Process
A. Get a Job
Each member of the group needs to take one of the following roles for this
Webquest:
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Archeologist - Heads the Dig Process - must have strong knowledge of tools of the trade and navigating the internet - leads the group through the Discovery Journey Dig Process for clues
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Artifact Recorder - Gathers and Organizes the information for the group's Journals for the final Exhibit in the Storyboard - must be a good writer and organizer - keeps the group on track in creating and editing the Digital Story
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Paleontologist - Interprets the Finds from the Dig - another media specialist, must know digital creating - leads the group in the actual Digital Story creation
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Head of Museum - Presents the final Exhibit - must be a good speaker - using the Narration, shares the group's Digital Story with the class
B. Dig, Dig, Dig
You are first going on a Discovery Journey Dig for clues of the ancient world,
especially those clues that can be found trapped with the rocks that surround us.
Your job is to unlock these clues and present them in a Digital Story Exhibit for the
Museum. Like every great researcher, each of you must record your findings in your
personal Journal. Archeologist, lead the way....
Have you ever picked up a rock?
Did it say anthing to you?
If not, perhaps it's because you weren't listening.
We are going to learn to listen to rocks.
No, the rocks won't say "Hey!, How are you doing?"
But they do tell us a lot about the world if we pay close attention.
Let's go on a Dig - a Journey of Discovery.
It's always good to keep a Journal when you go on a journey. It helps to
remember where we went and what we learned. Print the Journal here for
each member of your group to use. We all see different things, so we can
compare our Journals later and learn even more. Remember, your group
will be working together to tell the story of one time period and one kind
of rock we explore, when we are done with our Discovery Journey.
Right then? Off we go.....
1. The University of California Museum of Paleontology.
The scientists here have created four paths to discovery - let's get going...
Remember to take notes in your Journal along the way.
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This link has four sections to journey through:
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Paleocology
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Past Lives
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Geologic Time
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Biodiversity
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Great Job! What an amazing story those scientists had to tell us!
Now you know a lot more about rocks and fossils,
and what we can learn from them.
Time for our second stop on our Discovery Journey.
2. The San Diego Natural History Museum.
In the Kids Habitat we can go on a Dinosaur Dig to Find Fossils.
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Follow the page links down the list on the left to find...
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What are Fossils?
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Where are Fossils?
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Where to Look
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How to Look
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Discover What you Have
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Remember to keep pace in your Journal!
You won't want to foget any of this!
I bet you are ready to get out and go digging now!
We can do that in a way,
By heading to our next stop on the Discovery Journey.
3. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Here we will Follow a Fossil: from dig to display,
- Click on the Links to discover: What is a Fossil?
- How scientists find and prepare Invertebrates
- What the journey from dig to display is like for Vertebrates
- And how it is different from Plants
Have you learned to listen to the Rocks yet?
These scientists have spent a long time learning to listen,
But not just scientists can discover these secrets.
Let's visit with some other students a lot like us
who have gone on a similar Discovery Journey.
4. Next stop: The John F. Pattie Elementary School in Dumfries,
VA. 2000 Fossils Under the Ground (created by several 5th graders)
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Where to Find Fossils
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Vertebrates
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Invertebrates - Trilobites, Crabs, Insects, and Bivalves
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Fun and Games - Fossil Hunter Simulation
As you can see, anyone can learn from rocks, even kids.
If only we listen, rocks have a lot to say.
We have learned a great deal already,
But our Discovery Journey is not yet done.
Be sure you are keeping up in your Journal.
5. Our next stop is called: Fossils for Kids.
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Check out the Tools of the Trade to learn what to use to dig fossils.
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Fossils Now and Then shows a fossil find, and what the animal looked like.
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Sands of Time gives you another look at the Geological Time Scale.
You can also follow the link at the bottom to the Website Directory
for Fossils for Kids to check out a few other pages about where to hunt (X
Marks the Spot and Safety) if your group has time.
What a journey! We have gone far and learned much!
Our last stop on the Discovery Journey is pure fun:
6. The Royal Ontario Museum has a Fossil Matching Game to share.
You have completed your Discovery Journey.
Along the way you learned how to listen to rocks
And what they have to tell us.
Great Job! Your Journals should be a good record
of where you have been and what you have learned at each stop.
Now your group needs to create a Digital Story
about one rock from your time period.
C. Get it Together
After compiling the facts on your Discovery Journey and the special details of your time period, your group now needs to work together to create a Digital Story from the point of view of a rock from your assigned time period. You need to first organize what you know and compile information from everyone's Journal using the Storyboard. Then you need to get creative and think like a rock. Check the Rubric to be sure you know what you need to do. Artifact Recorder, lead the way....
D. Rock and Roll
Now it is time to actually create your Digital Story. Use PowerPoint to tell the story you have put together in a presentation for the class. Add pictures, art, and music if you like. Continue to work as a team, be creative, and HAVE FUN! Paleontologist, lead the way....
E. Lights, Camera, Action
Finally, your Digital Story Exhibit is ready to share with the public. Using the Narration template, write a script for each slide and use it to share your rock's story and time period with the whole class. Head of Museum, it is your turn to lead the way....
