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Pumpkin WebQuest

Pumpkins

Image by DrBacchus via Flickr

A WebQuest is like a field trip online-for kids. I made this one about Pumpkins because when I searched online, I could not find any that were useful. Most links on existing WebQuests, had links that no longer existed. This was really frustrating because I have some students that could benefit, but they too would become frustrated if the links did not work. I was inspired by what I found online. So, I hope others can benefit from this webquest! Enjoy! You can begin the quest below, online-or you can print the student page so that the student can write on it, to document their journey. Be sure to read the teacher form to find out the many uses of this WebQuest. Have fun!

Pumpkin WebQuest-teacher form

Pumpkins WebQuest-student form

Pumpkins WebQuest

Introduction

You are going on a WEBQUEST! Your job is to be a detective and find out many facts
about pumpkins. After the WEBQUEST you should know the following:

· Different types of pumpkins-similarities and differences

· The life cycle of a pumpkin

· When pumpkins should be planted, how long they take to grow and when they are harvested

· Many uses of a pumpkin

· The weight and size of pumpkins

Tasks- Your Job

Task 1- Mouse practice!

The first thing a Webquest detective needs to know is how to find the hidden pumpkin pictures. Click the mouse on the
underlined words. http://www.aftonapple.com/pumpkins.htm Good Job, you found the first set of pumpkins!!! What did they look like?
___________________________

Task 2 – Pumpkin Types

Pumpkins come in many shapes and sizes. Click on the following links to see! Styrian and little green seed http://www.liseed.org/snackseed.html

Holsteinwhite http://www.foreverwherever.com/2009/10/white-pumpkins/

Pumpkins with the name Baby Boo Canyou guess why one of these pumpkins is called Tallman? And Still MorePumpkin Pictures

Grey Pumpkins http://www.flickr.com/photos/51165730@N08/6109211095/

Draw a picture of your favorite pumpkin. Try to list its type and use the correct colors too!

Task 3- Life Cycle

Learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin.http://csstechnology.edublogs.org/files/2008/10/pumpkin-life-cycle.jpg (You can ask for this to be printed and then you can cut and glue the pictures in order) Now, draw the life cycle in order. Start with the seed.

1. _________ 2._________ 3._________ 4._________ 5.________

Task 4- Pumpkin Patch

Did you know that pumpkins grow in patches?
Click on this link to see how it starts. http://tricogreenteam.org/the-teaching-garden/finally-the-pumpkin-patch-gets-planted/

Can you draw your own pumpkin patch? Try it and count how many pumpkins are in your patch.

Conclusion

I am so proud of you! You have completed your detective work! Now you can choose
a product to make, so you can teach us about what you learned! Here are your
choices. Circle the thing you have chosen.

Option 1- Create a non-fiction book with each page containing new
facts

Option 2- Create a pumpkin poster that contains facts and
illustrations or even the life cycle of a pumpkin

Option 3- Create a Power Point about pumpkins

Option 4- Create a short informational video, using a web-cam, iPod
video recording, etc… which tells the details learned during the WebQuest

I am so excited about what you will make!

Love,

Your Teacher

Now, celebrate by playing a game: http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/jigsaw/pumpkin/PumpkinJigsaw.htm -or- find out more about pumpkins at: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/pumpkins/education.cfm

Listen to this wonderful story on YouTube, based on the book “Spookly the Square Pumpkin”

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Eye balls!

To help my kiddo’s learn to count by 5’s, I bought some creepy looking eyeballs at the dollar tree. They are 12 to a bag and just a dollar! They are just so cute and creepy and are the size of a ping pong ball! What I did was put 5 eyeballs into a ziploc bag. I am also using the eyeballs to count the number of days we have been in school. So today, we have 25 eyeballs! And I am just so funny-because I hung the bags up on my whiteboard (with magnets) and labeled it “Eye” can count by 5’s!

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Thinking Maps

I just viewed an amazing (10 min.) video about Thinking Maps. Pat Wolfe, an educational brain researcher, explained how the 8 Thinking Maps help our brain add visualizations to our learning, so that our brain can remember better. She asserts that thinking maps allow the freedom for higher order thinking to occur naturally and not necessarily with teacher scaffolding. Each thinking map is used specifically for certain types of thinking. I received some training from my school district last year and was amazed at the power of thinking maps. Before, I had consistently used other visual maps including Venn Diagrams and T-charts.

Below are some snip-it’s that I gathered at: http://www.thinkingmaps.com/

A bubble map is used for describing and using adjectives (like writing all the characteristics of a favorite animal).

A tree map is used for classification (like classifying sight words containing 2, 3 or 4 letters).

A circle map is for defining a subject in context (like brainstorming what you know about Poetry).

A double bubble map is used for comaparing and contrasting (spiders/insects) It can be used instead of a Venn Diagram.

A flow map is used for sequencing (ex: listing the sequence of a story, ordinal positions in line) It starts at the left and flows to the right.

A multi-flow map is used for organizing and thinking about cause and effect (why is it raining, what are the effects of rain?).

A brace map is used for organizing whole to part relationships (the parts of an ant: head, thorax, abdomen) and then listing details about each.

A bridge map is used for analogies (I have not used this one in Kindergarten yet!)

Thinking maps are definitely worth your time! I as a visual learner have started using them myself, because I am always itching to organize something!

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