Introduction Welcome! I am sure you all know a little something already about the four seasons: Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. You will be working in groups, conducting research, and creating a poster board to present to the class on the season you are assigned. After your presentations are complete you will individually write a journal reflection answering some questions about the seasons. In the end you will have learned how each season is different in so many ways!

Task Since our class has been learning about the different seasons, we are going to construct a visual aid project on the different seasons to share and “teach” the class. Your task is to: Research the season assigned to your group Use you past experiences and research to tie into your project Construct a fun way to teach the rest of the class about your season Use a visual such as a poster board and / or additional items relating to your season Teach your classmates the information necessary for them to learn more about the season You will decide as a group which information you find to be the most crucial to giving identifying features and important facts about your season. These items will help you to create your visual aid on your season for the rest of the class to learn about it as well. You should be using researched information and your own experiences for this project. Next you will create a visual. Your group should use something that shows the class representations of the season such as pictures, videos, or items that can be used during that time of the year. Once your presentation is completed each group will present their projects to one another in front of the class. After every group has presented their projects to the class each of you will independently write a journal reflection answering a few questions about the seasons. Your projects will be posted on the wall after the presentations are complete so that your parents can see what you have all been working so hard on. Make sure to be creative! For ideas you can explore the following sites: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/fourseasons/Four_Seasons.htm http://crafts.kaboose.com/

Research Question Worksheet Process 1.) The class will be divided into four groups and each group will be assigned one season to research. Once you have your group assignment gather with your group and take ten minutes to discuss the season you are given. Discuss what you already know or things that you think occur during your given season. 2.) As a group you will use the following the links below to help you find information about your season. While looking at the following links each group member will have to fill out their own research question worksheet below that each of you will turn in after your presentation. Please click on each of the following links that will help guide you in your research. You may also use other classroom resources provided for your research such as books and magazines. Spring Websites: http://www.wxdude.com/spring.html Summer Websites: http://www.wxdude.com/summer.html Fall Websites: http://www.wxdude.com/autumn.html Winter Websites: http://www.wxdude.com/winter.html Research Question Worksheet 3.) After your research is completed your group will put together a poster board on your given season. Your answers from the research question worksheet need to be represented on your visual aid plus any other important information or fun facts your group thinks that the class needs to know regarding your assigned season. You will be provided art materials in class to construct your poster boards.

Process 4.) Now that that your poster boards are complete you will present your work as a group to the class. Each member of your group must talk about an item on your poster board. Make sure that you take turns letting one member speak at a time. You will be given five seven minutes to present you material to the class. Remember to make you discuss why each item is on your poster board and how it is related to your assigned season. 5.) The final step in completing this WebQuest is to write a journal reflection. After each group has given their presentations on each season you will each independently go back to your desks and write a journal reflection. You will need to answer the following three questions in your journal reflection. What is your favorite season? What are two of your favorite things about that season or two of your favorite things to do during your favorite season? What is one thing you learned about either Autumn, Winter, Spring, or Summer that you did not know before each group presentation?

Effective Use of Class Time Stated Objectives 4 Superior performance 3 Adequate 2 Needs Improvement 1 Weak Score Research of Seasons Student completed research and found many details about their season. Student researched and are lacking details about their season. Student researched and found minimal details about their season. Student did no research. Effective Use of Class Time Student used class time to the fullest. Student spent a good amount of the class time allotted on assignment. Student did not spend much time in class on assignment. Student was not in class. Presentation of Project Student used all the main required elements and additional elements on their project. Student used all of the required elements to describe their season on their project. Student used minimal details about their season on their project. Student did not make a presentation for their project. Group Participation Student worked well with group members. Student participated with the group most of the time. Student worked with group very little. Student did not participate in the group. Journal Reflection Student answered the full three questions clearly with correct spelling and punctuation. Student answered the full three questions clearly with minimal spelling and punctuation errors. Student answered two questions with minimal spelling and punctuation errors. Student answered one of the questions with minimal spelling and punctuation errors.

You did it!! Standards met through this activity Congratulations! Now you all know much more about the four seasons; Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. This WebQuest was designed for a second grade classroom. It focuses on the four seasons and the different features of each. The students in each group were given thirty minutes daily for a week to complete research and to create a poster or another type of visual aid on their specific season. At the end of the project, each group presented their work in front of the class. Standards met through this activity Grade 2: Earth and Space Science (ESS): Topic: The Atmosphere “Changes in energy affect all aspects of weather, including temperature, precipitation amount and wind” (CCSS Science Model Curriculum, page 53). Grade 2:Reading Standards: Topic: Informational Texts “Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic”(CCSS ELA, page14). 6

Credits Work Cited: http://familycrafts.about.com/ - Seasonal Crafts http://crafts.kaboose.com/ - Seasonal Crafts http://www.wxdude.com/ - Meteorology http://0bernhard0.deviantart.com/art/4-seasons-177978501 - Picture on Introduction Page Authors: Lauren Riemenschneider, Tiffanie Harouff, Casey Klinginsmith, and Kimberly Kozak