Trekkin’
through
Georgia
STUDENT WEBQUEST
Developed by: Cori Snelson
Overview|Introduction|Questions|Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion
Overview
The purpose of this lesson is to investigate the different
habitats in Georgia and the organisms that live there.
Students will also explore ways of conserving these habitats in
the state of Georgia. This webquest could also be modified to
fit other states and their habitats.
Content area: Life Science
Grade: 3
Georgia Performance Standard:
Life Science
S3L1. Students will investigate the habitats of different
organisms and the dependence of organisms on
their habitat.
a. Differentiate between habitats of Georgia
(mountains, marsh/swamp, coast, Piedmont, Atlantic
Ocean) and the organisms that live there.
b. Identify features of green plants that allow them
to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
c. Identify features of animals that allow them to live
and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
d. Explain what will happen to an organism if the
habitat is changed.
S3L2. Students will recognize the effects of pollution and
humans on the environment.
a. Explain the effects of pollution (such as littering) to
the habitats of plants and animals.
b. Identify ways to protect the environment.
• Conservation of resources
• Recycling of materials
Teacher resources:
•Computers within classroom and/or media center
•LCD projector (for power point projects/presentations)
•Books on different habitats in Georgia
•Books on conservation of the environment
Introduction
Can you believe
it…your teacher knows nothing about Georgia!
You have just entered the third grade and realized that you
have to learn all about the different habitats in Georgia! That’s
not the crazy part….take a deep breath…you have also just
found out that your teacher is
not from Georgia!
She is from…GASP…MICHIGAN! She knows NOTHING about
any of the Georgia habitats! You have to do all the work to find
this information for her so she can teach it to the rest of the
class.
Are you ready for this challenge?
Questions and Task
Your task is to investigate the different habitats in Georgia and
find out what types or organisms (animals and/or living things)
that live there and why.
Key Questions:
1. What are the five main habitats in Georgia?
2. What are the animals that live there?
What are the features of these animals that allow
them to live and thrive in these places?
3. What are the plants that live there?
What are the features of these plants that allow them
to live and thrive in these places?
4. What will happen to these organisms if their habitats
are changed?
Georgia is changing every day. Every day we build new roads,
highways, stores and buildings. We cut down trees to make
room for houses and places for people to live and work.
However, when we continue to construct more places in our
state, we also continue to hurt our wildlife. During this
webquest, besides investigating your habitat, you are also going
to be assigned the role of either environmentalist or
industrialist. You need to describe your habitat and describe
why or why not it is important according to your role. If you
are an environmentalist, why do you want to preserve the
wildlife in the marshes? If you an industrialist, do you want to
preserve the wildlife within these marshes as well, or do you
have a different point of view?
Everyone in your group first needs to decide which number
person they are going to be. After you decide, you will click on
your person and you will be assigned to a different habitat. You
are to find as much information as you can about this habitat
for Ms. Snelson. You are also going to tell why or why not the
habitat you are assigned to is important, based on the role you
are given: environmentalist or industrialist.
**Remember that you can work together to complete your task.
Ask each other questions and help generate opinions. You will
be graded on both your individual work and the work you do as a
group.
Person 1
Person 2
Person 3
Person 4
Process
After each of you have collected all of the information for your
individual investigation, you need to work with your group to put
all of the information together in the form of a power point
presentation. Those of you who are environmentalists can work
together and those of you who are industrialists can work
together. You may use the one or more of the following to
present your project:
Flowcharts
Web Pages
Summary Tables
Concept Maps
Venn Diagrams
You need to answer these questions within your GROUP
presentation:
•What are the five main habitats in Georgia?
•What plants live in each of them and what allows them to
thrive there?
•What animals live in each of them and what allows them to
thrive there?
•What are the roles and views of an environmentalist?
•What are the roles and views of an industrialist?
•How can both of these people compromise in order to keep
from destroying the habitats in Georgia?
And finally,
•What can we do as citizens to help protect the plants and
animals within these habitats in our state?
If you are an environmentalist, you may have a different opinion
than someone in your group who is an industrialist. Think about
how you can compromise with each other to resolve this conflict.
The overall idea you should keep in
mind is that you want to do what’s best
for the plants and animals that live in
our state.
Resources
Other resources you want to use may include:
URL links in your presentation (found on your individual “person” 1,2,3
and 4 pages)
Or other links you may find using Google
Classroom Encyclopedias
Color Printer
Periodicals from the Media Center
Evaluation
Please click here to review the criteria on which your individual
grade will be based.
You will also receive a grade for your final group Power Point
presentation. Please click here to review the criteria which will
determine your group presentation grade.
Finally, you will receive a collaborative group grade based on how
well you worked with your group. Please click here to review the
criteria which will determine you collaborative grade.
Type of Assessment
Individual project
Group Power Point presentation
Collaborative group grade
Total
Percentage of Grade
40%
40%
20%
100%
Conclusion
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
(Discuss together as a class)
If you had interpreted your roles differently, how might the outcome
have changed?
In your role, were you flexible enough to compromise with the group and
attain a resolution? Or did you yield to group pressures?
What new questions did the webquest generate for you? Why are these
new questions important?
If you have any questions regarding this webquest or how to use it in your classroom,
please contact:
Cori Snelson
3rd grade teacher
Dunwoody Springs Charter School
Atlanta, GA