Teacher Page Overview of WebQuest

Introduction

This web quest features Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express. The Polar Express won the Caldecott Award and has recently been made into a major motion picture. The Polar Express is enjoyed by almost everyone who reads it. This web quest will enable you and your students to use the book for more than just a wonderful read. It will allow your students to expand their vocabulary skills and will help them improve in language arts. This book encourages the reader, young or old, to believe. Each task offers a unique opportunity for exploration and for learning. Your students will also find them to be fun and engaging activities.

Purpose

The primary purpose of using quality children's literature in the classroom is to instill a love of reading . As with any book, The Polar Express should be first read for pleasure before embarking on activities based on the book. Students should be allowed opportunities to ask questions, make comments, and simply enjoy this story.

The tasks provided for students in this web quest facilitate reading comprehension, visual arts and English/language arts skills. In task one (Vocabulary), students will be asked to look at a list of vocabulary words taken from the book, find the definition and complete a cross word puzzle using these words. In task two (Pre-Reading), students will complete a anticipation guide which will stimulate their thinking as they respond to the statements. In task three (During Reading), students will add to their English/language arts knowledge by completing a activity with similes. Finally in task four (Post Reading), the students will be able to compare themselves and their winter holiday to the events in the book by completing a Venn diagram. Each of these tasks offers an opportunity for learning and can be easily expanded by you to further increase your students' learning and appreciation for reading.

Content Areas

This multidisciplinary web quest which includes the following content areas:

Reading

RD-E-1.06 Explain the meaning of a passage taken from texts appropriate for elementary school students.

RD-E-1.0.10 Connect literature to students' lives and real world issues.

RD-E-2.0.6 Use text features (e.g., pictures, lists, tables, charts, graphs, table of contents, indexes, glossaries, headings, captions) to understand a passage.

RD-E-4.0.9 Interpret specialized vocabulary (words and terms specific to understanding the content) found in practical/workplace passages.

Visual Arts

AH-E-4.1.42 Use a variety of media and art processes to produce two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork.

English Language Arts

Academic Expectations 1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer reference programs and research tools.

Program of Studies ELA-P-I-1 Students will pose questions to obtain ideas and information for authentic purposes.

Implementation Overview

Students will work in cooperative learning groups of 3 or 4. The teacher should assign the roles to each group. This can be done how ever the teacher wishes. The groups will require time to conduct research and compete the tasks. This web quest can easily be extended by examining other topics of interest by using The Polar Express as a starting point.

Modifications/Adaptations

Challenged students should be accommodated by what ever means necessary.

If this web quest is to be completed by the entire class, printing the task activity sheets ahead of time will be helpful.

Special Resources Needed

Access to the Computer Lab
Multiple copies of the book The Polar Express
On-line resources
Hard copies of activities

Entry Level Skills and Knowledge

Students need to be able to read and write. The teacher should ensure that each group is made up of multi ability students. If so, it will be more enjoyable for the students and useful to you as well. This lesson can be adapted for most any elementary grade level.

Evaluation

There is a rubric for student self evaluation and should be completed by each student in the group.

Printable Student Handouts for each Task

Task 1: Vocabulary

Task 2: Anticipation Guide

Task 3: Similes

Task 4: Venn Diagram

Conclusion

This unit is an interdisciplinary (reading, art, English/language arts) web quest. Students participate in cooperative learning groups and gain experience in navigating the web, learn to read critically and synthesize information, complete cross word puzzles, work with similes, Venn diagrams and anticipation guides. This Web Quest could easily be adjusted for older students, and teachers can adapt the activities to students' individual needs.

Additional Activities for this book

http://www.pampetty.com/polarexpressstoplight.htm

http://www.pampetty.com/polarexpressvocab.htm

http://www.pampetty.com/polarexpressvocabanswers.htm

http://www.pampetty.com/polarexpressvocabextensions.htm

http://www.pampetty.com/polarexpressvocabsemantic.htm

Credits/Resources

Dr. Pam Petty: http://www.pampetty.com/polarexpress.htm

Author information: http://www.kidsreads.com

Online dictionary: http://www.dictionary.com

Background: http://www.aaaclipart.com

Vocabulary puzzle: http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com