Introduction
                This lesson is designed to supplement the fifth grade unit on the fifty states of America by using technology. It can also be used as an                         introduction to websites and how to search the site for specific material.
   
                The 50 States webquest requires students to sift through the given web pages to fill in the facts on the assigned states. The final prodenct                     will be a Fifty State fact book that students can use to learn about the other states. The fact book can also help students decide what state                   they want to do their big research project on.

Learners
               This lesson is created for fifth grade social studies and incorporates technology. However, the lesson can be extended to fourth and sixth                     grades if need be.
     
                The students will have to be able to read in order to complete this assignment. They also will have to accurately record the facts that they                     have found on the website. Students do NOT have to have experience using the internet, yet if there is time before teaching this lesson                       to practice using basic internet skills it would help the lesson go smoother.

Curriculum Standards
                Name and locate the 50 states.
Process
                 Randomly assign students states (1-2 depending on the size of the class).
                     Using the links provided, ask students to research/find the following facts:
                     1. the state capital
                     2. the state population
                     3. when the state became a state
                     4. the state nickname
                     5. sketch the state flag
                     6. sketch of the state.
                  On the other side of the paper ask students to write the name of the state that they are researching in big letters. Ask the students to use                      their BEST handwriting so that others can read their facts. Remind them that on some of the links they may need to scroll down and                          read carefully to find the information that they are looking for.

        50 States Resourcess for Research:
These are the links that the students will be using to find the facts above.

    http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/
    http://www.50states.com/
    http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/
    http://www.50states.com/flag/

If some of the students are finishing accuratly and quickly, assign them another state. If  there is ELL/IEP students who are struggling you can give one of their states to a student who is finishing accuratly and quikly. If there is extra time, or you would like your students to try this activity, there is a great game with the fifty states on addicting games. com. If you chose to use this game, look over it ahead of time. I would recomend that students record their scores at the end of the game so that you can track improvement.

<embed src='http://www.addictinggames.com/D78AQSAKQLQWI9/3436.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='700' height='728'></embed><br><a href='http://www.addictinggames.com' target='_blank' title='Play Games'>Play Games at AddictingGames</a>


Resources Needed
            Computers with internet.
             Blank white paper (computer paper)
             Colored pencils to record facts

Evaluation
           
           

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Research	No information collected	Accurately collects a few  of the requested facts	Accurately collects most of the requested facts	Accurately collects all of the requuested facts
Completion	Does not complete the assignment	Completes most of the assingment for one state	Completes the assignment for  one state	Comletes the assignment for one or more states
Neatness	Illegible or not organized	Difficult to read, organization is not clear or consistant	Some words are hard to read, has organization	Easy to read, proofread, clearly organized
Ontask	Not ontask or doing the assignement, needs to be repeatedly reminded or removed from the lab.	Needs frequent reminding to stay on task	Needs some reminding but getting work done.	Does not need reminding and is getting lots of work (multiple states completed)

Conclusion
                Once the students have finished thier fact sheets they can turn them in to you to be laminated for flash cards. The students can present the facts that they found about their state to the class. Have the students write down their top 5 choices for which state they want to do their state research project on. The completed flashcards can be kept in the classroom library for students to use a resourse.

Credits & References
   http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/
    http://www.50states.com/
    http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/
    http://www.50states.com/flag/
     http://www.addictinggames.com/index.html

Created by Shannon Blacklidge last updated December 4, 2008 shannon.blacklidge@pacificu.edu