The cookie thief: A WebQuest for ESL kindergarten learners

Introduction

In this WebQuest, designed for ESL kindergarten learners, students will describe themselves using common adjectives by exploring differences and similarities among characters in Sesame Street. Informational websites have been selected according to learners’ age to help them learn and use adjectives to describe physical appearance.  This quest will help students explore how differences make us unique to introduce a concept of diversity.

This is a quest, where students need to find a cookies thief by solving and answering different questions related to physical appearance. The role of the teacher is to guide students and help them to find the Sesame Street character who took Cookie Monster’s cookies.

Help Cookie Monster! Somebody stole his cookie, you need to complete some activities to receive clues that describe the thief.

Your job is to identify the thief by using the clues!

Task

First task: Quizlet activity: Learn important words you will need during our WebQuest. Look at the flashcards. Can you match the words  and pictures? You will need these words during the game, so please write them down and draw.

Second Task: Watch the Read Aloud Video of the book “We're Different, We're the Same” by Bobbie Kates, and discover the following:

-Some of the things that make us different

-Some of the things that make us the same

-Importance of respecting the differences in all people

Third task: Watch the video: Sesame Street “Same and different” and discover the following:

What does Elmo look like?

What does Abby look like?

Why are they different?

Do they look the same?

Fourth task: Describe yourself and look at the clues you receive in each previous tasks to identify the thief.

 

Process

 Here are the steps you should follow to receive your first clue to identify the cookie thief.

 Step 1

Click on this link to go to the website https://quizlet.com/_8j9rb2?x=1qqt&i=x0dyl

 Look at the pictures. Can you guess the words? You'll need these words during the game, so look at the flashcards.

Step 2

Play the matching game. https://quizlet.com/_8j9rb2?x=1qqt&i=x0dyl

 Vocabulary:

 Tall  I am tall

 Short  She is short

 Long (hair)  we have long hair

 Short (hair)  My dad has short hair

 Curly (hair)  My sister has curly hair

 Straight (hair)  My teacher has straight hair

 Skin     People have different skin colors 

Good Job, here is your first Clue!

 I have two big eyes  

Step 3

Read the book “We're Different, We're the Same” by Bobbie Kates or Watch the Read Aloud Video by clicking on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrjb4SZnxg&t=56s  and discover the following:

 -Some of the things that make us different

 -Some of the things that make us the same

 -Importance of respecting the differences in all people

Step 4

Record what you discover on Classkick by clicking on the microphone.

Use the class code: D4D H8F

Or click on this link: https://app.classkick.com/#/login/D4DH8F

Great! This is your second clue  

I have no visible nose

Step 5

We are unique! Love yourself just the way you are.

 Watch the video: Sesame Street “Same and different” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uATf5EhLebM

Step 6

Circle the main differences between Elmo and Abby using the picture you have on Classkick. You can use the Venn Diagram to write you’re the similarities and differences

Step 7

Answer the following question recording your voice or writing.

Click on this link: https://app.classkick.com/#/login/ESSGX4

What does Elmo look like?

What does Abby look like?

Why are they different?

Do they look the same?

Excellent! Here you have your third clue

I have a green body

Step 8

Using Flip grid, record a short video describing yourself. Do not forget to use the vocabulary from the first activity so it will be easy for you to describe yourself using complete sentences.

https://flipgrid.com/

When you finish your video, you can watch the videos of your classmates to see what makes you different and the same.

Your final clue! Who is the cookie thief?

I live in a trash can

Great Job! Is Oscar

Evaluation

 WebQuest: Same and different – Mrs. Santamaria

 Name: _________________________________________

Category Emerging Developing Expanding
Comprehension Student identifies similarities and differences between individuals related to physical appearance with difficulty Student identifies similarities and differences between individuals related to physical appearance with the guidance of the teacher

Student identifies similarities and differences between individuals related to physical appearance.
Content

Student does not seem to understand the use adjectives to describe physical appearance very well.

Student shows good understanding of the adjectives to describe physical appearance.

Student shows a full understanding of the use adjectives to describe physical appearance.

Task

Students remained on task less than 65% of the time. Student completed only half of the tasks listed.

Students remained on task 65%-85% of the time and completed almost all tasks listed.

Students remained on task 85%-100% of the time and complete all the tasks listed.
Effort Limited effort Good effort Excellent effort

 

 

 

Conclusion

Hurray! You have finished your quest and become a great spy. You can use these same skills to research anything you want to learn about!

Credits

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uATf5EhLebM

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrjb4SZnxg&t=56s

 https://quizlet.com/_8j9rb2?x=1qqt&i=x0dyl

 https://quizlet.com/

 https://app.classkick.com/#/login/ESSGX4

 https://app.classkick.com/#/login/D4DH8F

 https://www.sesamestreet.org/

 https://flipgrid.com/

Teacher Page

Class Description:

ESL Kindergarten learners who may be American-born or recently arrived from other countries. They come from diverse backgrounds and family experiences, and have a wide variety of strengths and needs.

Objectives:

 -Students will be able to describe themselves with prompting and support using common adjectives.

 -Students will be able to identify similarities and differences between individuals related to physical appearance.

 Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

 K.C.1 Understand how individuals are similar and different.

 K.C.1.1 Explain similarities in self and others 

Academic Language Demand (Language Function and Vocabulary):

 Academic Vocabulary: Different, Same.

 Language Function: Orally describe, compare.

 Target Vocabulary: Tall, short, long hair, short hair, brown eyes, blue eyes, blonde hair, and black hair.

 Prior Knowledge: Sight words (have, has, I, am, ), parts of the body vocabulary, colors.

 Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations

  -Teacher modeling

 -Simplified explanation

 -Reducing the difficulty of the activity providing individual visual aids

 -Working one-on-one with the teacher

 Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations

 -Timing accommodations

 -Take more time to complete an activity

 -Take breaks

 General

 -Review of directions

 -Concrete examples

 -Verbal and visual cues regarding directions and task.

 -Accept short answers

 Behavior

 Use positive reinforcement