Do they exist?

Introduction

Ghosts! Mysterious Creatures!

Alien Abduction! Gravity Defying Spots!

For many years, man has struggled to explain the unexplainable. The lights in the night sky, the ripple in the murky lake, the shimmer out of the corner of your eye, and even the places of defied gravity.

There are true believers that defend their claim that paranormal occurrences do exist. Then, there are those that do everything they can to disprove any claim of the supernatural.

Scientists apply the laws of physics to explain the strange and unusual. Historians dig through the oldest of texts and artifacts to see how these events were perceived by the people of the past.

Are they real?

Ghosts?

Areas that seem to hold magic properties?

Alien visitation?

Mysterious unknown creatures?

What do you think?

Let’s explore…

Task

Take an internet journey into the world of the unexplained and collect research information to support both sides of the argument.

As a group, make a judgment based on the review of the research. Does it remain in line with your beliefs prior to the journey?

Process

Part 1 Research/Collecting Information

Take class survey to discover your top two areas of interest from the four types of investigators. Use these results to select your dossier.
Choose a male of female representative from your dossier, and seek out the other investigators in your group number.
Once together, discuss your personal skills that would make you the best candidate to have in the group.
Together, chose the paranormal occurrence you intend to research.
Begin by completing the top portion of your dossier packet. This part asks you to make your own, individual opinion. Then, tell what you already know about this subject.
Next, start the WebQuest. Review the included websites, and collect the information in the second portion of your dossier packet.
Continue to regroup and discuss your findings throughout the process to help guide each other to find new areas of research.
Make sure you are documenting all resources used in the area titled ‘Who, What, Where.’

Part 2 Writing/Creating a Presentation

Upon completion of research, regroup to discuss all aspects of the investigation. Work together while reviewing the packet page titled “Coming to Consensus’
Work together to complete your observation and prepare your group presentation. Make sure to review the tips for good presentations information sheet.

Present your 5 minute group presentation for the entire class. State your group opinion, your reasons for this conclusion, your individual opinions before the research, and what changed your opinion if it was.

Evaluation

Your grade will be evaluated on the following aspects: Participation in classroom and group discussions, completed dossier packet, thoroughness of research, and your concluded reasons for the group decisions.

	Beginning 0-1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Research	Visited 1 or more sites, finding 2 or more supporting factors, researching one side of the topic.	Visited 1 or more sites, finding 6 or more strong supporting factors, researching one side of the topic.	Visited 1 or more sites, finding 6 or more strong supporting factors, equally researching both for and against the topic.	Visited 3 or more sites, finding 10 or more strong supporting factors, equally researching both for and against the topic.
Persuasive Techniques: Acknowledging and Refuting the Opposition	Disagreements were not appropriately addressed or were not displayed in a respectful manner.	Disagreements were handled with some difficulty or involved penalties from the teacher.	Disagreements were handled with little difficulty or involved penalty from the teacher.	Disagreements were handled in a mature and democratic fashion.
Persuasive Techniques: Discussion Conduct	Group discussions were not appropriately addressed or were not displayed in a respectful manner.	Group discussion considered all included.	Group discussion was done respectfully.	Group discussion was done respectfully and with consideration of all included.
Following Descriptions	Material was not considered and was not addressed as laid out in the descriptions.	Material was mostly considered and addressed in an alternate manner from the descriptions	Material was mostly considered and addressed as laid out in the descriptions.	Material was thoughtfully considered and addressed as laid out in the descriptions.
Resource Citations	1 or more sites were visited and no resources were cited or were incorrectly cited.	1 or more sites were visited and resources were not fully cited.	1 or more sites were visited and all resources used were fully cited.	3 or more sites were visited and all resources used were fully cited.
Participation and Presentation	Little or no participation in any aspect of research and offered little or no presented material.	Some participation in some or all aspects of research and offered little or no presented material.	Full participation in all aspects of research and offered some of presented material.	Full participation in all aspects of research and offered the greatest amount of presented material.
Dossier Completion	Dossier pages are not neat, complete or articulate. Includes little or none of the necessary information.	Dossier pages are not neat, complete or articulate. Includes some of the necessary information.	Dossier pages neat, complete and articulate. Includes some or most of the necessary information.	Dossier pages neat, complete, and articulate. Includes all necessary information.

Conclusion

Through this lesson, you have learned to use research and logic to help determine the validity of a controversial or difficult issue. Using the internet to find factors both for and against these strange issues provides an opportunity to apply your reasoning skills to make personal decisions regarding difficult issues in life.

Regardless of your final opinion, can you identify with people that hold a differing opinion? Can you understand how they might be led to believe that way themselves? What do you think these types of differing opinions could cause among people? What if the issue was a bit more sensitive? Use reference material and technologies to personally review these questions.

Credits

https://www.createwebquest.com/lbeeching/do-they-exist

Teacher Page

Are They Really Out There?

A WebQuest for 6th Grade (History/Science)

Designed by Lisa Beeching

Tjk199@mocs.utc.edu

Introduction

This lesson was developed as a performance piece in conclusion of the EDUC4300 course.

Students will be introduced to guided research as they complete this WebQuest. This activity will follow class lecture involving thought provoking stories of presumed paranormal events. The stories were followed by researched efforts to prove or disprove the validity. The investigative nature of the process will be reinforced as solving a mystery that is not easily improved through surface measures. Groups of students must compile the information and make a consensus decision using the facts, or lack thereof, in discussion and debate format.

Learners

The grade level targeted in this exercise is primarily 6th grade, but can be used in upper Elementary or higher Middle School levels if needed. The content is focused on historical examples, scientific laws and structure, social constructs, and democratic decision-making.

Students must be able to apply scientific method to the presented dialogue, and reevaluate a situation from a different perspective when new details are added. Students must also be able to work within a group that could have differing opinions in order to make a group decision.

Curriculum Standards

Students will use internet resources, art images and classroom resources to combine the representations throughout history, the scientific application of real-world explanations, and the investigative skills to collect, review and disseminate information for and against a difficult issue. They will discuss and argue their research within their group to contribute to a group conclusion. Students will support their opinions with material from their research Social Studies Standards Addressed

Art 3.1.1 Identify subject matter, themes, and symbols in works of art.
Art 6.2.3 Speculate as to how the unique characteristics of visual art improve comprehension in one or another academic discipline.
Science 0607.Inq. 4 Draw conclusion that establishes a cause and effect relationship supported by evidence.

In addition, this lesson offers the student experience in democratic reasoning, group dynamic decision-making, critical thinking, comparison, teamwork and compromise.

Process

Part 1 Research/Collecting Information

1. Take class survey to discover your top two areas of interest from the four types of investigators. Use these results to select your dossier.

The survey asks interest-based questions to guide the selection of a character. This is done as a decision starter, but can be done without the survey. Students will select from dossiers for the following characters: Historian, Debunker, Scientist, and Believer. Choose a male of female representative from your dossier, and seek out the other investigators in your group number.

2. Once together, discuss your personal skills that would make you the best candidate to have in the group.

They can additionally choose between a male of female character.

3. Together, chose the paranormal occurrence you intend to research.

The dossier lines the student up to their selected type of research, but allows for the group decision of which subject they will tackle: Alien Visitation, Mysterious Creatures, and Gravity Defying Places.

4. Begin by completing the top portion of your dossier packet. This part asks you to make your own, individual opinion. Then, tell what you already know about this subject.

5. Next, start the WebQuest. Review the included websites, and collect the information in the second portion of your dossier packet.

6. Continue to regroup and discuss your findings throughout the process to help guide each other to find new areas of research.

7. Make sure you are documenting all resources used in the area titled ‘Who, What, Where.’

The resource page offers the student a place to keep all resources in one spot and has reminder questions to help ensure accurate citations.

Part 2 Writing/Creating a Presentation

8. Upon completion of research, regroup to discuss all aspects of the investigation. Work together while reviewing the packet page titled “Coming to Consensus’

9. Work together to complete your observation and prepare your group presentation. Make sure to review the tips for good presentations information sheet.

Present your 5 minute group presentation for the entire class. State your group opinion, your reasons for this conclusion, your individual opinions before the research, and what changed your opinion if it was.

This multi-disciplinary WebQuest is designed for 5 class days worth of activity, beginning with the set-up stories to entice interest.

Resources Needed

Paranormal stories with supporting information for and against.
Prepared WebQuest on supported website.
Dossier packets for each character type, including all hard copy worksheets.
Classroom reference books provided by library for in class use.

Evaluation

Your grade will be evaluated on the following aspects: Participation in classroom and group discussions, completed dossier packet, thoroughness of research, and your concluded reasons for the group decisions.

	Beginning 0-1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Research	Visited 1 or more sites, finding 2 or more supporting factors, researching one side of the topic.	Visited 1 or more sites, finding 6 or more strong supporting factors, researching one side of the topic.	Visited 1 or more sites, finding 6 or more strong supporting factors, equally researching both for and against the topic.	Visited 3 or more sites, finding 10 or more strong supporting factors, equally researching both for and against the topic.
Persuasive Techniques: Acknowledging and Refuting the Opposition	Disagreements were not appropriately addressed or were not displayed in a respectful manner.	Disagreements were handled with some difficulty or involved penalties from the teacher.	Disagreements were handled with little difficulty or involved penalty from the teacher.	Disagreements were handled in a mature and democratic fashion.
Persuasive Techniques: Discussion Conduct	Group discussions were not appropriately addressed or were not displayed in a respectful manner.	Group discussion considered all included.	Group discussion was done respectfully.	Group discussion was done respectfully and with consideration of all included.
Following Descriptions	Material was not considered and was not addressed as laid out in the descriptions.	Material was mostly considered and addressed in an alternate manner from the descriptions	Material was mostly considered and addressed as laid out in the descriptions.	Material was thoughtfully considered and addressed as laid out in the descriptions.
Resource Citations	1 or more sites were visited and no resources were cited or were incorrectly cited.	1 or more sites were visited and resources were not fully cited.	1 or more sites were visited and all resources used were fully cited.	3 or more sites were visited and all resources used were fully cited.
Participation and Presentation	Little or no participation in any aspect of research and offered little or no presented material.	Some participation in some or all aspects of research and offered little or no presented material.	Full participation in all aspects of research and offered some of presented material.	Full participation in all aspects of research and offered the greatest amount of presented material.
Dossier Completion	Dossier pages are not neat, complete or articulate. Includes little or none of the necessary information.	Dossier pages are not neat, complete or articulate. Includes some of the necessary information.	Dossier pages neat, complete and articulate. Includes some or most of the necessary information.	Dossier pages neat, complete, and articulate. Includes all necessary information.

Credits & References

https://www.createwebquest.com/lbeeching/do-they-exist

"We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date). If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL."