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8th
Grade
Student
WebQuest
Projects
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Webquests
have a fancy name that is catchy but beneath the name there is something
simple that we can all understand. Simply put, a Webquest is a curriculum
unit that utilizes resources from the Internet. Webquests strive to get
kids thinking at a higher level by asking an essential question, providing
opportunities for kids to explore further, and then getting kids to apply
their knowledge with a hands-on activity. When students are motivated they
not only put in more effort, but their minds are more alert and ready to
make connections. WebQuests use several strategies to increase student
motivation. First, WebQuests use a central question that honestly needs
answering. When students are asked to understand, hypothesize or
problem-solve an issue that confronts the real world, they face an
authentic task, not something that only carries meaning in a school
classroom. A well-written quest demands that students go
beyond fact-finding: It asks them to analyze a variety of resources and
use their creativity and critical-thinking skills to derive solutions to a
problem. The problem is often “real world”—that is, one that needs a
genuine and reasonable solution. Rather than turn to a dated textbook,
filtered encyclopedias or middle-of-the-road magazines, with the Web
students can directly access individual experts, searchable databases,
current reporting, and even fringe groups to gather their insights.
Lastly, the answer or solution the student teams develop can be posted,
emailed or presented to real people for feedback and evaluation. This
authentic assessment also motivates students to do their best and come up
with a real group answer, not simply something to fulfill an assignment.
Student
Designed WebQuests
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