1. By Marina Andrade & Sue Chen
This web quest is designed for 2nd to 3rd grade students to expand their knowledge on a specific country while practising their computer research skills.

2. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Introduction
Have you ever wondered what life is like in other countries and cultures? In the next few weeks, you will be paired up with a pen pal from a country of your choice, but before you write your first letter, you must learn more about your pen pal’s home country. So, pack your journal and enjoy your virtual trip!

3. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Tasks – Part 1
You will create My Pen Pal Portfolio that includes this information:
Table of Contents
Name of the country and continent
Pictures of the map, flag, traditional clothes, and a landmark
National Anthem, government, language, population, currency, climate, typical food, and national sport
Describe one of the national holidays or tradition.
See Next Page

4. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Tasks – Part 2
You will take photos that you would like to share with your pen pal. Your photo images will describe you and help your new friend to get to know you better! They can be about your:
Family
School
Country and community
Hobbies
Anything interesting about you!
See Next Page

5. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Tasks – Part 3
You will write a letter to your pen pal. Some writing topics that are appropriate include:
Your age
Where you go to school
Where you live (city, state, country) and what there is to do
Things you enjoy doing
Your family
Ask questions about your pen pal’s life!
To see an example and guideline, click here.

6. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Process
Choose a country from the next page that you are interested in and would like your pen pal to come from.
Click on the country.
The teacher will provide you with a pen pal portfolio booklet which you will complete. Unleash your creativity! You can use pictures, drawings, and descriptions to describe the information you find.

7. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Process

8. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Evaluation – Part 1
Grade 3 - My Pen Pal Portfolio
Category
Excellent (10 pts)
Good (7 pts)
Fair (4 pts)
Poor (1 pt)
Task Completion
All 15 required topics are included in the report
of the required topics are included in the report
5 to 9 of the required topics are included in the report
Less than 5 of the required topics are included in the report
Organization
Report is very well organized and tidy. 
Report is well organized and mostly tidy. 
Report needs some organizational improvement and could be tidied up. 
Report layout is unorganized and messy. 
Originality
Pictures and/or illustrations are used to represent all of the country's symbols
Pictures and/or illustrations are used to represent most of the country's symbols
Pictures and/or illustrations are used to represent a few of the country's symbols
There are no pictures in the report.
Mechanics
No grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Almost no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors
A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors.
Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.

9. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Evaluation – Part 3
Grade 3 - Letter to my Pen Pal
Category
Excellent (10 pts.)
Good (7 pts.)
Fair (4 pts.)
Poor (1 pt.)
Sentences & Paragraphs
Sentences and paragraphs are complete, well-constructed, and of varied structure.
All sentences are complete and well-constructed (no fragments, no run-ons). Paragraphing is generally done well.
Most sentences are complete and well-constructed. Paragraphing needs some work.
Many sentence fragments or run-on sentences OR paragraphing needs lots of work.
Grammar & spelling (conventions)
Writer makes no errors in grammar or spelling.
Writer makes 1-2 errors in grammar and/or spelling.
Writer makes 3-4 errors in grammar and/or spelling
Writer makes more than 4 errors in grammar and/or spelling.
Neatness
Letter is typed, clean, not wrinkled, and is easy to read with no distracting error corrections. It was done with pride.
Letter is neatly hand-written, clean, not wrinkled, and is easy to read with no distracting error corrections. It was done with care.
Letter is typed and is crumpled or slightly stained. It may have 1-2 distracting error corrections. It was done with some care.
Letter is typed and looks like it had been shoved in a pocket or locker. It may have several distracting error corrections. It looks like it was done in a hurry or stored improperly.
Ideas
Ideas were expressed in a clear and organized fashion. It was easy to grasp the point of the letter.
Ideas were expressed in a pretty clear manner, but the organization could have been better.
Ideas were somewhat organized, but were not very clear. It took repeated reading to figure out the point of the letter.
The letter seemed to be a collection of unrelated sentences. It was very difficult to figure out the point of the letter.
Length
The letter is 10 or more sentences.
The letter is 8-9 sentences.
The letter is 5-7 sentences.
The letter is less than 5 sentences.
Capitalization and Punctuation
Writer makes no errors in capitalization and punctuation.
Writer makes 1-2 errors in capitalization and punctuation.
Writer makes 3-4 errors in capitalization and punctuation.
Writer makes more than 4 errors in capitalization and punctuation.

10. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Conclusion
Wow! Congratulations! You have learned so much about your pen pal’s home country. I am sure he/she will be very happy to see how interested you are in knowing more about his/her background. Now, make sure to share your findings with your family as I am sure they will learn a thing or two as well.

11. Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!
Credit
We would like to thank Mr. Matthew Rydelek, our instructor, for his coaching and ideas.
Big thanks to our families and friends for proof readings and suggestions. To my dear friend, Maria, for being a big IT support.
We would like to give credit to some of the resource sites that we repeatedly used in this project such as Google, CIA and Maps of World which made this type of project so easy to put together.

12. Mexico Back to Map Task # Information Website Task 1 Map
Task 2
Flag
Task 3
Traditional Clothes (1)
Task 4
Landmarks (1)
Task 5
National Anthem
Task 6
Language
Task 7
Population
Task 8
Currency
Task 9
Climate
Task 10
Typical Food  
Task 11
National Sport
Task 12
Government
Task 13
Holiday
Fun Facts
Back to Map

13. Brazil Back to Map Task # Information Website Task 1 Map
Task 2
Flag
Task 3
Traditional Clothes (1)
Task 4
Landmarks (1)
Task 5
National Anthem
Task 6
Language
Task 7
Population
Task 8
Currency
Task 9
Climate
Task 10
Typical Food  
Task 11
National Sport
Task 12
Government
Task 13
Holiday
Fun Facts
Back to Map

14. France Back to Map Task # Information Website Task 1 Map
Task 2
Flag
Task 3
Traditional Clothes (1)
Task 4
Landmarks (1)
Task 5
National Anthem
Task 6
Language
Task 7
Population
Task 8
Currency
Task 9
Climate
Task 10
Typical Food  
Task 11
National Sport
Task 12
Government
Task 13
Holiday
Fun Facts
Back to Map

15. Japan Back to Map Task # Information Website Task 1 Map
Task 2
Flag
Task 3
Traditional Clothes (1)
Task 4
Landmarks (1)
Task 5
National Anthem
Task 6
Language
Task 7
Population
Task 8
Currency
Task 9
Climate
Task 10
Typical Food
Task 11
National Sport
Task 12
Government
Task 13
Holiday
Fun Facts
Back to Map

16. Australia Back to Map Task # Information Website Task 1 Map
Task 2
Flag
Task 3
Traditional Clothes (1)
Task 4
Landmarks (1)
Task 5
National Anthem
Task 6
Language
Task 7
Population
Task 8
Currency
Task 9
Climate
Task 10
Typical Food
Task 11
National Sport
Task 12
Government
Task 13
Holiday
Back to Map

17. Morocco Back to Map Task # Information Website Task 1 Map
Task 2
Flag
Task 3
Traditional Clothes (1)
Task 4
Landmarks (1)
Task 5
National Anthem
Task 6
Language
Task 7
Population
Task 8
Currency
Task 9
Climate
Task 10
Typical Food
Task 11
National Sport
Task 12
Government
Task 13
Holiday
Fun Facts
Back to Map

18. See Next Page
Back to Task – Part 3

19. Back to Task – Part 3