Introduction

A Webquest is an inquiry oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by the learners is drawn from the Web. As a learner you will use the resources we provide you with to support an idea and create two web pages.  The first page will be an introduction page about you with a link to your author page. The second page will be devoted to the particular author. By using critical thinking skills and information literacy analysis, you will be synthesizing and evaluating material from the Web for incorporation into your web pages.  The ultimate outcome will be two web pages enhanced by a  link to the web pages of your colleagues so that you have both a web presence and a useful resource to add to your technology portfolio.

These two links will give you an idea of how you can explore the internet and synthesize the information you find to create something useful for others. Of course, you will only be required to create one author page and not an entire elaborate web site. 

SnowWhite by Kay E. Vandergrift 

Children's  Literature Web Guide ~ Authors and Illustrators

This link is an example of a page created for a particular author.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Author Web Page

This link is an example of a page that you will create about yourself.

Jane Smith, Preservice Teacher

The Task

Create Web Page One doing the following tasks

• Write an introduction page including who you are and what you are presenting using this website

• You may want to identify some of your interests
  

• You will include a hypertext link to your author page and three links to professional sites

• You will include a hypertext link to a future page of links to your colleagues author pages

• look through the internet resources using information literacy skills to evaluate the sites.
• collect web addresses, take notes, and printouts on author possibilities.
• begin thinking of the web page design

To accomplish the task, do the following steps.

1. Create your professional page one.  Include your name, professional philosophy of education, 3 professional hypertext links, highlight certain aspects of your resume and including technological proficiencies. This page will also include your author link. You will need to include the following components:
1. a background
2. at least two images
3. 3 hypertext links to professional web sites, which may include professional organizations 
2. For page two (author page), look at the following sites listed below. Analyze what is found through these web resources. The hypertext links should supply you with background on your author idea.  This is where you are to gather the hypertext links for your author page.

Another link to read through is from the Matheson Library Pathfinder on Locating Book Reviews which offers valuable information on Internet books reviews and warns the reader to "exercise caution when using these reviews since they range from the personal opinions of users of the Internet through to scholarly assessment made by experts in the field."

General Book Reviews

• Amazon.com 
• The New York Review of Books
• Lexis-Nexis 
• Booklist 
• Multicultural Book Reviews

Comprehensive Children's Literature Sites

Children's Literature Web Guide
Vandergrift's Children's Literature Page
Fairrosa Cyber Library of Children's Literature
KidLit Children's Literature Home Page
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site
Children's Literature
Once Upon a Time:  A Children's Literature Website
Electronic Textbook on Children's Literature
CBC Children's Book Council
Children's Picture Book Database
Internet School Library Media Center:  Children's Literature and Language Arts Resources
Reading About Children's Literature:  A Bibliography of Criticism
Dr. Stan Steiner the Bookman
McGraw-Hill Website for Children's Literature
Cooperative Children's Book Center
 

Outstanding  and Award Books

Newbery Award Page
Caldecott Award Page
Association for Library Service to Children - Awards and Grants
Coretta Scott King Award Page
Notable Children's Trade Books 
Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards
Database of Award Winning Children's Literature

Electronic Journals and Newsletter

Notes from the Windowsill Home Page
Children's Writing Resource Center
Once Upon A Lap
Purple Crayon
The Looking Glass
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Reading Online
ALAN Review 
cm (review of Canadian children's materials)
Horn Book
Rambles:  A Cultural Arts Magazine
 
 

Recommended Reading Lists

Historical Fiction for Children and Young Adults
Children's Book list-Disabilities
Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents
100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know
Anna and Lisa's Lists of Children's Books
Recommended Literature K-12 (California)
Best Books For Kids Who Think They Hate To Read

Adolescent Sites with Literature Sections
Schoolwork.org
Studyweb
Teenhoopla
Kathy Schrock's Home Page

The Process continued

1. Now it is time to decide on a specific author.
2. Process and Divide your information into organized categories:book reviews, author information, related genres, related works, etc.
3. Use the Web Tools Page for Images Linked at the bottom of this page.
4. Using Netscape Composer begin to create your page.  We will discuss this further in class.
5. Using your Blackboard drop box send your rough draft to your instructor for approval.
6. Have another person edit and review your work
7. Check your links for accuracy.
8. Be sure to include the date created and any necessary credits to those whose works you may have used.

Describe to the learners how their performance will be evaluated. Specify whether there will be a common grade for group work vs. individual grades.
 

	20 points per section	14 points per section	10 points per section		Score
Ideas  and  Content	Introduction is inviting to the reader Author shows knowledge to the  Excellent use of technology demonstrated All information relates well to the overall purpose of the assignment	Information not always clear Effective use of technology is demonstrated Most information relates well to the overall purpose of the assignment	Informtion is not clear Use of technology is not demonstrated Information does not relate well to the overall purpose of the assignment
Organization	Inviting opening page draws the visitor inside Philosophy is well organized Layout of pages provides excellent direction to the visitor Each page begins with a very clear transition Easy to navigate through pages	Opening page is somewhat inviting to the visitor Philosophy is organized Layout of pages provides direction to the visitor Each page begins with a clear transition Visitor can navigate through pages	Opening page is not inviting to the visitor Philosophy is not organized Layout of pages does not provide direction to the visitor Each page does not begin with a clear transition Visitor can not navigate through pages
Language and Conventions	Organizational structure is very clear and coherent Grammar and usage are correct Punctuation is accurate  Spelling is correct Site needs no editing	Organizational structure is clear and coherent Minor problems with grammar or usage Internal punctuation sometimes is missing or wrong Spelling is usually correct Site needs some editing	Organization structure is poor and incoherent Errors in grammar or usage noticeable Many punctuation mistakes Frequent spelling errors Site needs extensive editing
Presentation for home page and author page	Layout is clear and easy to follow Background enhances the appearance of both web pages	Layout of both pages is easy to follow Background supports the appearance of both web pages	Layout of both pages are not easy to follow Background does not support the appearance of both web pages
Author Page	· A tremendous amount of research was done on the selected author · 10 additional web sites that support research was included	· Some research was done on the selected author · 7 additional web sites that support research was included	· No research was done on the selected author · 5 additional web sites that support research was included

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have used technology to distribute useful information over the internet and you have created a web presence.

Credits & References

Sources for images.

Web Tools Page for Images

Another Tool Box for images, etc.

Share Images Resource