American Symbols Webquest

Introduction

America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, has many important symbols and landmarks that have added deep meaning to our country's heritage. You will use what you know already know, the Internet, and other resources to gain more information in order to honor a request by the President of the United States.

Your team has been asked to create a project to be sent all over the world depicting an important symbol or landmark of our wonderful country - the United States of America! In order to develop your project, you must first gather all the information you will need.

Task:

During this webquest you will travel to different sites to learn interesting facts about some of the most famous American symbols and landmarks. As you travel, you will choose ONE symbol and take notes on the Information Sheet found at the bottom of this page. At the end of your trip through America, you will create a Traveling America Brochure that will be helpful to explain the symbol/landmark and its history to classmates.

Process:

Essential Questions:

Which famous symbol/landmark would you most like to visit and why?

Step 1: Choose a symbol/landmark from the list below. You will work with a partner.

Step 2: Use the Guiding Question sheet to research the symbol/landmark. Review the questions before you begin your research. You don't have to answer the questions in the order they are presented. You also do not have to answer every question on the recording sheet, but you should try!

Step 3: You must cite all of your sources. Use the chart below as a guide.

kim...insert chart please

Citing Sources

•from a book...

Marcovitz, Hal (2003). The Liberty Bell. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers.

•from an encyclopedia...

Lumiansky, R.M. (1998). Chaucer. In The New Encyclopedia Britannica (Vol. 15, pp. 745-748). Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica.

•from a magazine or journal...

Gawande, A. (2001, July 9). The man who couldn't stop eating. The New Yorker, 77, 66- 75.

Resources and Links:

Click on the links below to visit the Internet sites to research.

1. The Statue of Liberty

2. The White House

3. The Flag

4. The Liberty Bell

5. Mount Rushmore

6. The Washington Monument

7. The Bald Eagle

8. Enchanted Learning

9. Unforgettable Symbols

The Presentation

After you have completed the information on your national symbol/landmark, you will create a project that gives important information about the symbol/landmark of our great country. One suggestion is using the brochure sample found at the bottom of this page. You can also design a poster, make a "Believe it or Not..." book, or use a presentation app on the iPad incorporating Tellagami.

Evaluation:

Look for the RUBRIC to see how you will be graded!

Conclusion:

After you have learned all about the landmarks you and your classmates are researching, each member of your class will vote on the landmark he/she would most like to visit. You will need to provide evidence to explain why you want to visit the landmark you have chosen. The landmark you vote for does NOT have to be the landmark you researched.

Good luck and happy researching!

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