Introduction

Task

Process

Resources

Evaluation

Conclusion

Teacher's Page

Process

Step 1-Groups and Roles: This WebQuest is designed to be completed in groups of 4 students. At the beginning of class, the teacher will assign you to a group of 4 students. Once the groups have been formed, you will now need to select a role. Each student must pick one role; no two students can pick the same role--after all, if all of the information is not covered in the article, your editor will be angry! The four roles are:

Nautical Expert: This person obtains information about the new types of weapons used at sea during World War I such as U-Boats. The Nautical Expert must gain a very clear sense of how these weapons were used and the reason why they were viewed as groundbreaking and fear-inducing.

The Interviewer: This person is responsible for obtaining firsthand accounts of soldiers who experienced trench warfare, U-Boat attacks, gas attacks, and other aspects of combat involving these new and terrible weapons. They must gain a general sense of what it was like to fight a war involving these weapons and how it affected the lives of soldiers.

Land Weapon Expert: This person is responsible for obtaining information regarding the weapons used on land during World War I, such as machine guns and poison gas. The Land Weapon Expert must have an idea about the nature of these weapons and their effects on the soldiers and warfare.

The Strategy Expert: This person is responsible for learning about the tools used to influence strategy and battle during World War I such as barbed wire and trench warfare. The Strategy Expert needs to learn why these tactics were used, how these tactics affected fighting, as well as how they influences the individual lives' of soldiers.

Be sure that everyone has a role--if you are unable to select roles on your own, the teacher will do it for you! Also, as you work, be sure to consider the grading rubric which your teacher has handed out to you.

Step 2-Research: Once you have a role, it is time to do research! Use the Internet resources available in the Resources section to gather information which will be used to write an article which will impress your editor and amaze American readers. If you need assistance with these resources, ask the teacher for assistance. Be sure to gather all of the research necessary for your role, because without it, the article will not be complete! 

It's highly likely that rival journalists will question your source material and the accuracy of your accounts--they don't want your story to be known as the best story on the war!  Therefore, be sure to list the sources which you use at the bottom of the last page of your article so your editor will know that your facts are rock-solid and worthy of publication.

Step 3-What's Important?: Once you have completed your research, look at the facts you have obtained and figure out what is important and what is not. The article needs to be written and sent back to America very soon; you must return to your fellow reporters with a very good sense of what exactly you want to include in the article!

Step 4-Compiling Information: Once all of the group members have completed their research, it is time to come together as a group and to decide what should be included in the article. Make sure that each person has a chance to present their information. After each group member has stated what they believe should be included based on the research required for their role, each group should formulate an outline for their article.

Step 5-Writing the Article: Once your group knows what they want to write, it's time to begin writing the article! Be sure to use correct grammar and structure while writing--it looks bad when newspapers publish poorly written articles! 

Step 6-Revising the Article: After the article has been written, each group member should read over the article. While reading, ensure that there are no grammatical mistakes in the article and that all of the necessary content which your role needed to include is present in the article--you don't want your name to go on an article you're not proud of! Be sure to manage your time effectively, because this will be due at the end of the second class period--your editor has established that as a firm deadline!

Step 7-Submit: Once all group members are happy with the article, it's time to send it to the editor! Print it off and submit it to the teacher, who will then pass it along to the editor.