Habitat Webquest

By Kelly Rohrbach and Pamela Wetzel

Introduction Process Evaluation Conclusion Credits Teacher’s Page

Introduction

• Imagine that you work at a zoo. Your job is to create cages for the new animals.

• Using what you know about animals and what you research today about habitats, you and another employee of the zoo must create cages that imitate the natural habitat for 8 new animals.

Process

With your partner, work through these steps:

1.What is a habitat? Tell your partner the definition in your own words.

2.Take an Animals Tour with The Magic School Bus

3.Play each of the Active Science Games to discover each habitats

Process, Ctd.

4. Switch seats with your partner and allow your partner to use the computer.

5. Match animals to their habitats on the Acadia National Park website.

Process, Ctd.

6. Research 1 animal from each habitat using Utah Education Network

7. Write at least 4 objects that should be in each animal’s zoo cage

8. Draw each animal’s cage on plain paper9. Write your names, the animal’s name,

and the animal’s habitat on each drawing

Evaluation

• Animal Habitat Characteristics Rubric

• Cage Capture Rubric

Conclusion

Congratulations for completing this Webquest!

You are now Zoo Keepers!Be prepared for more jobs ahead!

Zoo Keeper Award

CreditsCredits

This Webquest was created as an assignment for ITC 321: Instructional Technology in Education at Kutztown University, PA.

Animal Habitat Characteristics Rubric

Beginning Zoo Keeper 

Average Zoo Keeper 

Expert Zoo Keeper 

Score

Names  -No Zoo Keepers' names are listed 

-1 Zoo Keeper's name is listed 

-Both Zoo Keepers' names are listed 

 

Research  -Less than 4 animals were researched 

-4-7 animals were researched 

-8 animals were researched 

 

Characteristics  -Not all of the animals have more than 1 object listed for their zoo cage 

-Each of the animals has at least 2 objects listed for their zoo cage 

-Each of the animals has at least 4 objects listed for their zoo cage 

 

Creativity  -1 or more of the objects in each cage are unique 

-2 or more of the objects in each cage are unique 

-3 or more of the objects in each cage are unique 

 

Collaboration  -1 Zoo Keeper completed all or most of the research and the characteristics list 

-Both Zoo Keepers split the work and individually researched and completed parts of the characteristics list 

-Both Zoo Keepers contributed to the research and characteristics list 

 

Cage Capture RubricBeginning Zoo

Keeper Average Zoo Keeper  Expert Zoo

Keeper Score

Content  -4 or fewer Zoo Cages that may not have been properly labeled with animals' names and natural habitats-2+ objects in each cage from the animals' natural habitats-Zoo Keepers' names are missing 

-5-7 Zoo Cages: that may not have been properly labeled with animals' names and natural habitats-3+ objects in each cage from the animals' natural habitats-1 Zoo Keeper's name 

-8 Zoo Cages: each properly labeled with animals' names and natural habitats-4+ objects in each cage from the animals' natural habitats-2 Zoo Keepers' names 

 

Collaboration  -1 Zoo Keeper did all or most of the work. 

-The Zoo Keepers worked individually on 4 cages, rather than working together on all of the cages. 

-Both Zoo Keepers spent time on each cage design. 

 

Creativity  -4 or fewer cages are colorful-10 or fewer cage characteristics are unique 

-4-7 cages are colorful-11-20 cage characteristics are unique 

-All 8 cages are colorful-21-32 cage characteristics are unique 

 

Teacher Page

Give students adequate time to complete this project. Some students will have more experience working with computers and the internet than others. An estimated completion time for this Webquest is 2 hours.

Task Materials Standards Students’ Page

Task

Students will identify that air and water are necessary for all living things.

Students will match 8 zoo animals to their appropriate habitats and design habitat appropriate zoo cages for the 8 animals.

Students will use the internet to answer questions about animal habitats.

Standards

• Environmental Health:

4.3.4.A: Know that plants, animals, and humans are dependent on air and water.

4.3.4.C: Understand that the elements of natural systems are interdependent.

• Science and Technology:

3.7.4.D: Use basic computer software.

Materials• For Each Pair of Zoo Keepers:

– 1 computer with Internet access – Animal Habitat Characteristic

Worksheet– 8 pieces of plain white paper – Pack of crayons/markers/colored

pencils