Welcome the LSU Webquests site at the College of Education, Louisiana State University. This site has been developed by students as a part of the requirements for the course EDAF 5880, Telecommunications and the Internet under the guidance of Professor Harriet Taylor.

A WebQuest...

    In the information world of today, many are connected to the internet and has lead to refinements in learning. WebQuests are "inquiry-oriented activities in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet."

    Webquests are popular these days and introduces a new perspective in learning. Possible sites to visit are the WebQuest page at the San Diego State University and  the WebQuest page at the New Mexico State University.
 

Quests

Elementary

What's a Christmas?
            -by Susan Webre and Julie Denton
Multidisciplinary
 

This is a "Christmas Around the World" WebQuest introduced by the book How Six Found Christmas by Trina Schart Hyman. It is the story of little girl who has never seen a Christmas, although she heard that such a thing exists. The students will be asked to put themselves in the little girl's shoes and find out what Christmas is like in another country. They will make a poster and designate customs as things to feel, things to see, things to touch, things to
taste, and things to hear. In the second part of the WebQuest students will be asked to create a
country and develop its Christmas customs. They will design a slide show using KidPix to present their creation to the class.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar
           -by Lexie Diel and Patty Fraser

Grade Level 3-5

Content Area: Science, Language Arts, Art

Time Frame: 1-2 weeks

Butterflies are marvelous critters. Reading Eric Carle’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is a delightful way to begin this fascinating and intriguing WebQuest. What do you know about butterflies? Have you ever observed them? Where do they come from? What do they eat? Do they have teeth? You will learn many interesting facts about the life, habitat, and characteristics of these amazing, wondrous and beautiful creatures that spark our imaginations.

The Life of a Journalist
            -by Pat Abbott and Danna Bouey
Content Area - Social Studies

Grade Level- 4 Interdisciplinary

Connections: Language Arts, Math and Science

Preparing for an assignment abroad is the mission of each group of journalist. The teams will collect information necessary for a successful journey to a new country. Preparations will include the discovery of the country's language, weather, currency, customs and interesting sites

Kia Ora and Kisses from NewZealand
                  - by Wanda Moreau and  Judy Rabalais

Content Area: Language Arts, History, Geography, Art
Grade Level : 3 -  6

        Provides a study on New Zealand for grades 3 - 6. The subjects investigated include gepgraphy, history, art and culture. The sites lead students through the Maori culture and fact-finding missions about this island country
 

Sarah, Plain and Tall
                 -by Joyce Arledge and Kathleen Shahla

Grade Level: 4

        Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan is a story about two children who are being raised by their widowed father.  Papa decides he needs help to care for the children and do household chores so he advertises in the newspaper for a wife.  His letter is answered by Sarah
Wheaton of Maine, who is invited to come to Kansas by Papa, Anna, and Caleb.
        As you journey through your quest you will have the opportunity to explore Sarah's world.  Your adventures will take you on a state scavenger hunt, collect facts about states, send an e-mail, examine seashells, decorate wildflowers, and look at Sarah's sea.  How do you think Sarah and the Wittings, who are from very different backgrounds, will be able to live together as a family?   After completing your quest, you will put together a booklet of your adventures and activites collected during the quest.
 

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes :
             -by Pat Duhon

Content Area: Language Arts / Social Studies
Grade Level : 3 - 5
Interdisciplinary Connections : Language Arts, Social Studies and Art

               Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr is a true story about a  girl who lived in Japan toward the end of World War II. This  Web Quest is designed to introduce you to Sadako Sasaki and her country of Japan. Find out why Sadako is a heroine to the children of Japan.
 

The Living Desert: Wildlife Park
                 -by Margot Morgan and Rachel Sellers

Grade Level: 4-6
                Desert regions are often thought of as lifeless wastelands. Actually, the desert is an ecosystem containing an astonishing variety of animal and plant life. Many species are extremely rare and seldom seen. These animals have survived in a sea of drifting sand with astounding behavior that changes to adapt to the environment. The quest is a group project to develop a desert wildlife center.
                In order in to increase the students' awareness of desert wildlife the Southwest Park Commission has awarded a grant to your local school to develop a desert wildlife center Your class has been selected to establish the plans for the center. The center will contain animals that live in the desert. In order to decide which animals should be included in the center, the students undertake specific tasks.
 

The Nutria
             -by Tracey Chachere, Vanessa Hayes, Henry Overton

Grade Level: 4
        Working with a partner, students will use the Internet as a research tool for the purpose of locating and using information about the Nutria.  Although the Nutria is a common animal in the wetlands of Louisiana, most people know very little about the animal.   Using acquired knowledge, students will then perform tasks in Science, Art, and Language Arts, Social Studies, Social Skills.
 
 

The Watery World of Whales
             -by Carlos deLeon and Kristi Rabalais

Grade Level: 4-6
                Your class has been selected to make a presentation to the rest of the school on the subject of Whales. The class will be divided into four team of six students each, and each team will select a different whale to present. You must select team members to be responsible for specific part of your final report.
 
 
 

Middle

WorldOuest
            -By Beth Meyers and Nadine Araoz
Grade: 6th-7^th

Content: Language Arts/Social Studies/ World History

Working in groups, the students will use the Internet as a research tool for locating and presenting information about different countries around the world. Students will gather information about history and government, climate and geography, plant and wildlife, and social customs and values of the various countries. They will then present this information to the class in the form of a presentation, using either computer slide show or posters.

Diary of a Hurricane
                    -by Mathew Birke and Thomas Pitchford

Content Area: Science
Grade Level : 5 - 8

        A hurricane goes through its own life cycle not much different than that of a person.  To best  understand this concept, we want you to take on the exciting task of assuming the role of the storm!   In    being the hurricane, you will describe your life in detail from a first-hand account!  An "hurricanography", if you will.
 

El Nino Unveiled
                -by Marcia Barton and Susan Freeman

Content Area: Math and Science
Grade Level: 6-8
Interdisciplinary connections: Language Arts

This is an interdisciplinary unit for middle grade students. In the unit students explore the science of El Nino, its place in history, and the consequences of the weather pattern. The unit connects waves to specific topic areas and real life applications. These lessons can be adjusted to use in a high school classroom.
 
 

Life in Rural America During the 1800's
                -by Susan Crowther and Judy Ordoyne

Content Area: Language Arts and Social Studies
Grade Level : Upper elementary and middle school

            Welcome to a trip back in time. A trip back to the way the people of rural America lived in the 1800's. Get ready to enjoy watching your students get excited about "the way we were". This lesson is about rural America, but is really about how people lived during the 1800"s, when most of the United Stated was rural. Your students will read, write, spell, "compare and contrast" and love it! So, what are you waiting for?
 

Women in Science
             by: Lorna Holtman

Content Area: Biology
Grade Level : 8 - 12
Interdisciplinary connections: Biology (History of), Language Arts, Technology

            We have been discussing the contributions of famous scientists who have revolutionized science. Many of these scientists have been men. However, there have been many women and other minorities who have contributed to the progress science has made.
            To honor women scientists, the school newsletter, School Talk, is publishing a special edition showcasing the contributions of women scientists. You have been assigned the task of producing an article on a female scientist and you have carte blanche on who she might be. Your team (the photographer and the reporter) is responsible for getting the article of no more than a page to the newsletter editor. Your class has been assigned the role of editorial team and is responsible for putting out the entire newsletter.
 

Secondary

South Africa Web Quest
            -by Dayle L. Guillory

Content Area: Social Studies/Language Arts, Technology

Grade Level: 9-12

A new Ambassador has been appointed to South Africa. As members of the State Department staff for the Ambassador your group has been assigned to plan the first official visit to the country of South Africa. Your group is also expected to accompany the Ambassador on this good will tour. Due to the time limitations each of you will assume a role for planning specific parts of the agenda, and obtain information from the Internet. Then as a group you will merge your information and present the entire agenda for the trip in a power point presentation format for viewing on the plane ride to South Africa. There are many wonderful sites to see in South Africa, and you decide the important places for the Ambassador and his diplomatic staff to visit. Enjoy your quest!

The Perfect Meal
            -by Howard Veeder and Douglas Clement

The perfect meal does not actually exist. Eating a single meal with all the required nutrients would be extemely difficult. When we talk about nutrients we usually think of vitamins. We need to remember that we also need minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water and each of these are needed certain amounts. A complete diet requires a wide variety of foods to get all of the nutrients we need to maintain our health. The task is not an impossible, but does take careful planning to get it right.

NBA Dream Team
            -by Chandra Perkins
This webquest will allow groups to select a NBA Dream Team based on statistical
information. NBA league leaders and career leaders will serve as basis for
selection criteria. Let the history of the NBA and the impact of its players
guide your quest.

The Titanic : What can numbers tell us about her fatal voyage?
                    by: Todd Atkins and Barbara McManus

Content Area: Mathematics
Grade Level : Secondary

        One of today's hottest topics is the discussion of "The Titanic" - the movie - and its stars. But what do you know about the REAL Titanic? its passengers? its crew? This webquest will help you and an assigned partner to explore these topics and look at them from a mathematical perspective. In the process, you will find not only interesting facts and dramatic stories, but also numerous statistics related to the event. The statistics tell stories of their own. It will be your job to discover some of these stories and share your results.
 

Immortality Webquest
                    by: Mary Diane Moreau and Sheila Woerner

Content Area: English IV
Grade Level : 12

        This quest challenges you to investigate the search for immortality. The search for immortality is as old as man. It goes from the search for the Holy Grail, to the Fountain of Youth, to pyramids, to cryogenic freezing and cloning. The poet Percy Shelley had his own view of immortality. What is immortality? Can it be different for different people?
 

Mission Possible : Gulf Water Monitoring
                   by: Sharon Flanagan

Content Area: Science (Environmental)
Grade Level : 12

            The quality of the environment influences the quality of life in areas of the country. There is no more threatened area than the coastal areas of Louisiana. With an interest in being near water, more of the population moves near the sea! This influx of people stresses the ecological system, strains the sewage and water systems and provides a means for further environmental degradation. This activity is designed to present a vehicle to look at the environmental quality in the areas bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, America's Sea!