Introduction
You probably often watch serials and films set in the USA or listen to American songs and music….….but what do you really know about the USA?
Would you like to know more?
Why don’t you leave for a virtual journey through the States?
Task
Task
1) Work in groups to visit and explore the websites below. Try to find the following introductory information :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_states#Geography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_state_codes
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_states#Legislative_branch
http://www.congress.org/
http://www.house.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/
What is the positin of the USAa and what are its borders?
How many states are included in the US Federation?
What is a state code is?
What are the biggest cities?
Can you describe the geographical features of the country and its climate?
What are the main activities and products of industry and agriculture?
What is the capital of the U.S.A.?
The US Federal Government, President and Parliament are in the city of….
The US Parliament is called .....…
Where is it located?
How is it is divided?
Who is the US President and where does he live?
What is the US financial capital? Why?
Which is the largest state? Which one is the most populated?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States#Ethnic_groups
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_states#Language
Can we consider the U.S.A. a multi-ethnic state?
Is English the only language in the US?
What about the main religions?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_fathers
Who were the first European settlers? How did they travel to the USA?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_states#History_of_the_United_States_.281865.E2.80.931918.29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War
When did the USA declare independence from Great Britain and who was the First President?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_%28United_States%29
When is the U.S.A. national holiday?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
What was the other war was fought INSIDE the US territory?
• You can now fill the black grid with the information you found (follow the ink to download the Task Grid file).
2) Work in groups to visit and explore the discoveramerica.com website. Try to find the following information:
• Select five states you would like to visit and save or print the most relevant info about them (for example: map/official website/fast facts/tourist itineraries/special events etc).
• You can now fill the grid with the information you found (you find the grid in the Word file).
3) Now that you know the basics, you are ready to leave… The most famous road in the US is the….
Enjoy the ride!
• Work in groups to visit and explore the websites below:
http://www.historic66.com/facts/
http://www.historic66.com/description/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_66
Try to find the following information:
• Route 66 was commissioned in… and finally paved end-to-end in….
• Route 66 was decomissioned in….
• It starts in… and ends in … .
• It is 2448 miles (i.e. … kilometres) long.
• It crosses… states and … time zones. (If you don’t know what a time zone is, please check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zones)
• Route 66 has lot of nicknames: can you find them?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_66#Route_66_and_American_pop_culture
• In the 1940s a famous American writer, ……, won the Pulitzer Prize for its novel Grapes of Wrath, set on Route 66. What was his name?
• The success of Route 66 also affected the world of media. A song entitled Route 66 was sung by the famous singer and jazz musician …. His daughter … enjoyed world fame thanks to a cover of the same song. Even famous English bands like … and … have made a cover of that song.
• Even a … series was made and named after the road. It was aired between 1960 and 1964.
• Now it is a place for nostalgic tourists who re-discover its old-style facilities: gas…, motor hotels (normally called …), fast-food … , souvenir …
• You can now fill the.........grid with the information you found
4) After a road, you need an attraction to visit! Why not a National Park?
Work in groups to visit & explore the nps.gov website:
• Select two national parks you are interested in and list some basic info about them.
• You can now fill the ....... grid with the information you found (always in the Word file).
Process
Process
You are divided into groups of 4/5 people.
Surf the web using the links provided by this webquest to find the necessary information.
You can use search engines like Google or others you normally use.
Print out and/or save whatever material you consider important.
HAVE A GOOD JOURNEY!
At the end of your journey you will and fill the grids with the information you have found.
You will use them for the final product of your webquest (see PRODUCTION, below).
AND THEN….:
1. BRAINSTORMING:
Discuss your discoveries with your teacher and classmates.
2. PRODUCTION:
Draw a concept map summarizing the information you have found or create a document, a presentation or a hypertext with the files you have saved.
Evaluation
Evaluation
Your performance will be assessed according to four levels:
• Beginning (mark: 6)
• Developing (mark: 7)
• Accomplished (mark: 8)
• Exemplary (mark: 9/10)
on the basis of these indicators:
• correctness
• completeness
• relevance
• inner organization
• lay-out
Conclusion
Conclusion
A PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
– Did you like your journey?
– Was it difficult to find all the required information? Did you “get lost” while surfing the net?
– Did you find the websites interesting?
– Did you like the Webrangers game?
– Do you think that studying on a book would have been easier, shorter, more interesting?
– In brief, do you think that you have learnt something important and worth-knowing?
And, finally, would you like doing this experience again?