WebQuest on Maps For First Graders
“This Land Is Our Land”
Introduction
Welcome to our country where there is so much to see. Right here in the United States you can see small towns, towering mountain peaks, raging rivers or green farm pastures. This webquest will take you from the west coast over mountains to big cities in the east. Sit back, have fun and learn about the American continent.
Task
On each stage of the journey you will get a chance to visit a new interesting place and mark it on your map. You will then draw what you see in a journal with boxes numbered the same as the city or site you have visited. At the end of the journey you will have a wonderous pictorial journal of what you have seen as you traveled across America. Are you ready now?..Did your teacher print out a map for you to chart your journey? (Remember to use your browser arrow to come back from each site)
Process
Take a peek at this first wonder. MYSTERY SITE NUMBER 1 Did you figure out where it was? Read all about it and then find it on your map. It is on the west coast. Color in a circle by the name of the city. Then find the box numbered 1 in your journal and draw what you saw.
You ready to take off for other interesting places? Here is the next mystery spot.
John Denver sang about the awe-inspiring feelings he got when he visited this place. It has an altitude of 11,212 feet. Click on it to see where you are. Read about it, then find it on your map and fill in the circle next to the name of the city where this place was. Find the box numbered 2 and draw a picture of what John Denver thought was so breathtaking.
Our next mysterious place has four giant president's heads carved on a mountaintop. Here you can see a most breathtaking view of history. Who were these chosen presidents and why do you think their heads were chosen to be carved into rock? Fill the circle at this National Park on your map and see if you can draw one of the presidents in the matching numbered 3 box in your journal.
Ready for more adventure? In the continental United States there is one natural feature that has played a pivotal role in the development of the United States. This special site is not just in one state, it travels for thousands of miles. Find this site on your map and color it blue. Then go to your journal and draw a picture in box number 4.
Have you ever been in a swamp? Do you think there are creatures there that will scare you silly? Check out this swamp in New Orleans and see what you think. Mark the circle next to New Orleans. Draw a picture in your journal in box number 5 that will help your remember this place.
Let's travel north now, to the northeastern part of the country. We find ourselves in a "historically significant" place. Every November we tell stories about this place. The first settlers endured hardships none of us can ever imagine. Visit this site and then mark it on your map. I'll give you a clue. Squanto visited there. What special part of this "town" will you draw in box number 6 of your journal?
Just a few more stops and we will have made it from sea to shining sea. At one of our country's borders is a gorgeous natural wonder. This place has been dramatized for the last 60 years as a great place to get married. Where are we? Why is this natural wonder so breath-taking? Read about it. Find the site on your map and mark the circle. Find box numbered 7 in your journal and take a stab at drawing one of natural wonders.
We are ready to visit another history making location. Where would you find this symbol of American history? Click on the Liberty Bell to see where it still hangs. Then fill the circle by the city's name and draw a picture of the bell's house in box number 8 in your journal.
When you have reached this spot on your journey you will be on the east coast of the United States. This beautiful place is where many important men (and women and children) have lived. Recently a girl named Chelsea lived there with her mother and father. What other children have lived there? Would you like to stay there for a while? Find it on your map and mark the circle. Then find box number 9 in your journal and draw it a picture of this place.
Congratulations!! You have made the journey from sea to shining sea. You have learned about our country and some of the people who have made it special.
Evaluation
What did you learn on this adventure? How many new things did you learn? Think about all the places and bits of information you learned. How did you do on your map and journal entries? Make a list. Where they complete and the best job you could have done? Now rate yourself on this scale.
Evaluating My JourneyGood / Great / Excellent / Total
Following My Journey on the Map / I found some of the places on the map - 1 point / I found most of the places on the map - 2 points / I found all of the places and marked them on the map - 3 points
My Journal / I had trouble drawing about the sites I saw - 1 point / I drew pictures about the sites and wrote some facts about these places - 2 points / I drew great pictures about the sites and I wrote many exciting things that I learned about Our Land - 3 points
Learning about Our Land / I only learned a few new things - 1 point / I learned 8 new things about Our Land - 2 points / I learned more than 15 new things about Our Land - 3 points
Using Technology / I had trouble navigating using the links and I couldn't get back to the webquest easily - 1 point / I was able to use the links but I had trouble getting back to the webquest - 2 points / I had no trouble navigating using links and the browser return arrow - 3 points
Conclusion
How did you score???
9-12 points = Excellent Navigator
7-9 points = Good Traveler
Less than 7 points = Ugh! Need more practice with maps and technology