Mrs. Voelker has added a new link to the Windy Hill Middle School Web Site on the Media Center page that has hot new internet links for middle schoolers. Before she can add them to our site, however, they need to be evaluated. Since your class has already discussed what kinds of things should and should not be on web sites, she has asked your teacher if your class would help.

Below you will see a list of possible sites that have been submitted for review. Your job is to work with a partner to review ONE (1) of those sites and decide whether or not Mrs. Voelker should add it as a link. Remember, kids in our school and their parents will look at this web site almost every day. You don't want to let them down. Once you've decided whether or not to recommend your site, create a Power Point presentation to convince Mrs. Voelker and Mrs. DiMarco to agree with your decision.

1. With a partner, choose one of the sites listed below in the Resources section of this WebQuest. You may look at a few of them, but you are ultimately responsible for evaluating ONE of them.
2. Go to Evaluating Web Sites and print out a copy of this form. Remember: You must ask before you print!!
3. Complete the evaluation form.
4. Create a Power Point presentation that says why you do or do not recommend this site to be added as a link to WHMS' Web Site. In your presentation, make sure to include points from your evaluation sheet to support your decision.  If you need help using Power Point, ask Mrs. Voelker for her cheat sheet.

Choose one of the following web sites to evaluate:

Harry Potter:  Find out all about the character who sparked so many books and sales, as well as his creator, J.K. Rowling.

Restoration of wolves in North America: Help wolves to survive in North American areas.

The Smithsonian Institution: Visit the Smithsonian Museum online.

The Burmese Mountain Dog: everything you need to know about this particular breed of dog.

Feline Reactions to Bearded Men: Did you ever think about how your cat reacts to men who have beards?

Cyberteens: The place for creative teens on the net.

Schooling, Education, and literacy in Colonial America: What it was like for kids in school in colonial times.

Children and the need for physical activity: What you should know about diet and exercise.

The Encyclopedia Mythica: an index of greek and other myths and folk tales.

Make sure your Power Point presentation includes all of the information needed to persuade Mrs. Voelker to add this link or not. Click here to see the Power Point evaluation Rubric.

Untangling the web can be a tough job. Knowing what you should either trash or treasure the information you find is a big part of doing research. Good discerners of information look for proof; they don't believe everything they read. In your future searches apply the criteria that we used here today to decide for yourself if a web site is providing you with valid information... you should never again be "tangled up in the web."
 
 

© 1999 Christine Voelker
Visit Windy Hill Middle School on the web:  http://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/schools/whms/whms.htm
Please send all questions and comments to:  Christine Voelker
Last updated: 6/30/04