Sample+Tasks

Contributor: Melissa Miller =On this page, you will find sample **tasks** for WebQuests:=


 * A WebQuest Task . . .**

Describes crisply and clearly what the end result of the learners' activities will be. The task could be a: If the final product involves using some tool (e.g., HyperStudio, the Web, video), mention it here. Don't list the steps that students will go through to get to the end point. That belongs in the Process section.
 * problem or mystery to be solved;
 * position to be formulated and defended;
 * product to be designed;
 * complexity to be analyzed;
 * personal insight to be articulated;
 * summary to be created;
 * persuasive message or journalistic account to be crafted;
 * a creative work, or
 * anything that requires the learners to process and //transform// the information they've gathered.

=Task Example #1=

Musical Era WebQuest
It is up to you and your teammates to create an entry for the collection. You will research the musical era assigned to you. You will use PowerPoint to create a slide show the aliens will take back with them. You will include information about composers, instruments, and song styles of that era. You will also include a little historical background for the era you selected. Be sure to use sound files and the lyrics or musical notation in your project. You will include information stating why your group feels the era and composers you choose to present are important. It is up to you to convince the aliens the era you are researching is the best.
 * Developed by Jean Napier-Faeih and Elizabeth Mulkey for the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Music Technology Classes. ||
 * __OVERVIEW__**
 * In this lesson, students will learn about the major musical eras. The content areas that will be included in the lesson are music and language arts. Students will need to have access to a multimedia software such as PowerPoint or HyperStudio. The finished presentations can be burned to a CD and shown to parents. ||
 * The Kansas State Standards that are addressed in this WebQuest can be found [|here].
 * __TASK__**

From http://www.bestteacherusa.net/MusicWebquest/MusicWebquest.htm, Nov. 11, 2008 ||

=Task Example #2= Developed by Kaye Kesler and Betty Neal Overview
 * || **Students will analyze the space program in the 1960's in regard to its social, political, and economic effects.** ||
 * || **It will involve the language arts and science disciplines. It would be appropriate for middle school students but could be adapted for elementary or high school students** ||
 * || **It supports the South Carolina Curriculum Strands of comprehension, analysis, interpretation, research, and decision making** ||

The news commentator (teacher) will interview President Kennedy, John Glenn (astronaut), and Mr. Tobby Hanks (average citizen) about their views on the space program's monetary and social impact on the U.S.  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why did President Kennedy feel it was necessary to be the first country to put a man on the moon? How could we justify the expense of training the astronauts, the space ship, and most importantly the lives of the astronauts if something had gone wrong? Why was the space program more important than eliminating the welfare program? Should the people in the U.S. be allowed to hav<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Quest(ions) and the Task e a say in the race to the moon  ?
 * __Quest(ions) and the Task__**

From http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/WebQuests/space/index.htm, Nov. 11, 2008

=Task Example #3= ** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Northern Spotted Owl Debate ** By Brenda Coleman and Donna Van Vleet This WebQuest is about a situation involving the Northern Spotted Owl and the decline of their natural habitat due to the harvest of timber in the old-growth forest. This activity focuses on fourth grade life science, **Organisms** **and Their Environment**. What should the policy be regarding the habitat of the Northern Spotted Owl? Your task is to research the plight of the timber industry and the Northern Spotted Owl and develop a policy for this issue. Each team member should choose a role below to gain a clear understanding of the different issues and agencies that are involved in the task. From http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/WebQuests/endangeredanimals/endangered.htm, Nov. 11, 2008
 * __ Overview __**
 * __ Quest(ions) and the Task __**

=Task Example #4= Rescue at Sea: The Sinking of the Andrea Doria A webquest by Sandra Garrett, Christine Phillips, & Gayle Pittard

Task:
Using the suggested web sites, explore the luxury liner, the //Andrea Doria//, and discover the details of her disastrous collision, dramatic rescue, and ultimate sinking. Alone or with a partner, visit these web sites, read the information, view the pictures, and gather information. You may take notes on paper or by using //Microsoft Word//. Choose one of the two topics below to research and then write a descriptive essay using //Microsoft Word.// <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 80%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Topic One: Visit the three web sites below by clicking on the sites. After reading about the collision, pretend that you are a passenger on the //Andrea Doria.// Begin with a little background on yourself and the luxury of the ship itself, and then describe your experiences from the first impact of the collision through the rescue, giving details of events aboard the ship, the rescue, and which ship brought you to safety. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Topic Two: Today, many divers explore the wreck of the //Andrea Doria.// Visit the sites below. Based on what you discover about the luxury of the ship as well as information shared by divers, what would //you// be interested in seeing/finding if you were a diver exploring the wreck. Write a descriptive essay about your dive, the wreck, your exploration, the object(s) you wish to find, and the results of your dive. Be sure to describe your emotions as well as the physical surroundings.

From http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/WebQuests/Andrea%20Doria/index.html, Nov. 11, 2008