USF's WebQuest
Teacher's Page
| Unit Summary | Teacher's Resources | Day 1 Lesson | Day 2 Lesson |
| Day 3 Lesson | Day 4 Lesson | Day 5 Lesson | Day 6 Lesson |
| Day 7 Lesson | Day 8 | Conclusion | Student's Web Quest |
WebQuest Title: India - in the midst of change.....
Author: Sharda Jagdish
Date: April 22, 2003
Dear Colleague:
This unit is designed to introduce students to India. Being the largest democracy in the world and a nuclear power, its position in the world order cannot be ignored. To have an understanding of the country, students will learn India's physical, cultural, political, economic and social characteristics.
Goals/Objectives:
Days:
8 Days (60 minute periods)
Content:
The first lesson will focus on the location, physical landforms, water bodies and climate of India. The second lesson will touch on the Indian people and their culture through a PowerPoint presentation. The third lesson will cover the economy and the fourth lesson will attempt to explain the road to independence by Gandhi and the religious conflict that has plagued India ever since. The last four lessons of the unit is a Webquest which involves students using the internet to do an in depth analysis of the pressing problems facing India . The unit will culminate with student presentations of their webquest assignment.
Methods:
Within this unit, the class is involved in cooperative learning, group discussion, direct instruction using PowerPoint, and the culminating webquest activity.
Webquest Summary:
Goals/Objectives:
Students will use the internet to research the various problems facing India from different perspectives.
Students will learn to provide convincing arguments with the use of facts from their research.
Days:
4 Days (60-minute periods)
Content:
Students will explore several websites such as www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/index.html, www.mrdowlingcom/612india.html and www.askasia.org to learn more about India. Then each student will research in depth the roles that he or she will be assigned. This will require reading current news articles on the internet like www.abcnews.com and www.cnn.com.
Methods:
Students will explore the internet to gather material for their argument and produce a presentation to the class.
Unit Information:
Background Resources
Teacher Background Resources http://www.education-world.com http://www.harappa.com http://mrdowling.com
Webquest Teacher Resources http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/ http://www.taj-mahal.net/ News articles on ABC News, CNN & BBC on the net
Student Background Resources http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/in.html http://www.atlapedia.com http:///www.mrdowling.com/612india.html http://www.askasia.org Webquest Student Resources http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/index.html http://www.taj-mahal.net/ News articles on ABC News, CNN & BBC on the net
Unit Lesson Sequence
Day 1 Back to Top
Physical/Climate
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Attention Getter - Using a series of pictures typical of India like the Taj Mahal, the Bengal Tiger, Gandhi etc. Students will be introduced to the unit by trying to guess the country that they are going to study. This will be done by flashing typical images of India on transparencies. Taj Mahal Interactive Lecture Students will learn the physical characteristics, climate & the ecosystem of India and explain the impact the Himalayas, the Ganges River and the Indus River and the monsoon climate have on the Indian subcontinent and its people. Transparency Maps: Political, Physical, Climate, Ecosystem of India Kagan Cooperative Activity - Round Robin Mental Mapping Activity
Students will use map skills to locate India, surrounding countries, landforms, water bodies and the major cities. In groups of three or four, students will take turns to complete a freehand outline of the map of the Indian subcontinent and label. Mental Mapping Activity Handout
Day 2 Back to Top
People & Culture
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Interactive Lecture Students will study the impact of the past on the Indian people. India - People & Culture PowerPoint presentation Spiral Questioning pertaining to the pictures shown on the PowerPoint. Students will be introduced to the various religions practiced. Pair-Share Activity Students will appreciate the art and architecture of India. Students will compare their lives with two teenagers in India.
Day 3 Back to Top
Economy
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Attention Getter - Eight Rupees Story Students will read a story Eight Rupees - it is about how the struggle for economic survival in urban cities due to rural-urban migration. Handout - Eight Rupees Interactive lecture Students will learn how agriculture dominates India's economy. Students will also list the ways the government had made improvements in the standard of living. Textbook Interactive lecture Students will compare population statistics between the United States and South Asian countries using a spreadsheet and learn how to prepare a spreadsheet. They will be given an extra credit assignment if they can create a spreadsheet. Handout - Using A Spreadsheet
Day 4 Back to Top
Political
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Interactive Lecture Students will be introduced to Gandhi and the role he played in India's road to independence. Socratic method of Questioning Students will use a Venn Diagram to compare Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. This will be an effective way of relating to what they know. Transparency - Venn Diagram Students will be shown how religious conflict contributed to independence for Pakistan & Bangladesh. Transparency - Map showing location of Kashmir, Pakistan and India border and the Indus River. Students will be exposed to the lack of water resources as one of the causes of the conflict between Pakistan and India over Kashmir. Independent Work or Pair Activity Students will read a newspaper excerpt from Time Magazine and complete a graphic organizer. Handout on Excerpt from Time Magazine
Day 5 Back to Top
Webquest
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Interactive Lecture Students will be introduced to the webquest. Explain that the purpose of the webquest is three-fold: 1.To engage in higher-order thinking and problem-solving activities about India.
2.To use technology for research on your roles and presentations.
3.To learn to work cooperatively within the assigned groups, resolve differences in an amicable manner and come to a decision.
India - in the midst of change Webquest
Cooperative Activity Students will be divided into groups of threes and they will be assigned their individual roles. Independent work Students will research their roles, collect their data, write their argument.
Day 6 Back to Top
Webquest - Continued
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Independent work - about 30 mins Students will continue to work on their individual argument. Cooperative Activity - next 30 mins Students will get into their groups to present their individual arguments to the other group members and the group will have to decide which issue they are going to present.
Day 7 Back to Top
Webquest - Continued
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Cooperative Activity Students will work on finishing up their presentations which may be posters, PowerPoint presentations, slides etc.
Day 8 Back to Top
Webquest - Final Presentation
Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc) Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts
Materials
(Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)Class Activity All the students will pretend that they are members of the National Forum at New Delhi. The seating arrangement of the class should preferably be a semi-circle with the groups doing the presentation taking center-stage. To set the mood right, the Indian national anthem could be played in the background and have an Indian flag as a prop. Cooperative Activity Each group will take center-stage and convince the National Forum that their issue is the most pressing one and worthy of the U.S. aid. Class Activity The class will finally vote on which group did their best and therefore will receive the aid for the issue advocated.
Students WebQuest :
Students will have a better understanding of the importance of India in the world order. They will also be able to relate to present day politics by learning about the Kashmir conflict.
References
World Geography: Building a Global Perspective by Prentice Hall
World Explorer: Asia and the Pacific by Prentice Hall
Geography: The World and its People by Glencoe
Credits
This assignment would not have been possible without the help of Mr. Ian Call, the instructor for the course and Ms Prithi Daswani.
