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Introduction || Task || VT Standards || Process || Resources || Evaluation || Conclusion

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Introduction:

This Web Quest has been developed to increase students' knowledge of tornadoes and their associated risks. Tornadoes are one of nature's most violent storms. In an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported across the United States, resulting in 80 deaths and over 1,500 injuries.

Task:

You are a recent journalism graduate of the local university. Your first assignment is to travel to Kansas and write a report on the recent outbreak of severe tornadoes. The article should include information which will educate the general Vermont public. Topics should include what a tornado is, where it forms, when it forms, why it forms, how it forms, what to do when it forms, and other associated dangers. Since the local library in Kansas was ground zero for one of the many tornadoes, the information used to write the article will need to be acquired from the Internet.  Back to Top

VT Standards: 

1. Standard 1.18 - Information Technology

Students use tools of technology to research and present information.

2. Standard 1.8 - Reports

Students organize and convey information accurately and effectively.

3. Standard 7.2 - Investigation

Students conduct research and convey results in a way which is appropriate for their audience. The information is able to be verified by the readers.

4. Standard 7.15 - Theories, Systems, and Forces

Students demonstrate understanding of the Earth and its environment, as well as the systems that affect and shape it over time.

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Process:

1. Research information regarding the above topics (who, what, where, ect.) on the designated websites included in the resources table of this Web Quest by clicking on the subject. Your notes should extract only the important information from each of the sites.

2. Using the information compiled, begin to construct a rough draft of the article using MS Works. This should include the informative text as well as a few pictures acquired from your research on the Internet.

3. Once completed, print at least three copies and give them to various associates who can edit and critique your paper for content, usage, and grammar mistakes. (These will be collected by your editor upon your return to Vermont.)

4. Using the critiques, make the necessary changes to your article and print out the final draft. The editor (that would be me) wants to collect the notes taken during your research, the three critiqued rough drafts, and the good final copy.

Resources:

Evaluation: Scoring Rubric

5	4	3	2	1
Article contains all six elements of a news article - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How	Article contains five of the six news article elements - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How	Article contains four of the six news article elements - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How	Article contains three of the six news article elements - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How	Article contains two of the six news article elements - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How
Article is very well organized and developed	Article is generally well organized and developed	Article adequately organized or developed	Article inadequately organized or developed	Article lacks organization or development
Uses complete and descriptive details to support topic	Uses good detail to support the topic or subject	Uses some detail to support the topic or subject	Failure to support the topic with sufficient detail	Little or no detail used to support the topic
Contains no usage or grammatical errors. Demonstrates appropriate word choice	Contains less than six usage or grammatical errors. Demonstrates appropriate word choice	An accumulation of many usage and/or grammatical errors. Contains some inappropriate word choices	May contain serious grammatical and/or usage errors that occasionally obscure meaning	Contains frequent serious grammatical and/or usage errors that obscure meaning and focus
All Web sites researched and URL's for each site are recorded	75 % of Web sites researched. URL for each site is recorded	50 % of Web sites researched. URL for each site is recorded	Less than 50 % of Web sites researched. URL's are recorded	Less than 50 % of Web sites are researched. URL's are not recorded
Ability to copy pictures is demonstrated and 3 or more pictures are included in the article	Ability to copy pictures is demonstrated by the inclusion of 2 pictures in the article	Ability to copy picture is demonstrated by the inclusion of 1 picture in the article	Article is completed but includes no pictures or graphics	Article is not complete

Add box scores to figure grade: A (30-27), B (26-23), C (22-19), D (18-15), F (below 15)

Conclusion:

With each passing year, we are better able to predict tornadoes. The dramatic improvements with technology and computers have increased warning times from zero minutes to twenty and sometimes thirty minutes. Despite these clever computers and other advancements, some tornadoes remain unpredictable and will continue cutting scars in peoples lives across the country.