Goal: for students to get a real feel and understanding of life on the Oregon Trail. We will accomplish this by reading several articles and diaries of personal accounts. We will also be visiting the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City. I am hoping that the students will be able to visualize how life was really like and be able to see the not so obvious changes between then and now.
Prior Knowledge: before starting the quest students will need to be able to know how to take detailed notes of what they read. Be able to create a mind map using the notes they have taken and what they read. They will need to know how to use the dictionary to look up unfamiliar words they come across while reading. And how to efficiently use a word processor and make footnotes.
Computer Time: Students will need about 2-3 hours of computer time each week, for about one month. The students will need time to complete the webquest, and to type up their diaries.
Grading Criteria:
*Notes/Mind Maps- ideas are clear, concise, and well organized so it shows that students put effort and time. Main ideas from the reading are there and show effort of work.
*Diary/Journal- understanding of life on the trail through detailed accounts of what the child when through. This will include main events that happened to the pioneers. Footnotes are included so we can see that the student is looking back and analyzing the text they read. Each diary will be different, but some of the major events should show up throughout each students diary. The footnotes will also tell the reader and the writer why he/she chose to use a particular event. The diary must be word processed (easy to add footnotes). Must have correct spelling, and grammar.
*Here is a writing rubric for help with grading*
http://www.teach-nology.com/cgi-bin/writing.cgi
