Science Discovery: A Writing Connection
A WebQuest for 4th and 5th Grade Writing
Designed by
Introduction| Task| Process| Evaluation| Conclusion| Credits
Introduction
“ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO!”
This WebQuest has been designed to help guide you during your research project. You will have access to several helpful websites that are filled with valuable information about the various science themes you have been study throughout the school year. Throughout your search, you want to keep in mind the specific question you generated to guide your research.
The Task
Ladies and gentlemen, you will enjoy conducting an experiment with your family at home and connect your findings into our world of Language Arts. You will begin this project by formulating a question that focuses on one of the major science themes covered for your grade level. Each of you young scientists will formulate a question that will guide your experiment and research. Throughout the course of several weeks, you will take observational notes and report them back to the class in the form of short narratives. Wonderfully enough you will also research your topic to find out all that you can connected to your project.
In class, we will all convert our research findings into a 5 paragraph essay, which will be shared at our Science Fair. Each one of you will put together and display a trifold board that contains your question, prediction, materials used in the experiment, how-to essay explaining how your experiment was put together, and a 5 paragraph essay containing your research.
Ladies and gentlemen, Tuesday, June 3, we will be hosting our Science Fair with a Writing Twist. Everyone will be expected to display their experiment with their trifold boards and written work.
Introduction| Task| Process| Evaluation | Conclusion| Credits
The Process
At School
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Select a science topic of interest and a corresponding experiment.
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Formulate a question to guide your experiment.
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Conference with your teacher to identify the needed material, research, and writing components that go along with your experiment.
At Home
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Meet with your parents to receive approval for conducting the experiemented you have chosen.
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Begin to conduct your experiment by April 25th.
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Document what you notice each night in your journal, or while you are conducting your experiment.
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Take pictures of your experiment if appropriate.
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Save your experiment for the Science Fair.
___________________ At School
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Research your topic to gain new information that you can learn and share with others.
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Find a minimum of 10 new facts about your topic. (Due May 2)
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Organize your research in outline form.
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Write the 1st draft of your 5 paragraph essay. (Due May 9)
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Connect with a research buddy and share your 1st draft with each other.
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Use the “Buddy Share” worksheet to provide helpful advise to your partner.
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Revise and edit your 1st draft.
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Conference and share your revised 1st draft with a teacher. Make any additional revisions.
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Write your final draft. (Due May 23)
At School
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Write a list of the needed materials and the steps your haven taken to complete your experiment. (Due April 28)
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Write the 1st draft of your 3 paragraph How-to essay. (Due April 30)
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Use the "Buddy Share" worksheet to provide helpful advise to your partner.
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Edit and revise your 1st draft.
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Conference with a teacher and make any needed revisions.
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Write your final draft of your how-to essay. (Due May 7)
Websites
Ecosystem
Solar Energy
Below is a rubric to guide your progress through your research project. Each part of the research project has been divided into smaller, gradable sections. The criteria for earning the maximum amount of points is listed in each column. Do your best, and have fun learning about how science.
Evaluation "A Work in Progress!"
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Research
Materials |
Basic
10 |
Proficient
15 |
Above Proficient
20 |
Score |
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Outline |
Outline is organized sequentially with less than 10 new facts. No personal knowledge is added. |
Outline is organized sequentially with a minimum of 10 new facts. Some personal knowledge is added. |
Outline is organized sequentially with more than 10 new facts and a lot of personal knowledge added. |
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Rough Draft of Research Paper |
The rough draft contains fewer than 5 paragraphs with topics sentences. Several paragraphs have less than 5 sentences. The draft is organized in sequential order. |
The rough draft contains a minimun of 5 paragraphs. Each paragraph begins with a topic sentences and is supported by a minimum of 4 additional sentences. The draft is organized in sequential order. |
The rough draft contains 5 or more paragraphs with topic sentences supported by 6 to 7 additional sentences. The draft is organized in sequential order. |
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Final Draft of Research Paper |
The final draft contains less than 5 paragraphs. The final draft includes less than 10 new facts and fewer than 5 personal connections from students own personal knowledge base. |
The final draft contains 5 well organized paragraphs including an interesting lead and conclusion. Each paragraph includes a topic sentences with a minimum of 4 additional sentences. The final draft includes at least 10 new facts with 5 personal connections from students own personal knowledge base. |
The final draft contains 5 or more well organized paragraphs including an interesting lead and conclusion. Each paragraph contains more than 3 new facts with the students own knowledge of the topic as well. Each paragraph contains more than 5 focused sentences. |
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Rough Draft of How-To Essay |
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| Final Draft of How-To Essay |
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| Tri-Fold Board |
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| Presentation |
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Conclusion
Wow! You have just completed your first research project for this school year. Throughout this experience you have learned how to gather valuable information, write a research paper, and how to conduct an experiment. I am very proud of all of you! I do hope that you have acquired an appreciation for learning and yourselves as wonderful people!
Credits & References
Introduction| Task | Process| Evaluation| Conclusion | Credits
