|
Don't Be Brutal
With Your Doodle!
A WebQuest for 8th
Grade (Anti-Vandalism)
Designed by
Elise Bieksha,
Elaine Frederick, Carolyn Keck, and Andrea Wallace
pts_tech@yahoo.com
Introduction
| Task | Process | Evaluation
| Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Page
Introduction
- In 1998 we presented a group of sixth grade
middle schoolers with a real problem in Piscataway, New Jersey. The problem was
presented to the school district by the township director of recreation, Mr. Donovan, in
the form of a letter. The problem was VANDALISM. He wanted Piscataway schools
to take action in helping the township with vandalism. He had some ideas for what
kids might do, however, the sixth
 grade teachers
knew that the students might brainstorm additional ideas after
researching using the tool
of the Internet.
And so. . . they searched, they found (most
of the time), they used the information, and they were introduced to a process called
PROBLEM SOLVING (which includes... FACT FINDING, Subproblems, IDEA FINDING, Criteria for
judging ideas. . .)
A group of students from each school was
selected and presented their "best" ideas (based on criteria) representing each
of our middle schools
What were those final ideas? What
actions were taken in seventh grade?
The Task
It is your job to document and elaborate on your middle
school vandalism project. You will form a web publishing team.
Your publishing team will consist of a historian,
a photojournalist, a statistician
and an editor.
- Your team will need to research and present the past two
years, research and present the present status, and gather information for future
speculation.
- Your web site will be linked to your school's site and those
sections judged as excellent (see evaluation rubric) will be featured on the district web
site.
- You will need to use a web editing tool, spreadsheet, word
processor, and digital camera. You will be learning about and reviewing the use of
these tools in this creative arts cycle in technology.
The Process
To accomplish the task, you will need to practice the use of a
web editor and other technology proficiencies introduced during your technology creative
arts cycle. Your technology proficiency/resource teacher will be available to your
publishing team as a technical and content guide. But your team must do the
following to complete the task:
First you'll be assigned to a team of (4) four students.
Your team should discuss each member's strengths before they
determine which role they will play. Please understand that the role you play will
be your primary job but you will be working as a collaborative team and will have
publishing team meetings to use your critical and creative talents on the entire project.
ROLE- "HONEST" HISTORIAN:
As the publishing team historian your job is to research the history of this
project. How did it come about? Who was involved? What happened during
its first and second year? What graphic history can you find and share with your
audience to help them further understand the history of this project. You need to be
a detail person who likes to hunt information down and can organize this information in a
complete presentation.
Neighborhood
Preventing Vandalism
What is
Vandalism?
Definition of Vandalism
As the publishing team photojournalist your job
is to document through graphic representations this project and other aspects of
vandalism. You may use the digital camera, and images from the web or other
sources. You may also scan images. You need to be a person who can select an
image that best demonstrates your message. You need to write captions for your
photos and document the source. You need to work with the other members of your team to
complement their work with graphics.
Search
Engine for Visuals
Search
Engine (Graphics Search)
Vandalism Numbers
– By County
Cost of Vandalism in NJ Schools
ROLE-
"ANCHOR" EDITOR: As the publishing team editor your job will involve
insuring the documentation and reliability of your team's research, proofing all work,
coordinating your team's efforts, reporting your team's progress to your teacher, and
writing an editorial for your web site. Your editorial should address vandalism,
vandalism in Piscataway, the impact of this project on vandalism in your school, in
Piscataway and future steps that are needed to reduce vandalism. Your editorial must
include quotes from your school and township communities. Your editorial must be
submitted to your teacher in hard copy using Microsoft Word. Your teacher is the
editor-in-chief and may need to meet with you on revisions to your editorial.
Documenting Web Sources
Why
we shouldn’t allow Vandalism in our School
Ways to
prevent Vandalism
Vandalism – How
it affects students and increases school expenses
Once you've picked a role, please read the
role description carefully. It is important you clarify your role through
questioning your team and/or your teacher.
Now that you have a role, you will need to
begin to look at resources available to you. These are listed with the roles of this
WebQuest and may also be introduced by your teacher. Many of your resources will be
your sixth grade teachers, principal, and fellow middle school students. You will
also have e-mail access to Mr. Donovan, Director of Recreation in Piscataway Township. You
will have access to archived graphic files available from your teacher thanks to the staff
of PSTV (Piscataway School Television Studio).
You will need to review the background
information resources to get ideas about what form and content your page of the web site
will take.
Background
Resources for Student Web Publishing Team
Neighborhood
Preventing Vandalism
Environmental Vandalism
Vandalism in News
What is
Vandalism?; Stop Vandalism
Definition of Vandalism
Why
we shouldn't allow Vandalism in our School
Ways to
prevent Vandalism
Vandalism – How
it affects students and increases school expenses
Vandalism Numbers
– By County
Cost
of Vandalism in NJ Schools
- Use the following questions to evaluate, guide and modify the
design and content of your page and site:
What information is being presented to our
audience?
Is the information clear and concise?
Can the information be made clearer with the
use of graphics?
Have you used too many graphics?
Have you proof read your presentation for
accuracy?
Use this link as a QUICK checklist for evaluating your web site.
Evaluation
Your grade for this project will be for the
group web published site. Your individual grade will be determined by the evaluation
of the specific part of the web page that was described in your role. These are
highlighted in the rubric.
Range of Scores for
Grades:
A= 11-12
B= 8-10
C= 5-7
D= 2-4
F= 0-1
|
Beginning 1 |
Developing 2 |
Accomplished 3 |
Exemplary 4 |
Score |
Writing Process
|
Information is missing. Spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation are
misused throughout the presentation. |
Text information is short. Grammar and/or punctuation are
frequently incorrect. |
Uses an acceptable amount of text with a minimal amount of errors
(1-2) in grammar, spelling or punctuation. |
The information used is accurate, well written, and complete with
proper grammar and punctuation. |
|
Content
|
Uses unsupported data, or
details. |
Content lacks substantial amount of data, quotes, and/or details
|
Uses an appropriate amount of data, quotes, and/or details. |
Information used is accurate, well researched, and includes data,
quotes, and details. |
|
Layout and Design
|
Layout has no structure or organization or is missing a major
component. |
Layout
is somewhat disorganized and interferes with the viewer's ability to understand
content. |
Layout
is somewhat organized. Placement of text and images is acceptable. |
Layout is well organized
in an attractive, easy-to-follow format. |
|
Conclusion
Your are now published. There are
thousands of viewers that will now know what Piscataway
Middle School Students have accomplished
technically and for your school and township community
service. You have learned to work as a collaborative team, producing a cyber product that communicates valuable information to others about vandalism
and what you have learned about it and what action can be
taken.
What actions as a high school student can you
take to continue this anti vandalism effort?
How much does peer pressure play on your role
in vandalism?
Brainstorm and discuss these and other issues
with your group.
Extra Credit Extension: Create another
web page on your site about these issues.
Credits & References
Thanks to the Stoppa Vandalism site for its
photographs. Thanks to Carol James, Ramapo College,
for her guidance in creating this WebQuest. Thanks to the pioneer technology
proficiency/resource teachers for piloting this WebQuest.
Thanks to the middle school eighth grade class of 2001 for
their work on the difficult problem of vandalism.
Thanks to the pioneering teachers for other WebQuests.
Last updated on 12/30/08 . Based on a template from The WebQuest Page
|
