Lesson Plan for:Animals Around the World Internet Scavenger Hunts & Searching

Created by Amanda BuschmannLS 591

Summer I 2010

DirectionsClick through this tutorial to learn how to

best utilize the “Animals Around the World” Internet scavenger hunt lesson plan

Links to the Internet will be underlined and highlighted in purple; click on them for a direct window to the Internet

Special hints and tips will also be interspersed throughout this tutorial. Click the “HOT TIP!” button to access them. I hope you enjoy it!

Table of ContentsDescription

Subject(s)/Grade/Duration/Materials

Objectives & Goals

Procedures

Assessment

Web Sites

Description It is imperative that students comfortably navigate the

Internet and that also they are able to successfully identify relevant and pertinent websites for research purposes. The Animals Around the World: An Internet Scavenger Hunt & Search Exercise lesson plan enables students to perform an Internet scavenger hunt that requires them to key in various URLs to city zoos. Once on the websites, they will read and acquire knowledge about the habitats of various animals; after writing in this information on a log sheet, they will continue with the hunt. Bonus activities are included. To extend this activity, the teacher-librarian and the students will perform Google searches of assigned animals together to distinguish between “relevant” and “irrelevant” websites for future research purposes.

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Subjects/Grade/Duration/MaterialsGrade Level: Elementary School (3-5)Subject(s): Social Studies, English Language Arts/ReadingDuration: One 55-minute class period; can be

extended to two or three 55-minute class periods if bonus and extended activities are implemented.

Materials: Computers with Internet access“Animals Around the World” worksheet, courtesy of

Education World ® plus “Practice Searching for Animals with Quiz” worksheet

“URLs and Searching” worksheet[Click any button to continue]

Objectives and GoalsGoals: Students will successfully navigate the Internet via URLs. Students will read and acquire knowledge about various animal habitats. Students will learn how to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant

websites.

Objectives: Students will learn how to properly key in a URL and how to troubleshoot

improperly functioning URLs. Students will learn the parts of a URL. Students will distinguish between important information for research

purposes and information which can be discarded. Students will apply knowledge of an animal’s habitat to a pictorial form of

a map. Students will identify which website will give them information about an

animal versus which websites about irrelevant, using proper search terms and techniques.

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Procedures Introduce students to the unit by discussing and even

demonstrating how difficult it is to search on the Internet. Inform them that we will be embarking on a thorough research unit in the near future, but for now, we will be learning the tools we need in order to be successful. They will learn how to find websites about animals and read through to pick out important information.

 Tell them the parts of a URL: http://, and the variant forms of

the address. What can be trusted? What type of address usually means the website is run by a person/individual as opposed to a corporation or the government? Keep the discussion brief and simple; children at this age learn best by example, which will come soon.TIP: Always work with and alongside the students when you can![Click any button to continue]

Procedures continuedThe students will be doing an Internet scavenger hunt to

find information about animal habitats around the world. They will be keying in various URLs and then reading the websites to find the habitats. Pass out the “Animals Around the World” worksheet and go over the instructions with them. I find this activity works best when the students are working in partners, but use your own discretion.

 If time permits, allow the children to complete the bonus

activity with the map. It also helps to have maps already printed out for them, and this activity reinforces geography lessons as well.

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Procedures continuedThen, move on to the next phase of the Internet “scavenger,”

which is proper searching of websites. Tell them they will each be receiving their own animal to research. These animals can be assigned by you or by their teacher. Once they receive their animal, then you can proceed with the searching portion. Go over the “URLs and searching” worksheet with them, being sure to emphasize the difference between the relevant websites and the irrelevant websites. It may also help to do a few more examples.

Once they get the hang of it, have them do a search for their animal and show you the results and which one(s) they would think would be relevant. If it helps, have them write down the URL(s). This is a great way to check to ensure they know what a URL is.

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AssessmentFormal assessment consists of the “Animals

Around the World” worksheet completion. Informal assessment is ongoing and consists of ensuring students understand the proper usage of the URLs and reading comprehension. Further assessment includes the “Practice Searching” Quiz.

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The End. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://70s-child.blogspot.com/

Hot Tip #1Collaborate!Get together with the grade-level teacher to

see which TEKS need to be addressed in order to tweak this lesson even further.

Ask teachers/friends/co-workers to bring in pictures from some of the countries from this activity to share with the students to make this activity even more authentic.

Hot Tip #2For instance, Google “monkeys” and evaluate

the websites that come up together. Which are actually about the animal monkeys? Which would be appropriate for elementary-age students?

If you have time, also try misspelling a search word to show them what happens and how to troubleshoot misspelled search terms.

Hot Tip #3

Do the first one or two animals with the students, especially those in the younger grades.

Want to extend this lesson even further? Create Wordles and Glogs about what you learn! Use Google Maps, as well.

Hot Tip #4

This activity is an extension of an extension, if you will, but so helpful, so please do it if you have the time!

Even better: have them also search for a photograph/picture of their animal. There are many create free public domain picture sites out there; this one is my favorite: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

Hot Tip #5Link-apalooza!To integrate technology into your curriculum,

try these excellent websites:Lesson Plans for Elementary & High SchoolTeaching With the Web (K-12)Technology in the Classroom (K-6)Examples of Student Technology Projects Create a Web Guide (super easy and really,

really neat!)