A WebQuest for 5th and 6th Grade (Iditarod Dreams)
Designed by
Carol M. Frego
frego44@slic.com
Last updated on March 7, 2005. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completion of your Iditarod Challenge. You were presented with the task of describing an elephant, but instead of looking to an encyclopedia or a zoo exhibit, you were blindfolded and guided to a real elephant. Each of you touched a different part of the animal: one, the soft and delicate tip of the elephant's trunk; another, the hard tusk of ivory; and a third, the wrinkled hide around the elephant's belly.
Based upon what each of you learned, one thinks the elephant is smooth and soft, another would say the elephant is smooth and hard, while the last would conclude that elephants are rough and soft. What's the truth? When we study complex topics such as the Iditarod, we are like the elephant examiners: there's usually a lot more to a topic that we don't learn about after a quick exploration.
That is particularly true when we use the Internet for our research, because many people post their personal opinions or only know a sliver of the whole story, as you do. In this Webquest , you used the power of teamwork and abundant resources on the Internet to learn all about the Iditarod Challenge. Each person on your team learned one piece of the puzzle and then you came together so as to have a better understanding of the Iditarod, Alaska's history, the land and its people.
So is an elephant rough, soft, or hard? Well, when you are blindfolded and only looking at one part, it is easy to come up with an answer that may not be completely right. It is the same for the Iditarod challenge. Initially you had only a few pieces of the whole puzzle, now you have more and the picture created is closer to the truth.
For the year 2005, you have met your challenge, and you should be proud of yourselves. What other parts of the Iditarod challenge remain to be explored? What about the statue of Balto? Should there be other statues along side that of Balto? What about the fight against diphtheria? Is the fight against diphtheria over, if not how will we prepare to meet this challenge?
Remember the learning never stops! We just rest in between the learning.
