.

Types of Deserts/ Animals and Vegetation:

• Types of Deserts
• Cold and Hot Deserts

In this role, it is your job to discuss the two types of deserts that your team will be visiting. You will be comparing the differences between the two deserts as well as provide interesting facts about what one would expect to see in each.

Please make sure to answer the following questions:
1. Explain what makes a desert hot or cold.
2. Explain the difference in temperature and climate for each desert. (Make sure to convert to degrees fahrenheit)
3. What types of animals would find in a hot desert? A cold desert?
4. What types of vegetation would find in a hot desert? A cold desert?
5. Gather three to four graphics that represent what you researched.
6. Provide captions for each graphic.
7. Make sure to provide the author (if given), title of the article, date of the copyright and URL for each website that you gather information from.

Tropic of Cancer Deserts:

• North American Deserts
• Deserts of Asia
• Desert Biome Video

In this role, it is your job to find an artifact from deserts located on the tropic of Cancer. You will need to give a brief overview of the desert and explain the artifact you chose to represent that desert. You must have one desert from EACH continent represented.

1. Name of the specific deserts you will be taking an artifact from
2. The locations of the desert (continent)
3. Familiar landmarks surrounding the desert (mountain ranges, rivers etc.)
4. The specific name and description of the artifacts you will be presenting
5. The significance of the artifacts (Why you chose to select that to show)
6. You must provide a visual of each artifact
7. Your visuals must have captions.
8. Make sure to provide the author (if given), title of the article, date of the copyright and URL for each website that you gather information from.

Tropic of Capricorn Deserts:

• African Deserts
• South American Desert
• The South American Patagonia Desert
• Australian Deserts
• Australian Wildlife
• Great Sandy Desert of Australia

In this role, it is your job to find an artifact from deserts located on the tropic of Cancer. You will need to give a brief overview of the desert and explain the artifact you chose to represent that desert. You must have one desert from EACH continent represented.

1. Name of the specific deserts you will be taking an artifact from
2. The locations of the desert (continent)
3. Familiar landmarks surrounding the desert (mountain ranges, rivers etc.)
4. The specific name and description of the artifacts you will be presenting
5. The significance of the artifacts (Why you chose to select that to show)
6. You must provide a visual of each artifact.
7. Your visuals must have captions.
8. Make sure to provide the author (if given), title of the article, date of the copyright and URL for each website that you gather information from.

Phase 3 - Reaching Consensus
You have all learned about different deserts of the World. Now group members come back to the WebQuest team with expertise you have gained. You must all now work to complete the determine an answer to the big question. Remember, you may have different opinions and viewpoints, so make sure to listen to everyone before deciding your final answer.

Using the information you have collected, design your presentation supporting why deserts are unique.

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Conclusion

Together your team has travelled to some parts of the world that are still yet to be explored! Thanks to you, now maybe some people will want to venture out and explore these areas. You've visited five different continents and learned a lot about the different deserts that make up nearly 20% of our world. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to help you in the future? What other parts of deserts could still be explored? Remember, learning never stops.

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Content by Ms.Schnupp, teachaloha@gmail.com http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/webworldgems.html Last revised Sat Jul 31 14:41:04 US/Pacific 2010