Why are we
Celebrating?
A WebQuest for Kindergarten (Social Studies)
Designed by
Rebecca Gilroy
rgilroy@kent.edu
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Page
Introduction
The purpose of this assignment is to orientate the students with conducting online
research. The students are to research their assigned holiday and come up with five
facts. Students can use Google to start their research but please keep away from
Wikipedia.
The Task
The task assigned is to research a holiday and learn why it is significant. The student
can look up more information on who started the holiday, what started the holiday,
where it was started, when it was started, why is was started, and how it was started.
There are many more facts to be found and I challenge the students to find them. The
students can present their final information on either a typed word document or a
hand written piece of paper, as long as it is legible. The students will present their
information in class.
The Process
1. You were each assigned a holiday in class.
2. You should begin your research through Google but please stay away from
Wikipedia.
3. Answer the questions WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, and HOW.
4. Present your information on either a typed piece of paper or hand written.
5. Make sure you are prepared to talk about your research in class.
Here is a list of sources I found and can be used to complete the assignment.
New Years Day:
1. http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm
2. http://new-years-day.com/new-years-history.htm
3. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/new-year-day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1. http://www.holidays.net/mlk/
2. http://www.patriotism.org/mlk/
3. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/martin-luther-king-day
President’s Day
1. http://www.patriotism.org/presidents_day/
2. http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maggieoh/Pd/prindex.html
3. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/washington-birthday
Memorial Day
1. http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
2. http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history
3. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyseneca/memorial.htm
Independence Day
1. http://wilstar.com/holidays/july4.htm
2. http://www.history.com/topics/july-4th
3. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/independence-day
Labor Day
1. http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm
2. http://www.history.com/topics/labor-day
3. http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/question459.htm
Columbus Day
1. http://wilstar.com/holidays/columbus.htm
2. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/columbus-day
3. http://sunniebunniezz.com/holiday/columbus.htm
Veterans Day
1. http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-veterans-day
2. http://www.military.com/veterans-day/
3. http://www.history.army.mil/faq/vetsday/vetshist.htm
Thanksgiving Day
1. http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving
2. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/thanksgiving-day
3. http://www.rumela.com/events/events_november_thanksgiving.htm
Christmas Day
1. http://www.history.com/topics/christmas
2. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/modern/jb_modern_xmas_1.html
(navigate to the next page using the arrows at the end of the paragraphs)
3. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/christmas-day
Links for all Federal Holidays
1. http://www.usa.gov/citizens/holidays.shtml
2. http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/resources-et/celebrate/federal-holidays.html
Evaluation
Each student will be graded based on the completion of the assignment. The main
purpose is not to receive a grade but to introduce the students to conducting research
on the internet.
Conclusion
Students will have introduced themselves to the federal holidays and have completed
an online research assignment. I welcome students and families to use the links I have
provided above but to also look further. One additional question is what are you
family traditions for these holidays? Anything special or just the same as everyone?
Credits & References
Picture depicting all federal holidays:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://holidays.pppst.com/banner_us_federal_holidays.gif&im
grefurl=http://holidays.pppst.com/federalholidays.html&usg=__u8jE8paS9FD6N7RzhUBSofvOJ4I=&h=2
67&w=709&sz=60&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=TuQZ1D6b71pWM:&tbnh=72&tbnw=192&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfederal%2Bholidays%26um%3D1%26hl%3
Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D610%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=724&
vpy=146&dur=27&hovh=138&hovw=366&tx=177&ty=82&ei=NCCYTOuKJoWQnAejvtGNDw&oei=NCCYT
OuKJoWQnAejvtGNDw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0