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WebQuest
Teacher Page
Owl Moon
by Jane Yolen
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Introduction
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WebQuest features Jane Yolen's Caldecott honor book (1988),
Owl
Moon.
Trade books offer teachers and parents many opportunities to
improve reading comprehension skills. Yolen's
references to parenting and the sensory images used allow
for additional educational experiences.
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The
primary purpose of using quality children's literature in
the classroom is to instill a love of reading. As with
any book, Owl Moon should be first read for pleasure
before embarking on activities based on the book.
Students should be allowed opportunities to ask questions,
make comments, and simply enjoy this delightful story.
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| The Tasks
provided for students in this WebQuest facilitate reading
comprehension skills. Students will be asked to
interpret passages from the story, to describe the
characters, and the problems and solutions of the story.
Students will be performing tasks that help them link their
real lives with Olivia's. Family interactions in the
story will be discussed. Also, discussion of art and
music illusions in the book will be encouraged.
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Content
areas |
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multidisciplinary WebQuest includes the following content
areas: reading, science, and social studies. It
is directed toward early elementary. First and
possibly second grade students will require extra assistance
performing the tasks in this WebQuest.
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Objectives
(Kentucky Curriculum Standards):
Reading
RD-E-1.0.6
Explain the meaning of a passage taken from texts appropriate
for elementary school students.
RD-E-1.0.8
Describe characters, plot, setting, and problem/solution of a
passage.
RD-E-1.0.9
Explain a character’s actions based on a passage.
RD-E-1.0.10
Connect literature to students’ lives and real world issues.
Science
Social Studies
SS-E-2.3.1
Various human needs are met through interaction in and among
social groups (e.g., family, schools, teams, and clubs).
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Implementation
Overview
Students will work in
groups of 3 or 4 (dependent upon computer access and physical
classroom structure). Students will decide on their own how to
divide the various tasks required to complete the project,
although teachers may find it better to assign tasks based on
each child's needs to be successful. Students will need time to
collect data from web sites, respond to the data response
formats, and to prepare presentations for their classmates. This
unit can be extended by examining other topics of interest to
students using Owl Moon as a springboard.
Young students (grades 1,
2) will need extra support in doing this WebQuest.
Teachers will need to prepare students for following the format
of a WebQuest and for working together cooperatively. A nice
modeling technique might be to take one of the options on the student
page and do it together as a whole group activity.
Many of
the lessons include activity pages that need to be printed
out. I would recommend printing these out ahead of time, and
making enough copies for your students. You will find a list
of the pages in the student evaluation section.
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Special
Resources Needed: |
- Computers with Internet
access
- Multiple copies of Owl
Moon (preferred - one copy per group)
- Presentation Software
(PowerPoint, etc)
- On-Line Teacher Resources
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Entry
Level Skills and Knowledge
Students will
need to be able to read and write, however there are alternative
materials built into this WebQuest that allow for ability
levels. For very young students, an adult will need to be
assigned to each group to facilitate reading and writing.
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Evaluation
A RUBRIC
will be used to allow students to self-assess and for the
teacher assessment. Teachers may also want to use the Scoring
Guide specifically designed to evaluate student performance
in group work associated with doing a WebQuest. The final
product of this WebQuest is group presentation sharing
information found by each group on the selected topic.
Individual student scores will be based on participation in the
group project and on independent writing samples.
Student
Handouts for each Task:
Task 1:
Winter and Summer Chart
Task 2: Animal Pictures
Task 3: Season and Clothes
Pictures
Task 4: Five Senses Chart
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Conclusion
This unit is an
interdisciplinary (reading, art, music, social studies)
constructionist approach to learning. Students participate in
group work, experience navigating the web, learn to read
critically and synthesize information, create presentations, and
write to communicate. This WebQuest could easily be adjusted for
older students, and teachers can adapt the activities to
students' individual needs.
Credits
 Back
to Owl Moon WebQuest Homepage
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Author Information on Jane Yolen: