US History Webquests
| The Quest for Knowledge | The Nature of a WebQuest |
| The Internet, unlike any other medium before it, is interactive and accessible to a great deal of people at once. It has the ability to provide endless amounts of information that can be used to motivate students to conduct investigations on any given topic. As an interactive tool for learning, teachers can use the Internet to stimulate creative thought and guide students to develop critical thinking in their "quest" for knowledge. But, how does a teacher tame the nature of the Internet to provide his/her students with a beneficial learning environment? |
One model approach for this dilemma is called a WebQuest developed in 1995 by Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University. Simply put, a WebQuest is an inquiry-based activity where students are given a task and provided with access to on-line resources to help them complete the task. It is an ideal way to deliver a lesson over the web. WebQuests are discovery learning tools; they are usually used to either begin or finish a unit of study. |
| Six (6) Reasons Teachers To Use WebQuests |
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1. To begin a unit as an anticipatory set; 2. To conclude a unit as a summation; 3. As a collaborative activity in which students create a product which fosters cooperative learning; 4. To teach students how to be independent thinkers since most of the problems encountered in a WebQuest are real-world problems; 5. To increase competency in the use of technology; 6. As a motivational techniques to keep students on task. |
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| Webquest |
Description |
Time Period(s) |
Skills Assessed |
Individual Pair Small Group |
End Product(s) |
| The US Constitution, An American Experiment Webquest - Parts 1, 2, 3
For more manageable student engagement, try the webquest broken into smaller webquests below. The U.S. Constitution, An American Experiment The U.S. Constitution, An American Experiment The U.S. Constitution, An American Experiment |
The U.S. Constitution, An American Experiment Webquest engages students through a journey from the event that caused the Constitutional Convention, to the convention, compromises, arguments, and ratification of the constitution, the Preamble, the Principles and constructs of the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The student workpacket is a comprehensive look at the document which is part of everyday life in the United States. Paragraph writing, critical thinking, are incorporated into this webquest. The end products are a long paragraph, three quiz assessments, and an |
U.S. |
Research, Document Analysis, Argumentative Writing Skills |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Multiple Choice Assessment, |
| Manifest Destiny (Westward Expansion) Webquest |
The Manifest Destiny Webquest engages students in exploring the causes and effects of US government policies. social and intellectual causes and effects, economic causes and effects of innovation and invention, and geographic causes and effects of Westward Expansion of the U.S. Topics include; inventions such as; Canals, Steamboats, Wagons, Railroads, and the Telegraph. Human migration across the continental U.S. with Homesteading, and the California Gold Rush with mining, the Six Flags Over Texas with the Texas Revolution, Mexican-American War, and Annexation, Social fabric of the U.S. with Famous American Indians, The Indian Wars, Sectionalism and Secession, and interpretation of the painting "American Progress". Students complete a question workpacket with document analysis, and a Free Response Question Essay. |
1763 - 1890
|
Document Analysis, Research, Critical Thinking |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket, |
| The Causes of the Civil War Webquest | The Causes of the Civil War Webquest engages students by examining the causes of the Civil War for topics; Slavery, States' Rights, Abolitionist Movement, Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Underground Railroad, The Missouri Compromise, Bleeding Kansas, The Raid on Harper's Ferry, Dred Scott Decision, The Election of Abraham Lincoln, and Southern Secession. The students will complete a question workpacket, multiple choice assessment, and a written summary of two causes of the civil war. |
1800 - 1861 |
Research, Document Analysis, Paragraph Writing, Critical Thinking, Assessment Skills |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket,Multiple Choice Assessment,
Paragraph(s) Summary Writing |
| The American Civil War InfoQuest |
The American Civil War Webquest engages students in turning points within the American Civil War. Topics include; Battle of Ft. Sumter, First Battle of Bull Run, |
1861-1865
|
Document Analysis, Research, |
Individual, Pair, Small Group |
Workpacket, |
| Reconstruction ERA (1865-1877) Webquest |
US History - Reconstruction Webquest has students explore the complexities of rebuilding the South; Politically, Economically, and Socially. The journey begins with the vocabulary of Reconstruction. Students will then invesitigate the polticis of reconstruction with explorations about Presidential Reconstruction (Lincoln & Johnson) and Congressional Reconstruction. The economics of Reconstruction explores the Freedman's Bureau, Scalawags & Carpetbaggers, Education, and Sharecropping. The social aspects of Reconstruction explores the harmful effects of Black Codes, Segregation, the KKK, and civil rights.
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1865-1877
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Document Analysis,
Research, |
Individual, Pair, Small Group |
Workpacket, Civic Literacy Essay |
The Progressive Era Webquest |
The Progressive Era Webquest engages students in exploring the causes and effects of industrialization on political, economic, social, and intellectual issues of the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will explore the muckrakers, suffragettes, and progressives in detail, and their efforts and outcomes for reforms. Students will complete a workpacket as well as a political cartoon analysis in paragraph format.
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late 19th and early 20th centuries
|
Document Analysis, Research, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket, |
| World Wars Webquest |
The World Wars Webquest engages students in exploring both World War I and World War II with their causes and effects. The students will answer the question as an argument in an essay format as was WWII a continuation of WWII? |
20th Century |
Document Analysis, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket. |
| The Cold War Webquest |
The Cold War Webquest engages students on a journey through the concepts, events, people, and conflicts from 1945-1991. Students will explore the vocabulary, Cold War Beginnings, Hot Conflicts of the Cold War, The Berlin Wall, The Space Race, Weapons & Technology of the Cold War, Spies of the Cold War, Détente. The End of the Cold War, and People of the Cold War.This webquest will explore Political Cartoons of the Cold war and students will complete a sourcing activity. An extension is provided for critical thinking. The webquest contains questions and Summary Activities for all DOK Levels. |
20th Century Cold War |
Document Analysis, Research, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Comparative Analysis Sourcing Analysis |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket,
Paragraph Summaries, |
| Supreme Court Case Studies Webquest (Sets 1, 2, 3) |
The Supreme Court Cases Webquest engages students on study of Legal Vocabulary, Foundations of the Supreme Court, and Landmark Cases which include; Marbury v. Madison (1803), Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857), Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Plessy v. Fergueson (1896), Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Miranda v. Arizona (1966), Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), Schenck v. United States (1919), Korematsu v. United States (1944), Engel v. Vitale (1962), Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), Roe v. Wade (1973), United States v. Nixon (1974), Bush v. Gore (2000), Hodges Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022), Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023). Students will explore Judicial Restraint verses Judicial Activism. The students complete interactive questions while exploring each case as well as a workpacket. The cumulative activity is a comparative essay for two cases as well as an evaluation argument for each case based on either Judicial Restraint or Judicial Activism. |
1803 - 2023 Supreme Court |
Research, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Comparative Analysis |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket.
Interactive Assessments, |
| Supreme Court Case Studies Webquest (Set 1) |
The Supreme Court Cases Webquest Set 1 — engages students on a study of Legal Vocabulary, Foundations of the Supreme Court, and Landmark Cases which include; Marbury v. Madison (1803), Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857), Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Plessy v. Fergueson (1896). A look at Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint, and finally a comparative analysis activity. | 1803 - 1896 Supreme Court |
Research, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Comparative Analysis |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket.
Interactive Assessments, |
| Supreme Court Case Studies Webquest (Set 2) |
The Supreme Court Cases Webquest Set 2 — engages students to explore Landmark Cases which include; Schenck v. United States (1919), Korematsu v. United States (1944), Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Engel v. Vitale (1962), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), and Miranda v. Arizona (1966). Finally a Comparative Analysis paragraph is the culminating activity. | 1919 - 1966 Supreme Court |
Research, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Comparative Analysis |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket.
Interactive Assessments, |
| Supreme Court Case Studies Webquest (Set 3) |
The Supreme Court Cases Webquest Set 3 — engages students to explore Landmark Cases which include; Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), Roe v. Wade (1973), United States v. Nixon (1974), Bush v. Gore (2000), Hodges Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022), and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023). Finally, a Comparative Analysis paragraph is the culminating activity. | 1969 - 2023 Supreme Court |
Research, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Comparative Analysis |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket.
Interactive Assessments, |
| US History - MLK Jr vs Malcolm X Mini-Webquest |
The journey’s of Martin Luther King Jr, and Malcolm X were polar opposites, yet they both became leaders in the Civil Rights movement in the United States. This mini-webquest will explore the similarities and differences between the two men. The final product will be a comparative analysis and a short response of which leader was more effective in their ideology/ methodology to achieve progress for Black Americans.
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Civil Rights |
Reading Comprehension |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Comparative Analysis |
| US History Review Webquest |
The US History Review Webquest engages students in review of major topics in US History. Vocabulary, Word Associations, Periodization, and Historical Content are reviewed via various interractive activities including online, and in a massive scavenger hunt. After those activities are completed, students will engage on completing a series of stimulus-based multiple choice questions, and can complete full 28 question former regents exams online.
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All |
Document Analysis, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket (Scavenger Hunt), |
