Millennium WebQuest

Introduction

Recently, the Ela Historical Society contacted Mrs. Pinchot to see if her 8^th grade American history students would be interested in participating in the Society’s Millennium Project. The Historical Society is setting up a display in the Ela Library that will run during the month of December. After New Year’s Day the artifacts from the display will be sealed in a time capsule and buried near Lion’s Park. Mr. Spence Loomis, a retired Middle School North history teacher, wondered if the 8^th graders would create an artifact that not only reflects American history from the year 1990 to the Millennium but would also be done by using technology available to the students. Mr. Loomis knew Mrs. Pinchot’s students had created PowerPoint presentations in the past, which is why he asked for her assistance and cooperation. As students of Mrs. Pinchot, you are being asked to create a PowerPoint presentation over the next week’s class sessions that will cover various areas of study, as well as, reporting on what happened during your group’s most common birth year.

The Task

Working in groups of three or four, your group will create a PowerPoint presentation of at least seven to eight slides for an assigned period of time in the ‘90’s decade. You must have a title slide, and an information slide for each of these areas: World Political Events, American History and Politics, Science and Technology, Everyday Life, Leisure Time (Arts, Literature, Sports, and Entertainment), and an Overview slide which highlights your birth year. Your presentation will also include at least one graphic, one graph, and an inserted audio CD representative of music of your time period.

By the end of your project, your group will answer these questions:

1. What was the most significant event of your birth year? Who were the most notable people of that year? What notable facts (leisure, daily life, science/technology) should be included in the highlights of the year?

2. During the time period you are to research:

· What world political events gained the attention of the American people?

· In American history and politics, what were the top news stories of major significance to our government and our democratic way of life?

· In the area of daily life, what trends, fads, and fashion captured the attention of the American people?

· What were the notable movies, music, plays, and literature of the time period? What were the major sporting events of the time? Who were the notable people in the leisure area?

· What advancements were made in science and technology?

3. What information or data could be used in a graph? (??? Population, sports statistics, top grossing films, temperature, etc)

4. What will determine the representative music you will use in your presentation?

Resources

Print Materials: Our Glorious Century; 1985, 1986 The Year You Were Born; Events That Shaped the Century; America in the 20^th Century; It Was a Very Good Year; 20^th Century America. Other books from MSN library; newsmagazines: Time, Life, US News and World Report, NewsWeek, Sports Illustrated; Readers Guide to Periodicals, and almanacs.

Internet Resources: http://www.abcnews.go.com; http://www.cnn.com;; http://www.newspapers.com/; http://www.educationorld.com/a_books/books009.shtml; http://www.pathfinder.com/time/0,1237,0,00.html;

http://www.msnbc.com; http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/referenc.html

Search engines: Use the Search Engine sheet and do a Keyword search.

The Process

1. First, groups need to be formed and roles need to be assigned. Jigsaw groups will also be formed for instructional purposes.

2. Divide up the topics and determine the birth year to be used. Brainstorm ideas.

3. Research the topic and do a storyboard of your slide(s).

4. Help research and create the graph.

5. Meet with Mrs. Pinchot for small group instruction.

6. Meet with your group to organize the oral presentation.

7. Create working slide(s) and help edit final the presentation.

8. Give an oral presentation to the class.

9. Do a group evaluation form.

Evaluation

A rubric will be used based on 100 points.

70 pts. possible- Individual research and production documentation sheet, storyboard

10 pts. possible- Oral presentation

20 pts. possible- Group evaluation

Conclusion

The PowerPoint presentations will give an overview of the 1990’s decade and a highlight of the birth year of the students who created the projects. Students will have a grasp of finding information, using the Internet and library for research, and in creating a PowerPoint presentation for the dissemination of information. The projects will be shared with members of the Ela Historical Society. Truly, students will get a sense of the future as they study the closing decade of this millennium.