Six WebQuests appropriate for

Third Grade Science Unit on Rocks

selected by

Lisa Kranz

AzKranz@cox.net

Rocks & Minerals Detectives

http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/brannon/webquest/kmbindex.html

Mid Primary Grades (2-5)

This is a nicely assembled WebQuest with thorough directions and resources. The task involves cooperative group work in assembling a slideshow using Kid Pix software.

Annual ‘Rock Star’ Selection

http://www.shenet.org/orenda/mjones/FamousRocks/mvjfamousrocks.htm

Mid Primary Grades (2-5)

This WebQuest is just fun! It is more about famous rocks than about the composition of rock, which makes it fresh and interesting. It would be a great accompaniment to a normal rock unit because of its uniqueness. The task is researching and making a poster about one of the “famous rocks”.

Who Wants To Be a Rock Star?

http://visalia.k12.ca.us/techcoach/rocks/

Second Grade (appropriate for others)

This WebQuest has students researching the more basic compostion of rocks, but the Quest has a really fun theme in which the students use the merits of each rock in an “audition” to become the next Rock Star. The tasks include using KidPix multimedia and public presentation.

Calling All Rock Hounds

http://www.schools.manatee.k12.fl.us/webdisk/landers/WebPages/Rocks/rocks.html

Fourth Grade (appropriate for others)

This WebQuest is all about using Inspiration software through the subject of rocks. It is heavily skewed with Inspiration, but if it is a medium you wish to use with your students, they should be Inspiration experts after this Quest, and pick up more gemstone and rock cycle knowledge on the way.

Rocks and Minerals: A Rock’s Life

http://www.mhcbe.ab.ca/st_francis/gr3/WebQuest/Science/Rock%20Life.htm

Third Grade (probably 2-5)

This WebQuest integrates Language Arts with Science. The reason I like this website is it has some creative writing thrown in using the knowledge about rocks. However, I do not like the accompanying lessons about rocks. If the students learned about rocks prior to this quest, though, and not through this quest, this quest’s tasks are pretty good. They include a creative writing exercise from the rocks perspective (a bio of the rock’s life) and a powerpoint about the rock’s life.

Rocks, Rocks and More Rocks

http://www.campbell.k12.ky.us/links/webquest/gray/rocks.html

Mid Grades (2-5)

This WebQuest does not have an aesthetically pleasing website. However, it has good clear instructions and outstanding tasks. The tasks include making a brochure, a poster or a picture book about rocks using information found during the research.