Ocean Animal

Quest

For third grade level

by

Cathy Williamson

 

Introduction

 

Task

 

Process

 

Evaluation

 

Conclusion

 

Notes

Introduction:

Gliding through the calm blue ocean water, you feel as though you are floating through air. It is so quiet and peaceful. All around you are colorful fish, sea plants and beautiful coral. It is your job as a deep-sea diver to know all about the ocean animals and share the information with your fellow divers. How will you do this?

 

Task:

You will be meeting with the other divers next week to tell them about a very interesting ocean animal that you have been studying. The animal that you have chosen to study must be told about in a one- page report, which you are going to create. You will get to present this fascinating report to your fellow divers! So, there is lots of work to be done! Just where should you begin?

 

 

Process:

Step 1

Step_2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 1:

Open a blank word document.

Step 2:

Choose an ocean animal to research for your report. For a list of ideas, click on the word "animal".

Step 3:

Enjoy yourself as you research the animal you have chosen. To begin researching, click on one of the web sites below.

Enchanted Learning (http://enchantedlearning.com)

 

Animal Planet (http://animal.discovery.com/)

The National Marine Mammal Laboratory's Education Site (http://nmml.afsc.noaa.gov/education/)


E-Nature.com (http://www.enature.com/)

Amazing Orcas (http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/3926/main.html)

 

Step 4:

Amaze your fellow divers by creating a one-page report about your animal. Click the word "report" to see exactly what should be in it.

Step 5:

Notify the other divers (your classmates) about all the information you have found about your animal by sharing your report with them.

 

 

Evaluation:

Did you complete your animal report?

 

Your report should have:
  • A picture of your animal
  • The name and description of your animal
  • Your animal’s habitat
  • The diet of your animal (what it eats)
  • Behavior of your animal (things that it does like glide, hunt, . .)
  • Correct spelling
  • Proper capitalization
  • Correct punctuation
  • Full sentence form

Rubric

 

Conclusion:

Now you have created an interesting ocean animal report! You and the other divers will know important facts about one more ocean animal that you just might see on your next dive. Great Job!!

 

 

Notes:

Before using this web quest, students should know how to create a new word document, work between several different documents by minimizing pages and be familiar with the form of an informational report.

I used this activity at the end of an ocean unit, so students were already familiar with many ocean animals. They shared their reports orally in small groups of 4 and were required to have a question and answer time. After that, I used an oral presentation rubric to grade their final presentation in front of the whole class.

The reports were also very effective in providing information and details needed for Cinquain poetry.

As a culminating activity, students used their pictures and information to create a cut out form of their animals. We hung the animals in an "aquarium" at the front of our classroom and invited parents to come in and visit. The animal reports were displayed on their desks and each was assigned a number, which we matched up to the same number on the front of each animal in our aquarium.

Illinois State Learning Standards met in this lesson are as follows:

Rubric

 

= 1 Point

Animal Picture

Animal Name and Description

Animal Habitat

Diet

Behaviors

Spelling

Capitalization

Punctuation

Full Sentence Form

 

Ocean Animal/Pictures

 

Guide for Cinquain poetry:

First line: title (noun/ocean animal)

Second line: description of title (2 adjectives)

Third line: action of title (3 verbs)

Fourth line: statement of feeling (4 words) Example: amazing animal, beautiful animal, fierce predator

Fifth line: repeated title or synonym for the title