Virtual Space Lesson
Grade level: 6, 7, and/or 8
Project Objectives:
To learn more about the East Jefferson County watershed complex by engaging in a Wild Olympic Salmon created game where students search the county for the tracks of a mythical dragon. By searching for the tracks following the given clues, children get first hand experience at how waters flows over the
land.
Due to the actual difficulty of this lesson, parent involvement will be crucial and the activity will not be required but only supplemental. Once, or if, the 12 dragon tracks are found, pictured, written about and placed on the web page, then the virtual tour will be complete and the web site will become its own learning tool or lesson.
Equipment needed:
1. Access to the Internet.
2. Proximity to East Jefferson County for field trips or to ask parents if they'll take their children on the search.
3. Once, or if, tracks are found and pictured, a scanner and access to a word processor will be needed.
4. Access to email.
Student Activities:
Day 1:
In computer lab, go through evaluation lesson.
Day 2:
In computer lab, go through copyright lesson.
Day 3:
Visit the Virtual Search homepage and read about Noquiklos, look at the pictures and the Chimacum Creek watershed track. Read the thirteen clues with students and find out if anyone has been to any of the places mentioned.
Send a letter home explaining the activity to parents and asking for their assistance.
Day 4 to 6:
Start to get back letters and see if there are any parent volunteers.
Day 7, on and off, throughout rest of the school year (as pictures and stories come in):
As the pictures come in scan them for uploading to web page.
Project Assessment:
As students bring in their stories have them choose a peer editor to read through and edit their story. Once rewritten, students will turn it in to the teacher for proofreading. If necessary, student will make final changes and revisions while typing the story on the computer either in a word processing program or directly into the html document. As stories come in, they will be added to the website along with their pictures. Student may then decorate or add to her/his web page in any manner s/he sees fit as a reward.
The only portion of this activity that should be assessed are the student stories. Since this project is not required, stories will count as an extra credit portion of the watershed project.
Stories must include information about how the student found the track, where s/he went and how difficult it was to find. Stories must also include descriptions of the area where the track was found, including any streams, rivers, ponds or lakes and where or in which direction its water flows or water flows into it. Stories must be edited by a peer then proofread by the teacher before it can be typed for uploading to web site or emailing. A story that meets all the requirements listed here will receive the equivalent of points equalling to one half (1/2) a regular class assignment.
Project References:
The Virtual
Search
The Watershed Project
Watershed Reality
What is a Watershed?
Free Graphics Sites