Lesson 6

Title:  Web Quest

Objective: 

Students will  goon a Web quest.  They will gather data and make a PowerPoint presentation to the class that shows their views on whether to continue funding for preservation of the Everglades National Parks. 

Materials:

• Computer with Internet access
• Everglades journal
• PowerPoint software

Activities:

• Have students pick a partner or group to work with.
• Introduce the task to the students :  They have been chosen to relay information  back to the Governor about whether to continue funding  for preserving The Everglades National Park.
• Students will type the URL of the following sites, then gather and record information in their Everglades Journals:
• Florida Everglades good source of information on the Everglades
• Area Parks- Everglades get information on camping, dining, attractions, and maps of the park
• National Park Service this rich site offers information on every national park in the USA
• Photo Net download colorful Everglades photos
• Totch Brown's Everglades learn about life in the Everglades
• National Wildlife Federation learn about animals and their Everglades habitat
• Eco Safari go on a virtual fieldtrip to the Everglades
• Compile the information form this lesson as well as from the past lessons to form an opinion about funding the Everglades National Park.
• Students will create a PowerPoint presentation to be viewed by their peers. 
  The PowerPoint presentation  should include:
  a title card
  cards with facts about the Everglades
  bibliography
  The answer to the Web quest question: Should funding be  continued for preserving the Everglades and other National Parks?
  
• Students will use clipart, font, style, alignment, word art, charts and graphs and images captured from the Internet to create their PowerPoint presentation.

Evaluation: 

Final PowerPoint presentation it should be evaluated for content and originality. using a PowerPoint Rubric.

Extension: Find a Key Pal and Ask an Environmental Question

• Have students collaborate with key pals around the nation to determine their feelings about conservation, the environment and saving the Everglades

• Locate a key pal at epals Classroom Exchange or Global Schoolhouse 

• Have students brainstorm and create a series of questions to ask their key pal
  How has population growth affected your local environment?
  What are problems that developers are experiencing?
  How are they solving these problems?
  Do you have any endangered animals or plants in your location?
  What are you doing to save them?
  Does your state or city have pollution? What kind?
  What are you doing to fight pollution?
  Do you reduce, reuse and recycle?
  What are you feelings about preserving the Everglades?

• After students have exchanged information, ask groups to compile answers and present to class

• The presentation can be in a multimedia format, simulation, skit, commercial, speech or other method chosen by students

Homework: 

Have students write a persuasive paragraph to explain their view on preserving The Florida Everglades.