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WebQuest Title: World Geography Action News
Author: Michelle Ruggieri
Date: March 18, 2003
Dear Colleague:
This unit is designed to assist students in achieving a global understanding of the world and its events. Students will be asked to create a live news broadcast on a pre-selected group of countries in the world. The broadcast will include current and major events, foreign relations, weather conditions, sports events and the state of the environment, economy and the political scene. Unit is designed for grades 7-12.
Goals/Objectives:
Days:
8 Days (90 minute blocks)
Content:
Students will form into groups of 4-5 persons known as news teams. Each news team will have an anchor person, meteorologist, sports reporter, infield reporter and/or photo journalist. Each student will play a role as a news team member and will research and gather specified information to their position. Students will then prepare a live news broadcast for their presentation.
Methods:
Within this unit, the class is involved in cooperative learning, group discussion, direct instruction, problem-solving group work, class participation, skill building techniques, and research and technological activities driven by the webquest.
Webquest Summary:
Goals/Objectives:
Students will use the internet to research current events of a country.
Students will understand the impact of world events and how it effects them.
Days:
3 Days (90-minute blocks)
Content:
Students will explore several websites such as http://www.newspapers.com and http://www.countryreports.org to learn about events effecting the world around them. At these sites students will gain a better understanding of the five geographical themes: location, place, region, movement and human environment interaction.
Methods:
Students will explore the internet to gather material and information to produce a presentation in the form of a "live" news broadcast.
Unit Information:
Background Resources
Teacher Background Resources CIA World Fact Book 2002 http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook Your Nation - Country Comparisons http://www.your-nation.com
CNN Interactive http://www.cnn.com/WORLD National Atlas of the United States http://www.nationalatlas.gov United Nations http://www.un.org
Webquest Teacher Resources National Geographic Society http://www.nationalgeographic.com
World at your Fingertips U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov National Council for Geographic Education http://www.ncge.org
Student Background Resources United Nations Environment Programs http://www.unep.org Country Reports http://www.countryreports.org Time Magazine http://www.pathfinder.com/time Governments of the World Wide Web http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en World Health Organization http://www.who.ch Webquest Student Resources Atlapedia Online http://www.atlapedia.com The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com U.S. News and World Report http://www.usnews.com Today on ESPN http://www.espn.com The World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/html/schools
Unit Lesson Sequence
Day 1 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Lecture/Discussion In this lesson students will examine the sections of their local newspapers) to determine the location of current events on the international, national and local levels. Local newspaper Class Participation Students will view or tour a live news broadcast. Particular attention is given to the type of information covered and how is the news reported. Television/Media Center
Day 2 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Skill building Students will be introduced to Webquest "World Geography Action News". Computer lab for student internet access. Cooperative learning Students will be assigned into teams. Roles and country to be selected. Handouts
Day 3 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Research & Technology Students will begin their research on the internet using the webquest. Computer lab for student internet access. Cooperative learning Students will gather current event information to their role on the news team. Role handouts
Day 4 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Research & Technology Students will continue research on the internet using the webquest. Computer lab for student internet access. Problem solving group work Students will discuss their team display and determine what visuals will be used for their presentation. Compile information on role handouts.
Day 5 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Research & Technology Last day of in-class research on the internet using the webquest. Computer lab for student internet access. Cooperative Learning Students will submit the information gathered by the end of class. Role handouts
Day 6 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Skill building techniques Students will rehearse presentation material. This includes news scripts, visuals and rubric assessment review. Media center
Day 7 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Class Participation Live presentations can begin. May be taped to be viewed by other classes. Media Center
Day 8 Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Class Participation Live presentations concluded. Media Center Cooperative Learning Students submit rubric scoring of presentations. Rubric Assessment form
Students WebQuest :
After the class has finished with this unit the students will have a better understanding of the daily events that surround them outside their own world. Geographical concepts are enhanced during this project. Finally, students will develop a better appreciation and knowledge of current events facing the world.
Credits/References:
Geography Web Quest at USF 2003