Background information:
The Utopia Planet WebQuest is designed for approximately grades 10-12 according to Vietnamese curriculum standards. As for the curriculum area, the WebQuest connects with a wide range of curricula: Science, Language Arts and Social Studies.
This WebQuest is used for the students to undertake research on the solar systems and to analyze the planetary habitability. By joining the WebQuest, the students will have a chance to work cooperatively to complete the mission: discovering a habitable planet. The students will work in teams of four and assign roles for each member to aid in the group's progress. They will have to use their critical thinking, analytical abilities as well as cooperative learning to evaluate the habitable potential of other planets in the universe. Furthermore, they must access the Internet to explore information from the provided resources and find the necessary information for their work and presentation.
In terms of time frame, the WebQuest task will last for one week. In one week, the students will have to collect information, debate with each other and do analysis of the data. They must prepare their work in paper or in Word document and send it to the teacher before their presentation in class. Besides, they also must prepare a PowerPoint presentation to report to the class.
Goals and objectives:
By the end of their accomplishment of the WebQuest, the students will be able to:
- Learn about the solar system and planets.
- Expand their knowledge about the definition of "planetary habitability" and assess the potential of habitable planets besides Earth.
- Develop their critical thinking, analytical abilities and collaborative work.
- Improve their writing report skills, groupwork skills and presentation skills.
Resources:
Teachers can find a detailed list of resources which is provided to help conduct the WebQuest activity.
Evaluation rubric (printable)
Using a WebQuest in your classroom