Darwin Day Webquest

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Darwin Day Webquest

• For the 10th Grade Student
• Jeff Ells

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As humans we wonder about life, how did we get
here, and where we are going. Scientists like
Jean Batiste Lamarck hypothesized that animals
willfully changed forms to best suit their
environments. It was not until Charles Darwin
came up with his Evolutionary Theory and
mechanism of Natural Selection, did scientist
have a provable, data reinforced theory.
Darwins Theory of Evolution by means of Natural
Selection is the thread that ties Plant and
Animal Biology, Genetics, Cell Biology, Geology,
Astronomy and other scientific studies together.
It was, and still is, at the pinnacle in
scientific theory and thought.Some people have
very opposite views on evolution than the
scientific community. Religion and theological
thought have been in this debate from the start.
There are faith based ideas like Creation Science
and Intelligent Design that are right now being
thought of as scientific based.
Introduction
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Purpose

• Look at both sides of this controversial issue
• Evolution
• Students are asked to base their presentation on
  the Scientific Platform
• Use this basis of knowledge to make informed
  decisions.

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Task

• The Hook
• Your team is about to present to the United
  Nations your proposal to make February 12,
  Darwins Birthday, a world holiday.
• No School holiday
• Two sides to every Coin
• Scientific Theories
• Strong Religious Beliefs
• Data And Facts
• Use the websites to produce facts

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Process

• Teams
• persuasive presentation
• Describing Darwins life, discoveries and his
  theory.
• Present it to the United Nations.
• Panel of Teacher and class 
• Research both sides of this issue.

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Sites used for WebQuest

• PBS Evolution
• Talk.Origins Archive

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WebQuest Taskonomy

• Consensus Building
• Controversy Topics
• Differences in belief and theories
• Involve learners taking on different perspectives
  by studying different sets of resources

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Blooms Taxonomy

• Knowledge
• Knowledge of dates, events, places
• Theories and Support Data
• Comprehension
• Interpret facts, compare contrast
• Application
• Apply theories in new situations

Yea, this really is good ol Ben
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Blooms Taxonomy

• Analysis
• See patterns
• Organization of parts
• Recognition of hidden meanings
• ID of components
• Synthesis
• predict, draw conclusions
• Integrate theory data into Practice

• Evaluate
• compare and discriminate between ideas
• assess value of theories
• make choices based on reasoned argument
• verify value of evidence
• recognize subjectivity

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Questions and Answers

• What are the questions of the UN?
• The class becomes the UN and judging body. (yep,
  they will be grading each other)
• They have the ability to ask any question that
  they have found through their own research.
• Rubric "WebQuest describes how technology
  extends and expands instruction
• The use of PowerPoint presentation software and
  web searches will extend and expand this lesson.

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Questions and Answers

• Is three days long enough to research this topic
  and design a presentation.
• We will see!!!! The time might have to be
  extended if needed.

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Questions and Answers

• Rubric "WebQuest clearly demonstrates how
  students with diverse needs and abilities are
  supported through instruction
• Students will be working in groups, using visual
  aids and computer aided tasks
• Since special needs students are in the general
  Ed classes they also have the individualized help
  from Sp. Ed. Teachers and Department