Capstone I: Tsunami Webquest

Exhibit Description:
Chimacum Middle School has 227 students in grades 6 through 8. Chimacum Middle School’s Ethnicity is as follows American Indian/Alaskan Native 3.7%, Asian 1.6%, Black 1.2%, Hispanic 4.1%, White 89.3%. Students on Free or Reduced-Price Meals are at 33.9% and our Special Education population is at 11.4%. I teach three 6th grade Science classes of approximately 20 to 24 students in each class.

The WA Science standard for this project comes from the Grade Level Expectations (GLE’s) “Component 1.3 Changes: Understand how interactions within and among systems cause changes in matter and energy,” specifically, “Understand the processes that continually change the surface of the Earth.”

The NETS S Standards addressed by this project are
1. Basic operations and concepts
3. Technology productivity tools
4. Technology communications tools
5. Technology research tools

Sixth graders read the introduction and task of my webquest to get motivated to learn about the 2004 Asian Tsunami and the causes of earthquakes and tsunamis. Then students followed the steps in the process section of the webquest where they decided who would be the earthquake expert, the tsunami expert, and the 2004 Asian Tsunami expert. After deciding who would do what students used the resources that I chose and linked to the resources section of my webquest to conduct their research. Students used graphic organizers that I created and linked to the process section to take their notes. Once their research had been completed students chose between writing a report, creating a PowerPoint or creating a website. All ten teams in my classroom chose to create websites so I taught them how to use Dreamweaver. Once their websites were completed and uploaded students used the evaluation section of the webquest to score their work. In the future I plan to have my students use their blogs to get feedback from students in other classrooms around the world.

Rationale for Technology:
For this project the text resources we have at school do not have the required information needed to learn about tsunamis. So I did some research on the Internet to find websites that students in 6th grade could read and enjoy while learning about tsunamis and earthquakes. I also used Dreamweaver to create the webquest, following a webquest template. The NY Times website feature covering the 2004 Tsunami doesn’t just tell the story like a newspaper article would it also has animations explaining the science behind the disaster. As a final product students chose to create their own websites to report on the disaster. Websites can be shared with anyone with an Internet connection through space and time. When I uploaded my students’ tsunami websites I had no way of tracking whether anyone viewed their work and we had no way of getting feedback aside from my email being available on the webquest main page. With the advent of Web 2.0 technologies students my small, rural community can share their work and communicate with students all over the world. By giving my students an authentic, real, global audience I have made a highly motivating experience even more motivating. Students get much more concerned about accuracy in what they write as well as grammar because they don’t want to look bad to other students around the world. Traditional, non-tech, methods of making posters or giving oral presentations or performing plays although producing the same kinds of learning do not provide the audience or collaboration with other students that this technology brings. The learning was enhanced for my students by structuring this project into a webquest. My knowledge of Dreamweaver allowed me to create the webquest and also allowed me to teach my students how to create their own websites so they could creatively share what they learned. Now that I have begun to use Web 2.0 technologies with my students this project will be even more motivating.

Student Learning:
My 6th graders were motivated to learn about earthquakes, especially when earthquakes that occur underwater could lead to tsunamis. Students learned how devastating a tsunami can be while also learning the Science behind the tsunami. In each group one student became an earthquake expert and one became a tsunami expert. In teams of three the third student became the expert on what happened in India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Students created fantastic websites that showed what they learned and reported on what happened in India, Indonesia and Thailand. Some teams even wanted to use websites that they found at home to conduct more research! I added their links to the resources section of my webquest because they were actually pretty good sites and I already knew students liked them because they recommended them. This webquest went very smoothly and the products created by the students were very well done. Students used rubrics that I created via RubiStar to score how well they conducted their research, how well they worked together, and how well they created their final product. Included in the research rubric are categories whereby students also scored their content knowledge acquisition as well. This webquest shows a deep knowledge of technology use by students by the way that I structured it. This webquest then also shows my knowledge of technology. The webquest encourages creativity by students by allowing multiple ways for students to show what they learned including creating a PowerPoint or a website of their own (ISTE Standards for Students #'s 1 and 6). The webquest also has a structure in place for student teams of two, three and four. The documents in the webquest also help students with their research and the resources are excellent (ISTE Standard for Students #3).

National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers
Evidence of Standards

ISTE Standard IA
Teachers demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology (as described in the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students).

I used Dreamweaver MX to create the webquest following a standard webquest model. I added the pictures and linked the different sections to at the same time make it interesting to students while easy to navigate. I used Google to find the websites that students would use to conduct their research. I used Word to create the graphic organizers that students would use to take notes and linked the documents to the webquest. I used RubiStar to create rubrics that my students could use to evaluate how well they did throughout the project. I finally used my knowledge of Dreamweaver MX to show my students how to create their own websites to show and share what they learned.

Capstone I Exhibit
My Capstone I Website

2004 Tsunami Notes Organizer
A sheet to help organize notes on the 2004 Asian Tsunami for the Tsunami Webquest 2004 Capstone Exhibit I.

Tsunami Causes Notes Organizer
A sheet to help kids organize their Tsunami notes for the Tsunami Webquest 2004 Capstone Exhibit I.

Earthquake Notes Organizer
A sheet to help kids organize their notes on earthquakes and how they cause Tsunamis for the Tsunami Webquest 2004 Capstone Exhibit I.

ISTE Standard IB
Teachers demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.

To create this website I had to learn how to use Dreamweaver MX. I learned how to use it enough to be able to create my website as well as to show students how to use it so they could create their own websites. Presently I have added knowledge of Web 2.0 technologies to have future students use blogs to get feedback on their websites from students in other classrooms around the world. I learned about ClassBlogmeister and WordPress through the mailing lists and social networks that I belong to such as Ning2.0, WWWedu, and ClassBlogMeister.

EducatorAl.com
My portal page. I created this page and all my pages with Dreamweaver MX. I taught myself how to use Dreamweaver through trial and error. I also created the Flash animation using Flash MX. I also taught myself how to use Flash through trial and error and using the help section.

Classroom Blog
This blog is for my students and me to communicate with teachers and students all over the world. This is the blog we use to share our tsunami websites.

My Main Parent Communication Blog
This is the blog that is the portal to my website. I use this one to communicate with parents on a regular basis. Clicking on Homework will provide parents a daily summary of what each class did.

Professional Development Social Network
Here is a social network that I belong to as part of my professional development.

WWWEdu
Here is a mailing list that I belong to as part of my ongoing professional development. We discuss the WWW as it applies to education and students.

ClassblogMeister
Here is a mailing list that I belong to as part of my ongoing professional development. In this list we brainstorm ways to use blogging with our students and we form blog pals with kids around the world.

ISTE Standard IIA
Teachers design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.

For this project I created a good hook for students especially in light of recent events like Katrina. I added pictures of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, before and after the tsunami to show students how complete the destruction was after that tsunami hit. The main resource site I used for the webquest is the NY Times feature on the 2004 Asian Tsunami. That NY Times website is striking, animated, and informative, which helps students who were too young to even remember the 2004 Tsunami see what happened quickly and easily. I laid out the webquest process so that students can work in teams of two, three or four. In each case students work together while being responsible for their own specific areas. I created graphic organizers to help students organize their information and thoughts. Giving students structure and the tools to organize makes it so that all students are capable of getting help and support from each other while also being able to focus on their area of expertise. So students with learning disabilities can contribute to their team and highly capable students can research their area as deeply as they desire. In my class all my students did very well on this project and they were all engaged throughout.

Capstone I Exhibit
My Capstone I Website

ISTE Standard IIB
Teachers apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.

In 1999 I took part in a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation teacher training grant called the Teacher Leadership Project (TLP). TLP teachers were given seven classroom computers other equipment with the recommendation of reducing the ratio of computers to students to 3:1 or 2:1. Teachers were also trained on how to best use the equipment as tools in their classrooms. Since then two other teachers in my building have become TLP teachers. As part of my Masters I conducted an action research study to see how students were affected by the different ratios. In the research study I had teams of four students to one computer, three to one and two to one. Students were given pre and post perception surveys. Students working in teams of two or three with one computer noted similar successes and generally liked working together. Students in teams of four were the least successful and liked their situations the least across the board. Due to that action research study I concluded that having enough computers so that students can work in teams of three or two makes for the best learning environment. Through various grants I have acquired 11 classroom computers and three laptops. That allows me to keep student teams down to three and two.

Techlearning - Does One-to-One Work?
An article showing the preferred student to computer ratios. Quote: "The study found that students in the classrooms with a two-to-one student-to-computer ratio outperformed all other groups. The one-to-one and four-to-one ratio groups also improved. The control groups had the lowest scores."

Teacher Leadership Project
This website provides information about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Teacher Leadership Project or TLP.

Lake Forest School District Student to Computer Ra
This school district shows how they are trying to get an average student to computer ratio of 3:1 in their schools.

Boston Indicators Project 2004
This section of the Boston Indicators Project shows how reducing student to computer ratio is better. They also had an average of 3:1, which I found to work well.

ISTE Standard IIC
Teachers identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.

All the websites in the resource section of my webquest were chosen by me. I used Google to search and choose websites that explained the different topics in such a way that 6th graders could read, understand, and sometimes even enjoy. When students found other websites I still had to approve it before I linked it to the resources section of the webquest.
I started using an “Evaluate It” method of evaluating the websites I find for students and to teach students how to evaluate them for themselves. Now I use the American Library Association (ALA) Selection Criteria website.

Selection Criteria
ALA website for how to select websites.

Website Evaluation
Website that I created for evaluating sites you find through searching.

ISTE Standard IID
Teachers plan for the management of technology resources within the context of learning activities.

My 11 classroom computers surround my room. They are located against the walls providing enough room for two to three students to sit around each computer for easy access. I have attached an old drawing of my room layout because it is still laid out in the same way. The reason for having 11 computers located around the outside of the room is to enable all my students to use a computer whenever needed. I can have 30 students engaged in computer research or creating computer-generated products all at the same time.
Teams of two to three students have access to one computer. Students are to rotate who will be responsible for using the keyboard and the mouse. The person who has control of the keyboard and mouse agrees to follow the directions of the other person or people in his or her team. This reduces arguments within teams and creates smoother, on-task behavior. With 11 computers in the room I can have all my students working on the same project at the same time. With students working in small groups I can monitor their work and help troubleshoot any problems that arise. Once I teach one team how to solve a problem I ask them to solve that same problem for other teams. This helps my students help themselves. If the network is down and we cannot access the Internet we would then use the textbooks as our resources. If the Internet is down students can still use their computers with the textbooks to create PowerPoints, Word documents, or websites.

Gonzalez Room Layout
A graphic of my classroom layout.

ISTE Standard IIE
Teachers plan strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment.

I scaffold the webquest lesson to help keep students organized. Students can spend a lot of time researching and never get to create a final product. On the other hand, students can also spend a lot of time working on their final products, adding and changing colors, adding and changing pictures, instead of typing and editing content. In order to keep students from obsessing over the aesthetics of their final product I don’t let them work on that part until they are first done with research and typing and editing their content.
First, students are given ample time to conduct their research. By providing the handouts where students need to take notes from the website resources I encourage my students to stay away from copying and pasting, which often leads to plagiarism, and I also give students time to read, discuss, ask questions, and learn. When most teams are done I make a deadline to allow those who need more time to have more time while moving those along who can easily spend too much time researching.
As students begin to work on their final products they to start by typing their content and are only allowed to type from their own notes. Once they are done typing and editing, by checking in with me, they can begin to work on aesthetics, adding pictures and changing colors.

Tsunami Causes Notes Organizer
A sheet to help kids organize their Tsunami notes for the Tsunami Webquest 2004 Capstone Exhibit I.

2004 Tsunami Notes Organizer
A sheet to help organize notes on the 2004 Asian Tsunami for the Tsunami Webquest 2004 Capstone Exhibit I.

Earthquake Notes Organizer
A sheet to help kids organize their notes on earthquakes and how they cause Tsunamis for the Tsunami Webquest 2004 Capstone Exhibit I.

ISTE Standard IIIA
Teachers facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards.

Here are the State Standards addressed in this WebQuest:
WA state Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALR’s) Grade Level Expectations (GLE’s):
EALR 1
GLE 1.3.4 – Processes and Interactions in the Earth System
Grades 6, 7, 8 –
Understand the processes that continually change the surface of the Earth.
• Describe how convection currents beneath Earth’s crust cause volcanoes and earthquakes.
By creating their own websites as a final product for this WebQuest I addressed the NETS-S standard 1 on Basic Operations and Concepts knowledge for my students. I teach my students that in order to use a picture off a website they visited that we had to email the author and ask for permission. All the pictures published on student websites are used with permission of the author. This addresses NETS-S standard 2 Social, Ethical, and Human Issues by, “practicing responsible use of technology.” By creating websites students enhanced their learning and creativity addressing standard 3 as well, Technology Productivity Tools. Publishing the websites addresses standard 4 Technology Communication Tools, and the research they conducted addresses standard 5, Technology Research Tools.

Student Work
Here are my students' tsunami webquest websites.

ISTE Standard IIIB
Teachers use technology to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse needs of students.

In this webquest students could work in teams of two or three. Students had the choice of specializing in earthquakes, tsunamis, or learning the details of the 2004 Tsunami. Students also got to choose whether they wanted to create a PowerPoint slide show, a written report, or a website. Students had choices throughout this entire project. Students were in charge of their own learning and the websites provided were excellent resources to help all learners make sense of the content.
The class that created the student websites did a good job of dividing the labor in their groups. Those students who were low ability in reading were able to learn from those in their team who wanted to do all the reading. The students helped each other take notes and the artists in the groups were able to create artwork to be used in the websites. Some of the students who were not able to read well took the lead in creating the website because of their ease with technology.

Student Work
Here are my students' tsunami webquest websites.

ISTE Standard IIID
Teachers manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.

With 11 classroom computers and students in teams of two and three I have all my students working on computer-based projects at the same time. My computers are all along the outer edge of my classroom so two to three students can easily sit around one computer with enough room to see the screen, give input and not bother neighboring groups. As students work on this project different teams had different time needs and I accommodated those needs by allowing teams who were ready to move ahead. When it came to the final product, the websites, even teams who started working on them early needed a lot time to complete their website. What I have found is that teams could work on final products such as websites and PowerPoints for as long as I give them. So I cut them off and provide a deadline when all the teams are either complete enough or mostly complete.

Student Work
Here are my students' tsunami webquest websites.

Picture of Students Using a Computer
Here is a team of students gathered around their computer.

Students Working
More students working at their computer.

Even More Students Working
Even more students working at their computer.

ISTE Standard IVC
Teachers apply multiple methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use of technology resources for learning, communication, and productivity.

I have my progress reports online to share with parents how their students are doing in my class. I’ve enclosed a link to this year’s online progress reports. Choose period 1, student Gonzalez, password gonz06 as a sample of what parents see when they access this report. A student’s grade for any assignment that incorporates tech includes content and the use of tech as well. I use the rubrics in the evaluation section of the webquest to assess how complete students’ work is and how well they did on their final products. Completing a final product shows that students have mastered the technology. Students evaluate their own work then I evaluate and we see where we agree and where we disagree. I also follow up by having students reflect on our class blog. I moderate the blog so nothing gets posted or approved unless it meets the expectations. Finally, I monitor students working in class to ensure that all students in a team are learning how to use the technology to complete their part of the project.

Online Progress Reports
Here are my online progress reports for all students so that parents can access their grades and progress on assignments and projects.

Website Evaluation
Website that I created for evaluating sites you find through searching.

Classroom Blog
This blog is for my students and me to communicate with teachers and students all over the world. This is the blog we use to share our tsunami websites.

ISTE Standard VA
Teachers use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.

I belong to two mailing lists of teachers and experts in the fields of education technology. The ClassBlogMeister mailing list was started by author David Warlick and is composed of teachers all around the world who use blogging with their students. The WWWEdu list is comprised of tech leaders and speakers and teachers and we discuss all topics related to using the WWW in education. Finally, I also belong to the Ning2.0 social network community where teachers share how they are using Web 2.0 technologies with their students. It is in these social networks that I learn what teachers are doing to help students learn and to get students excited about learning with the use of different technologies. This is how I ensure that I am not teaching in isolation but part of a larger network of educators. In my building I am the farthest along on tech integration so I need to seek help elsewhere.

Professional Development Social Network
Here is a social network that I belong to as part of my professional development.

WWWEdu
Here is a mailing list that I belong to as part of my ongoing professional development. We discuss the WWW as it applies to education and students.

ClassblogMeister
Here is a mailing list that I belong to as part of my ongoing professional development. In this list we brainstorm ways to use blogging with our students and we form blog pals with kids around the world.

ISTE Standard VC
Teachers apply technology to increase productivity.

I have used a few grading systems from paper and pencil to Grade Machine to Easy Grade Pro. In my opinion Easy Grade Pro is the best program to help me do my job and keep kids and parents informed about missing assignments. With Easy Grade Pro I can keep track of students, assignments, attendance, seating charts, and student information. I can leave individual notes for each student and for individual assignments and when I upload my gradebook to the Internet parents can see the notes along with assignment, grades, and attendance data.
I keep track of daily activities and homework on my class website, which helps students who miss school and helps parents keep track of what their children are doing in Science. I also keep copies of handouts that I create linked on a webpage that I make accessible to parents and students. That keeps all my work in one location that I can refer to myself when needing to recreate a document.

Grade Book
Here is a screen shot of the grading program I use with all my classes.

Homework and Daily Activities
A section of my website where I write what we do everyday in each class. I also post homework, handouts and deadlines.

Documents
Links to all documents that I create or can link for parents and students.

ISTE Standard VD
Teachers use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning.

My main website blog is how I communicate with parents. By communicating with parents I help them keep their children on track. Through the use of my parent communication blog I post when new units are starting and I provide links to homework, deadlines, and documents. I also use a class blog to have students share what they’ve learned with students from all over the world. My students reflect of what they’ve done and students from partner classes leave them comments. Students are encouraged to share what they are learning and doing with students from all over the world, which motivates them to write better than if it was on paper for my eyes only.
I have also helped other teachers via my blog. One example is when I placed a hyperlink in the body of my blog article. A teacher asked me how I did that by leaving a comment on one of my blogs and I was able to teach her by leaving a comment on her blog.

My Main Parent Communication Blog
This is the blog that is the portal to my website. I use this one to communicate with parents on a regular basis. Clicking on Homework will provide parents a daily summary of what each class did.

Classroom Blog
This blog is for my students and me to communicate with teachers and students all over the world. This is the blog we use to share our tsunami websites.

ISTE Standard VIA
Teachers model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.

I put together a website to teach students about fair use and copyright so they are aware of what they can and cannot do with the websites we use for research. I also put our school district's acceptable use policy form on my website. Each year students and parents and teachers are required to go over the agreement and sign it. I have students jigsaw the different sections so they can teach each other. It makes a tedious activity more exciting. Students role play so they remember proper ways to use technology. When students make their websites I use online citation tools such as Son of Citation Machine. Throughout the year I monitor my students use of the technology and remind them as necessary of what we learned with regards to copyright and fair use. I also model appropriate use on my own website and I share that with all my students. Whenever we use avatars or other such graphics sites I point out to students why it is legal to do so.

Copyright and Fair Use
This is a website I created to use with my students to teach them about Copyright and Fair Use.

Chimacum's Informed Consent Agreement
I made our school district's Informed Consent Agreement, which all parents, students, and teachers have to go over and sign every year, into a webpage on my website to help review it every year.

Son of Citation Machine
After NoodleTools was no longer free I started using this tool for helping students create bibliographies for their websites. We have always used similar tools to this one.

ISTE Standard VIB
Teachers apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.

I have 10 iMacs in my classroom along with two Mac PowerBooks (one that I mainly use and the other for presentations). I also have a PC desktop and a PC laptop for students who are more comfortable working in that environment. Our Special Education department purchased a program that reads to students, the Wynn Reader, for every classroom in our school so that any child who needs to can have websites read to them. We can also scan books into the program to have them read to students. The Wynn program is installed on my PC desktop computer. In this webquest students were allowed freedom of choice as to what topic to study and as to what final product to create or produce. Students could choose from studying earthquakes, tsunamis, and the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Students also had the choice of creating a PowerPoint presentation, a website, or a written report.

Wynn
The Wynn software package is used to help struggling readers by highlighting text and reading it to students. It can read anything including textbooks, which can be scanned into the program.

Student Work
Here are my students' tsunami webquest websites.

ISTE Standard VID
Teachers promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.

When using our classroom computers students in my class login to their class accounts. In this way a particular classroom's work is safe from other classrooms. Students, parents, and teachers all sign an Informed Consent Agreement for the use of technology and teachers review the guidelines set forth in that document. We show students how files and folders of student work are treated as their property much like their backpacks and notebooks and binders. Students are not allowed to go through each other’s belongings and students are not allowed to take each other’s work. In the same way we do not allow students to read, delete, or in any alter another student’s work. Students can share resources freely though because we also foster collaboration. Since creating different accounts for each of my classes I have had no instances of student work going missing or being accidentally deleted. At the beginning of the year while reviewing the district guidelines for student tech use I also remind my students of our district filter. I explain that certain sites have been blocked for their safety. Our network also has a shared file server but since I have my own computers and never use the computer lab we do not use the file server. The computer tables are set to a height that is comfortable for middle school students. When two or three students share one computer the student in the middle takes charge of the keyboard and the mouse. Sometimes one student types and the other controls the mouse. There is ample room for comfort and ease of use. The new iMacs also have a flat screen that allows all two or three students to view the screen without hurting their eyes.

Picture of Students Using a Computer
Here is a team of students gathered around their computer.

Students Working
More students working at their computer.

Even More Students Working
Even more students working at their computer.

Chimacum's Informed Consent Agreement
I made our school district's Informed Consent Agreement, which all parents, students, and teachers have to go over and sign every year, into a webpage on my website to help review it every year.

ISTE Standard VIE
Teachers facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.

I have acquired 11 classroom computers and three laptops through various grants allowing all my students access to the technology in teams of two or three. Where needed special needs students can use a laptop or my 11th computer to work individually. The 11th computer has the Wynn reader installed so that students can have website resources read to them. In my school I am the technology coordinator for the building as well as the technician. I have been problem solving teach problems for teachers and students for 11 years now. I also started a Student Tech Corps and ran it for two years until we ran out of money to fund it. The Student Tech Corps was a program to train students to be the tech support for our school. When doing a project that incorporates tech I can solve most of the problems that occur on my own. I am also well versed in all the software that I use with my students. I have attended two training on using the Wynn reader and was hired as the Wynn support person for the district.

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