It is early summer 1908. Robert Peary and Matthew Henson are preparing for their sixth and final attempt to reach the North Pole. Peary has selected the bravest, strongest, and most intelligent people he could find to assist him in this attempt. You are part of this history making team. If successful, you will be one of the first people to reach the North Pole! Before your journey begins, you must become an Arctic Expert.
The
Task: Your team has been chosen as the official historians of the
group. You must successfully record all major events of this trip.
It is then your job to report these events back to the world in a
creative and multimedia way. Your team's report must include the
following:
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*A list of supplies that you took to the Arctic. *A copy of your personal diary. You must include at least one entry from each of the following events: the voyage there, hardships you faced, your training, and how you felt when you actually reached the North Pole. *A descriptive writing about the land and animals of the Arctic. *Some photographs of the events that took place and the things you saw. *A detailed map of the route your team took. *An original interview with either Peary or Henson describing the accomplishment of being the first to reach the North Pole. |
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Matthew Henson: Arctic Explorer |
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The
Process:
Before you leave on your journey you must become a Tundra Expert. Complete the following activities to prepare you for your journey. Remember:Read all directions carefully!
1.Explore the animals of the Tundra. Find at least three omnivore, three carnivore, and three herbivore.
2.Choose one of the following activities:
Arctic Wildlife Portfolio
*Choose one animal of the Tundra. Create a model, diorama, or poster showing their habitat.
*Design or model an ecosystem of the Tundra.
*Create and illustrate one food web you would find in the Tundra. It must include at least ten animals.
3.Barrow Alaska is one city in the Arctic circle. Link to Accuvue Weather. Create a line graph or a bar graph that will show the high and low temperatures of Barrow for five days. Make sure you label your graph correctly and give it a title!
4.Make one of the following:
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*A model of an igloo with "How to Build an Igloo" directions *Create an Arctic Survival Guide *You are on your journey, write a letter home telling someone about your trip. |
5. Create a Venn Diagram comparing the Tundra to the biome where you live.
6. Keep track of all the resources that you use. Turn in a bibliography with your final project.
7. When your project is finished, submit a paragraph explaining what each member of your group contributed to this WebQuest.
Learning
Advice:The success of this project lies in team cooperation and
creativity. Split up the tasks evenly among group members. Make sure
your group is organized. It might be a good idea to keep all finished
work in a file folder. If someone is absent the group can still work
if the folder is kept at school and everyone in your group knows
where the folder is located. You might want to keep a check list in
the front of your folder to keep track of the finished parts of the
task. Groups should meet frequently to check progress of each member.
If you find any interesting resources that are not listed below,
please share them with the class. Final projects may be presented in
a variety of creative ways. A few suggestions are:
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* Create an APPLEWORKS Slideshow Presentation * Design the front page of a newspaper from 1908-1909 about Matthew Henson (using APPLEWORKS) * Make a timeline describing the events of your voyage * Create a game board that explains your journey * Design a scrapbook or photo album to tell the story of your exploration * Use a video camera and create a documentary about your trip Do your very best work! Ask questions if you do not understand something. Use all of your resources wisely. |
Book
Resources
* Arctic Explorer:The Story of Matthew Henson by Jeri Ferris
* Great Lives:Explorers by Milton Lomask
* A Passion for Danger:Nansen'ts Arctic Adventures by Francine Jacobs
* Arctic Animals by Bobbie Kalman
* Tundra, the Arctic Land by Bruce Hiscock
Evaluation:Below
is a list of questions which will help me evaluate your project. Ask
yourself these questions before your turn your project in!
1. Is your group's project creative?
2. Is your group's project organized?
3. Are the process projects labeled and put in order?
4. Does the group have their name on the project?
5. Did you use correct spelling and grammar?
6. Does your project use descriptive words?
7. Did your group complete all parts of the task and process?
8. Did your group provide a list of resources which they used to collect information?
9. How will you orally present your project to the class?
10. Is this project a reflection of your group's very best work?
Conclusion:You
have experienced the preparation and journey of just two great
explorers. Explorers take many risks and spend numerous hours
preparing for their adventures. How do explorers define the success
of a mission? What new discoveries have been made by
explorers?
Reflection:What
characteristics must explorers have? How do the conditions of the
land you are exploring affect your planning and preparation? Who is
the greatest explorer? Why?
Extension:
Plan a trip to the Arctic today? Include a budget, your travel
arrangements, lodging information, and the tourist attractions you
plan to visit. How is this trip different from the one you took with
Matthew Henson and Robert Peary?
Lesson #2 Arctic Explorer: The Story of Matthew Henson
Unit 4 Survival
Grade 4