Our Trip Through the Solar System via a WebQuest

Hello Parents,
We are about to embark on a journey through the solar system.  But, due to budget cuts, we will not be renting space shuttles for the day, instead we will be taking our journey via a WebQuest.  What is a WebQuest you may ask?  A WebQuest is alternative to traditional instruction, (the teacher delivering information in the form of a lecture and then using a written test as an assessment.)  A WebQuest on the other hand, uses only the internet as the information source  It is a great opportunity for students to learn to navigate the web to find information, think critically and determine the information's credibility and worth.  In addition to a great learning experience, a WebQuest is meant to be fun!

In our case, the WebQuest is a guided exploration of the solar system.  I will act as a guide as students work at their own pace visiting selected websites to gather data.  Students will be asked to analyze, compare and critique the data in order to complete meaningful tasks.  These tasks require the use of real world skills that students will use throughout their lives.  Some of the tasks I will be asking students to complete include: graphing, comparing and presenting data.  Successfully completing these tasks will show that students both comprehend the new material and that they can apply it in different situations. 

I am excited to begin our journey.  I hope you will talk with your children about their trip through the solar system and everything that they are learning!

Animoto video in the classroom

Who would have thought that it would be so incredibly easy to create a video?  Coming from someone who in not very tech savvy, I would have thought it to be a major undertaking and never would have considered using it in my classroom.  After sitting down to make my own video with my 10 year daughter looking over my shoulder, I soon discovered how fun and easy it is to make videos.  (To my surprise, I did not need to drag out the video camera and spend hours trying to create a video about the solar system.) 

In a relatively short amount of time I created a video with some quick facts about the solar system.  Instead of the traditional construction paper and marker final project for the solar system unit my class does, I see using the video as an interesting and engaging alternative.  With the ability to post videos for our classroom community to view via a blog, my students would be creating videos for an authentic audience.  Students would be required to chose words carefully as the amount of text space is limited.  Students would learn to re-read and edit their work, for they would (hopefully) learn that when their work is will be viewed by others, it is important to produce quality work.

I have no doubt my students will be excited to make videos.  After I completed my first video, my daughter grabbed her laptop and has quickly compiled her own video collection.  




http://www.tagxedo.com/artful/7180353d21e242b3

Until this point in my classroom, Tagxedo was used solely to make cards for Mother's Day. After doing some research, I see how Tagxedo can be used as an educational resource. One way is to use Tagxedo to aid those children who need a visual reinforcement of key words and/or concepts from text.  Another way this tool is helpful is that it can help students to notice the prevalence of important words or concepts before reading new text.  Students can also use it to cut and paste important concepts from text. Concentrating on locating key words and concepts will help students pay better attention, and hopefully better comprehend what they are reading. At the completion of the webquest, students can use the word cloud to check for understanding of key concepts and vocabulary words. 

Animoto Solar System video