Put the Title of the Lesson Here

A WebQuest for xth Grade (Put Subject Here)

Put some interesting graphic representing the content here

Introduction

[This document should be written with the student as the intended audience. Write a short paragraph here to introduce the activity or lesson to the students. Start with a "What if?" question to hook the reader.]

What if World War II was won by the other side? What if Islam had conquered Europe in the Middle Ages? What would have happened next? In this unit you're going to do some serious playing with history.

Task

[Describe crisply and clearly what the end result of the learners' activities will be. Tell the reader that they are going to create a parallel universe in which history took a different turn. Invite their creativity while making clear that it will be challenging to create an alternative world that makes sense. Specify the period of history that you want them to focus on. Tell them how they will communicate their alternate history to the class. ]

[(Some possibilities: a newscast; a simulated interview with someone from that alternative timeline; a revised map of the world with explanations).]

Process

[First students should immerse themselves in the period under study (and the period that followed immediately). Give them a timeline on which to take notes.]

[Then, depending on their sophistication, either give them a list of pivotal events or have them generate their own. Pick one event as the one to change.]

[Next, in groups, generate the consequences of that change. Do a KWL chart to help them focus in on what they need to find out in order to make a plausible prediction of what was to follow. Within their groups, have them decide on the most defensible next step.]

[Then, repeat the process. If this new alternative situation had transpired, what would happen next? Continue this process for as long as you're willing to devote to it.]

[Finally, provide some scaffolding on how to communicate their alternative history. Hold an alternative history conference in the classroom in which they present their results and critique each other's work.]

Evaluation

Describe to the learners how their performance will be evaluated. Specify whether there will be a common grade for group work vs. individual grades. You may want to have separate rubrics for individual and group work.

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4
Historical accuracy	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Plausibility	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Quality of Writing	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.
Stated Objective or Performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance.	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance.

Conclusion

Put a few sentences here that summarize what they will have accomplished or learned by completing this activity or lesson.

You might also include some rhetorical questions or additional links to encourage them to extend their thinking into other content beyond this lesson. To foster the habit of lifelong learning, give them links to additional information here that they can pursue on their own.

Credits & References

List here the sources of any images, music or text that you're using (with permission, of course). Provide links back to the original source. Say thanks to anyone who provided resources, help or inspiration.

Don't relist all the links you've already included. They're self-documenting.

As a matter of style and to keep ownership clear, all pages that you call up that are external to this site should appear in a new window outside of this frame. Add "TARGET=_BLANK" to the link to bring this about.

List any books and other analog media that you used as information sources as well.

Include a link back to The WebQuest Page and the Design Patterns page so that others can acquire the latest version of this template and training materials.

You might want to include the following statement:

"We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date). If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL."

Last updated on (put date here). Based on a template from The WebQuest Page