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) |
| Webquest - The Constitutional Convention |
In Development
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Individual Pair Small Group |
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| US History - 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
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Document Analysis, Research, Critical Thinking, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket, |
| US History - 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 |
| US History - 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
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Document Analysis, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
Workpacket, |
| US History - The Progressive Era Webquest |
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Document Analysis, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
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| World Wars Webquest |
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Document Analysis, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
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| US History Review Webquest |
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Document Analysis, |
Individual Pair Small Group |
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