Introduction to Internet Scavenger Hunts & WebQuests 

From “Hotlist” to “Scavenger Hunt” to “WebQuest”

 

Use the Internet to create exciting, learner-centered lesson plans involving WebQuests, Scavenger Hunts, Hotlists, etc.

 

Hotlist:  A “hotlist” provides the names of some selected websites, possibly a “blurb” about the site, and the URL (address).  It is “hot” because if you have the list up on your computer, you can simply click on the URL and your browser will take you to the site.  Since the URL is also typed out, it still makes a useful handout!  For example:

 

Morris County Educational Technology Training Center (ETTC) The website for the ETTC contains workshop information, subject area website links, WebQuests, a lesson plan database, as well as a host of other resources.  http://www.mcvts.org/ettc .

 

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators is a categorized list of sites useful for enhancing curriculum and professional growth. It is updated often to include the best sites for teaching and learning. http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/index.html

 

Education World provides “safe search” of 500,000 web resources, curriculum articles, lesson plans, site reviews, professional development, etc.  Also has mailing lists. http://www.education-world.com

 

Enchanted Learning is a fabulous site for elementary teachers! It contains craft & holiday ideas, dinosaurs resources, nursery rhyme activities, animal activities, K-3 themes, kid pages, an online picture dictionary called "Little Explorers" and tons more!  http://www.enchantedlearning.com

 

Filamentality is a fill-in-the-blank tool that guides you through picking a topic, searching the Web, gathering good Internet links, and turning them into learning activities.   http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/

 

 

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Scavenger Hunts:  Developing a scavenger hunt is one method a teacher can use to teach academic concepts and teach navigation skills to students.  The teacher develops a series of questions or requests a series of items for the student to collect and the student uses a search engine or a list of provided websites to locate the information.

Developing a scavenger hunt is really no different from developing a general knowledge quiz for students.  A teacher may take the following steps:

  • Identify an idea/concept that he/she would like to reinforce or introduce.
  • Search for web sites that reinforce/introduce the concept.
  • Develop questions that may be answered at the site.
  • Save it to a web site or give students a paper handout.

Education World (curriculum article with a list of sources) http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr113.shtml

 

 

Samples:
Rainforest Scavenger Hunt

(taken from http://cecasun.utc.edu/~tpa/mcallister/scavenger/s99e414NewmanJsc.html with corrected URLs)

 

1. How many acres of the rainforest does the world lose every second of the day?

http://www.ran.org/info_center/about_rainforests.html

 (click on the rainforest tab)

2. Approximately how much rain does the rainforest receive on a yearly basis? What is the average temperature?

http://www.ran.org/info_center/about_rainforests.html

 

3. What is the average length of a Giant Tree Frog?

http://www.wildlife-australia.com/

 

4. How tall is the canopy layer of the rainforest?

http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/rainforest_layers.htm

 

5. How much does the Capibara, the world's largest rodent, weigh?

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/5798/capibara.html

 

OR have students search within one main site like: http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/rforest.htm to find all of the answers on their own, rather than giving them the exact location.

 

 

Animals of the World: An Internet Scavenger Hunt! (taken from http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson068.shtml with a few corrections)

 

ANIMAL

ZOO NAME/WEB SITE URL

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

white-faced saki

Pittsburgh Zoo
http://www.pittsburghzoo.com/wildlife_lookUpAnimal.asp

 

King penguin

Pittsburgh Zoo
http://www.pittsburghzoo.com/wildlife_lookUpAnimal.asp

 

Gila monster

Nashville Zoo
http://www.nashvillezoo.org/gila.htm

 

wallaroo

The Oakland Zoo
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/atoz.html

 

bison

The Oakland Zoo
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/atoz.html

 

black rhinoceros

Lincoln Park Zoo
http://www.lpzoo.com/

 

green tree python

Lincoln Park Zoo
http://www.lpzoo.com/

 

 

Poetry Scavenger Hunt http://www.swlauriersb.qc.ca/english/edservices/pedresources/webquest/poetry/poetryhunt.htm

 

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WebQuests:  A WebQuest is defined as an "inquiry oriented activity in which all or most of the resources are Internet-based". The format was designed by Dr. Bernie Dodge; creator of The WebQuest Page.  http://webquest.sdsu.edu/

The WebQuest Formula:

WebQuests,  promote high-level thinking, develop problem-solving skills, and provide an avenue for seamlessly integrating technology into the curriculum. And creating one is easier than you might think! Many sites are available to walk you through the process.

One of the most thorough is Bernie Dodge's WebQuest Page. According to Dodge, the six building blocks of a WebQuest are:

  • The Introduction orients students and captures their interest.
  • The Task describes the activity's end product.
  • The Process explains strategies students should use to complete the task.
  • The Resources are the Web sites students will use to complete the task.
  • The Evaluation measures the results of the activity.
  • The Conclusion sums up the activity and encourages students to reflect on its process and results.

You can use his “WebQuest Portal” to search for a WebQuest by subject area and grade level at http://webquest.org/ .  We also have some featured at http://www.mcvts.org/ettc/webquests.htm .

 

 

Resources:

 

Spartanburg School District 3:  Using Scavenger Hunts

http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/Scavenger.html

 

WebQuests Reading & Training Materials:

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/materials.htm

 

Building Blocks of a WebQuest:

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm

 

WebQuests for Learning:  Why WebQuests?  Introduction by Tom March

http://www.ozline.com/webquests/intro.html

 

Education World Article “Creating WebQuests:  It’s Easier Than You Think”

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech011.shtml

 

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators

http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/webquest/webquest.html