Social+Studies


 * Subject: Social Studies**




 * ** Technology: **
 * Internet: WebQuest exploration. Students will first view examples available from The WebQuest Page at ([])


 * ** Curriculum Standard: **
 * 6th Grade: History: Compare the geographic, political, economic and social characteristics of the river civilizations in the Tigris and Euphrates (Mesopotamia), Nile (Egypt), Huang Ho and Indus Valleys before 1000 B.C. including:
 * A. Location;
 * B. Government;
 * C. Religion;
 * D. Agriculture;
 * E. Cultural and scientific contributions.
 * **Description:**
 * Students will first view examples of WebQuests from The WebQuest Page as a brief orientation to the assignment. The students will then form groups and assume the roles of archeologists, research scientists, and history teachers as they embark on a teacher-created Webquest activity to explore the ancient river civilizations and produce a comparison results journal.


 * ** Supporting Research: **
 * A research article, available from EBSCO in PDF format, uses both practical knowledge (author’s studies) and past studies to provide evidence of how“the WebQuest presents students with a motivational task that is usually realistic in nature...and provides students with a challenging and useful undertaking.”
 * APA citation: Lipscomb, G. (2003). I guess it was pretty fun: Using Webquests in the middle school classroom. //Clearing House, 76// (3), 152-155.


 * ** Tried & True or New & Innovative: **
 * **NI**: This activity is new and innovative because many “Digital Natives” are just now learning how to create and use WebQuests in the classroom. This activity is challenging and engaging for middle school students in that they can assume character roles, seek primary and secondary sources of information from the Internet, engage in real world problem solving, develop theories, draw conclusions, and acquire content knowledge. Teachers need to learn how to design WebQuests so that they can utilize this learning tool effectively in the classroom.

(image from http://questgarden.com/62/12/8/080310082759/process.htm)

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