A Rivers Fate

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A Rivers Fate A WebQuest for 3rd Grade
(Science) Based on the book A River Ran Wild by
Lynne Cherry Designed by Diane
Avery   Based on a template from San Diego
State Universitys The WebQuest Page
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Introduction This lesson was developed as part
of the elementary science methods course at Roger
Williams University, in Bristol, Rhode Island. It
is based on themes taken from the book A River
Ran Wild, by Lynne Cherry. Students will
research what effects may occur with the proposed
building of a paper mill on their local river.
Students will use the information from the
websites to decide if the town should vote yes
or no on the mill proposal, and will create a
pamphlet to influence people on their decisions.
Students will also give a presentation to their
classmates on the project and have them vote
based on the information given in the pamphlet.
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Learners This lesson is based on the National
Science Standards, and was written for third
grade students. Because the science strand from
which it originates continues through the
elementary and middle school grades, the web
quest is appropriate for students through middle
school. Students should read the book A River
Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry prior to the webquest
learning activity, which allows for the
integration of reading and language arts
standards. Students will need time to discuss
the themes of the book with classmates and also
the teacher in order to ensure they have been
introduced to the topics of pollution and the
impact of humans on the environment. I have
included research from the Benchmarks for Science
Literacy to explain what students should know
related to the topics of pollution, human design,
and making decisions. 3a Technology and Science
Even in middle school, students typically do not
distinguish between an engineering model of
experimentation where the goal is to produce a
desirable outcome and the scientific model of
experimentation where the goal is to understand
the relation between causes and effects (Carey et
al., 1989 Schauble et al., 1991). 3b Design and
Systems Preliminary research gives some
indication of two student perspectives on risk
resulting from the failure of technological
systems. In the first perspective, if the risk of
failure involves the possibility of widespread
harm, it is unacceptable however, if the risk of
failure is to oneself and voluntary, it is
considered a part of life and hardly worthy of
concern by others. (Fleming, 1986a, 1986b). 3c
Issues in Technology Some students believe
scientists and engineers are more capable of
making decisions about public issues related to
science and technology than the general public.
Students believe that scientists and engineers
know all the facts and are not influenced by
personal motives and interests (Fleming, 1987
Aikenhead 1987).
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• Curriculum Standards
• What will students learn as a result of
  participating in this lesson? They will learn
  that sometimes humans can cause damage to the
  environment through the use of technology or
  industry. The information on the web sites will
  help them realize that humans and nature depend
  on each other, and that careful consideration
  must be taken when something threatens to upsets
  the balance between the two. This activity is
  powerful because students use the information on
  the websites to influence a public vote on an
  event in their own home town. Students will
  learn through group participation and will create
  an important research document. Below are the
  National Science Education Standards which
  correspond to this learning activity.
• National Science Education Standards
• Life Science
• CONTENT STANDARD C The characteristics of
  organisms
• Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals
  need air, water, and food plants require air,
  water, nutrients, and light. Organisms can
  survive only in environments in which their needs
  can be met. The world has many different
  environments, and distinct environments support
  the life of different types of organisms.
• The behavior of individual organisms is
  influenced by internal cues (such as hunger) and
  by external cues (such as a change in the
  environment). Humans and other organisms have
  senses that help them detect internal and
  external cues.
• Life Science
• CONTENT STANDARD C Organisms and their
  environments
• An organism's patterns of behavior are related to
  the nature of that organism's environment. When
  the environment changes, some plants and animals
  survive and reproduce, and others die or move to
  new locations.
• All organisms cause changes in the environment
  where they live. Some of these changes are
  detrimental to the organism or other organisms,
  whereas others are beneficial.
• Humans depend on their natural and constructed
  environments. Humans change environments in ways
  that can be
• either beneficial or detrimental for
  themselves and other organisms.
• Science and Technology
• CONTENT STANDARD E Developing student abilities
  and understanding
• This standard emphasizes developing the ability
  to design a solution to a problem and
  understanding the relationship of science and
  technology and the way people are involved in
  both. This standard helps establish design as the
  technological parallel to inquiry in science.

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• Curriculum Standards (continued)
• English Language Arts Standards
• Taken from the McRel (Mid-Continent Research for
  Education and Learning) website.
• Standard 4 Writing Gathers and uses
  information for research purposes.
• Level II Grade 3-5  
•  Benchmark 1. Uses a variety of strategies to
  plan research (e.g., identifies possible topic by
  brainstorming, listing questions, using idea
  webs organizes prior knowledge about a topic
  develops a course of action determines how to
  locate necessary information)
• Benchmark 4. Uses electronic media to gather
  information (e.g., databases, Internet, CD-ROM,
  television shows, cassette recordings, videos,
  pull-down menus, word searches)
• Benchmark 7. Uses strategies to gather and record
  information for research topics (e.g., uses
  notes, maps, charts, graphs, tables, and other
  graphic organizers paraphrases and summarizes
  information gathers direct quotes provides
  narrative descriptions)
• Standard 7 Reading Uses reading skills and
  strategies to understand and interpret a variety
  of informational texts.
• Level II Grade 3-5   
• Benchmark 1. Uses reading skills and strategies
  to understand a variety of informational texts
  (e.g., textbooks, biographical sketches, letters,
  diaries, directions, procedures, magazines)
• Benchmark 3. Uses text organizers (e.g.,
  headings, topic and summary sentences, graphic
  features, typeface, chapter titles) to determine
  the main ideas and to locate information in a
  text
• Benchmark 7. Understands structural patterns or
  organization in informational texts (e.g.,
  chronological, logical, or sequential order
  compare-and-contrast cause-and-effect
  proposition and support)
• Standard 8 Listening and Speaking Uses
  listening and speaking strategies for different
  purposes.
• Level II Grade 3-5  
• Benchmark 1. Contributes to group discussions

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Process The lesson activities are organized
around individual and group research gathering,
summarization of main ideas uncovered in the
research, organization of information with
writing and visuals, and the creation of a
persuasive informational pamphlet based on facts
and pictures created by the group. It will take
approximately 5-7 days (one class per day) to
complete the work. It is a interdisciplinary
science lesson, including research, reading and
writing, visual arts, social activism, and an
oral presentation. As noted earlier, this Web
quest is based on themes from A River Ran Wild by
Lynne Cherry. I strongly suggest reading and
discussing the book ahead of time.
Although it was noted that there was only
one student in each of the three groups Fact
Finder, Animal Idol, and Water Wiz, it could
easily be completed with two students per group.
It may be helpful, especially for younger or
struggling readers, to have a partner for the
reading and writing parts of the lesson.
Please note -It is important that students
understand the nature of non-fiction text, and
understand that any information gathered
regarding the topic must be factual. Teachers
should review how to use the Private Eye
Factbooks with the students to ensure they
understand how to take bulleted notes and cite
text. Point out that the websites are listed at
the tops of the pages. Plain paper or any type
of notebook can be used in place of the
Factbooks. Prior to making copies of the final
pamphlets for the group, the students will need
some coaching on how to present their topic to
their classmates. Also, students may wish to act
as if this is a real event encourage creativity
and role playing.
Student Process Decide who will take on the role
of Fact Finder This super-sleuth will uncover
the shady facts about mills and paper
factories. Animal Idol A friend to the animals!
You will find out how mills and factories have
affected nature and wildlife. Water Wiz You will
inform people of the importance of clean water in
the environment and what happens when it becomes
polluted.
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• Part 1 Missions Materials
• Each member will investigate the information
  through the links provided on the next page.
  Your notes will be recorded in the Private Eye
  Booklets. Each page has the name of the website
  link on it, and you will need to write the
  important information and draw pictures that will
  help explain what you have learned.
• Explore all of the links available on your
  topic.
• Be careful when writing information in your
  booklets. P.I. investigators need to be
  accurate!
• Be prepared to share what you have learned with
  your other team members.

• Part 2 Discussions Decisions
• Now it is time to share what you have found.
  Allow each member of the team to share the
  information from the websites.
• After all have read their information, it is time
  to use the Just the Facts Worksheet. Under each
  heading, write the main ideas for this topic.
  All members of the Private Eye team can work on
  this task.
• Time to vote! All members of the team will vote
  on whether or not they think the town should
  allow the mill to be built. Put the results in
  the Ballot Box section.
• Now that your team made a decision, it is time to
  tell the citizens of Lincoln what you have
  learned. Your mission is to create a pamphlet
  which clearly states whether or not you think the
  mill is a good idea. Your pamphlet will affect
  how people vote on this issue so be
  persuasive!!
• On the next page, there are some ideas to help
  you design your pamphlet. Good Luck Private Eye
  Team!

Variations This lesson can be easily varied to
suit the needs of your students. For instance,
you can create a more structured graphic
organizer for younger learners, or have students
print pictures off the websites instead of
drawing them, which would save on time.
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• Resources Needed
• For Students
• Set of A River Ran Wild, by Lynne Cherry,
• Computers with internet access and Microsoft Word
• Art Materials Paper, crayons, colored pencils,
  markers
• Private Eye Notebook or any lined paper or
  science notebook. Click on the links to print a
  copy of the notebook and graphic organizer.
• Main Ideas graphic organizer
• Teacher Information
• I suggest that students read A River Ran Wild,
  and discuss the topics with a least some teacher
  direction prior to the web quest.
• Teachers and students should review the rubric,
  expectations, and directions together prior to
  starting the lesson.
• One teacher in the room should be enough for this
  lesson, but a volunteer could be helpful when
  students are designing the pamphlets and
  practicing for the class presentation.
• Teachers should also review the web sites that
  students will be using to see if they are
  appropriate for the reading levels of the
  students. Below are links to the websites.
• River Factsheet
• Industrial Pollution
• Pulp Paper Mills
• Endangered Species

Rivers Fish Paper Mill Connection Water
Pollution Water Use Facts Clean Water Act
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Evaluation Students should know the expectations
of the project ahead of time. Inform students
that you will be scoring them on their
performance, and that they will be self-assessing
as well. The criteria of the rubric match the
phases of the student activities, and link with
the science standards.
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Evaluation (continued)
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Conclusion The phases of the web quest project
allow teachers to monitor progress and make
adjustments and clarifications as needed. Again,
preparing the students for the project will
provide the scaffolding needed to complete this
challenging learning experience. The
presentation part of the lesson provides a way
for students to share what they have learned and
take pride in their work. Students are given
the opportunity to learn from other students
which is a powerful experience! Children need to
know that they can make a difference in their
classrooms and in the community as well.
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Credits References Pictures on slide
1 Background www.lynnecherry.com Mill/Nashua
River pictures www.sebringdesign.com Picture
on slide 11 Book Cover www.thereadingnook.com/.
../0152163727_large.jpg All other
pictures Taken from Microsoft Clip Art Books A
River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry Based on a
template from San Diego State Universitys The
WebQuest Page