Catch A Volunteer Wave

fish_012.gif

WebQuest for High School Students

Designed by Mr . Uchin

Flanagan High School
Other Flanagan WebQuests
Other High School Life Skills WebQuests

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


 

Introduction

Do you know that you must complete 40 community service hours in order to graduate from Flanagan High School? 

Do you know that with 250 community service hours you will qualify for a Silver Chord when you walk across the stage at graduation?

Do you know that the Florida Academic Scholars Award, which pays 100% of your tuition, requires 75 hours of documented community service?

Do you know that last year several seniors were scrambling to find community service hours in order to graduate?

Do you know where to find volunteer hours in our community so that YOU can graduate without any last minute hassles?

Do you even know what organizations are out there that need your help?

Do you know that there is a hospital and cancer treatment facility within walking distance of the main campus?

This webquest will not only open your eyes about how you can get those much needed community service hours, but it will also open your hearts to the world of good that you can do for people in our community who are in need of your help!!!

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


Objectives

Your goal is to create a brochure about five volunteer organizations located within your community.  As you gather information, you must sort, prioritize and categorize 15 organizations down to a list of 5 finalists.  You are responsible for producing five graphic organizers which summarize your research.  You must also provide a three-minute slide show that features the research of the volunteer organizations you have chosen.  Additionally, your research team must create a list of the 15 organizations you researched to distribute to the class.

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


Procedure

Step 1 - Form a Research Team
Choose other students from your class with whom to work.  Your research group may not be more than four people, but it can be less.  However, you may not work alone. Regardless of how many people are on your team, information from all four roles shown in Step 3 must be covered by your group.  How you divide the labor is your decision, but it is easiest for each team member to choose one topic and solely concentrate on it.

Step 2 - Choose Five Organizations
Now that your team is ready, choose 15 non-profit organizations where students can earn community service hours.  Evaluate the 15 selections and choose five that will appear in the brochure.  You must give concrete examples of how you evaluated and prioritized the 15 to choose the final five. 

The criteria include: how to contact the organization, the age requirements, where the organization is located, when they can use your help, the size of the organization and the urgency of its need.

Once your group has come to a consensus, choose a name for your group and register with me.   At that point I will assign you a due date. 

Step 3 - Choose a Role
Now that you know which organizations your team will be researching, each person must choose one of the role(s) from the list shown below.  These roles will help your team members concentrate on specific characteristics of the organization.  Do not limit your research to the information discussed here. The descriptions are designed only to give you a rough idea of the types of facts for which you should search.
**************************************************************************************
The Researcher  will compile a list of volunteer organizations available in your community. This includes the basic information of how to contact the organization, the age requirements, where the organization is located, and when they can use your help.  The researcher is also responsible for annotating the resources used.

The Technologist is responsible for all aspects of the slide show presentation. The technologist must also prepare a list of volunteer organizations to be presented to the class. 

The Public Relations Specialist is responsible for presenting the project. The P.R. Specialist is also responsible for the graphic organizer and the brochure.

The Data Entry Clerk is responsible for creating and managing a time matrix to determine the number of hours required to graduate and to qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars Award and the Silver Chord Award.

Step 4 - Conduct Your Research
Use the links listed below to help guide your research efforts.  Take notes and collect facts as you surf the web.  You will utilize your notes to create an original product in the next step.  Be sure to write down the web addresses of any that you think might be acceptable for your final product.  The effort you exert in this step will be reflected in your final product.

Step 5 - Create The Group Product 

The Researcher - Use the following links to find volunteer organizations.

Student Volunteer Guide - These are the requirements that need to be met in order to participate.

Volunteer Opportunities - Over 160 orginizations where positions are available.

You may use one of the following examples.  You are responsible for finding four of your own.

Literacy Colition of Broward - Help someone learn to read.

American Red Cross - Help those in times of real need.

Meals for Pets – Take care of someone's best friend on four legs.

Airport Volunteers - Help folks find their way to their destinations.

Broward County Libraries - There are things to do at your local county library.

Broward County Parks - From lifeguards to trail guides … it's here.

Conservation Crew - Ready for travel and adventure? Throw a little work in, too.


The following list is a guide for research styles.  Follow it to the letter and use only one style.  The American Psychological Association (APA) is recognized by most universities & colleges.  The Multiple Language Association (MLA) is the other style you may use.

APA Style Guide - The basic how to do it. 

APA for Electronic Resources - From Purdue University .

MLA Style Guide - What you need & how it's done.  It's ALL here!

MLA - From Purdue University .

The Technologist - You are responsible for the Powerpoint part of the project.  You must also prepare a list of all orginizations where you can earn community service hours.  The following links will provide tutorals.

Powerpoint in the Classroom - All you need to know.

Powerpoint Basics - A step-by-step guide.

University of Rhode Island - Their computer sciences department shows you how.

 

Public Relations Specialist - Now that you have gathered your information, you must organize your facts using a graphic organizer.  Any graphic method that you already know how to use is acceptable.  If you need help creating one, or would simply like to see new ones, browse the links shown below.  

Graphic Organizer List - Links which highlight and show examples of a variety of graphic organizers.

Graphic Organizer Examples - Gives examples of many graphic methods for presenting information .

Graphic Organizer Printouts - Samples of organizers that can be printed out and then filled in by students.

The Data Entry Clerk – Your responsibility is to create a chart that students can use to log their community service hours.  You have to take into consideration that some students are going to do the minimum 40 hours and some students are going to go over the 140 hours needed for the Silver Cord Award.  The links below provide you with multiple formats in which to make your chart.


Microsoft Word

Electric Teacher - An A - Z process.
 
Tutor Computer - Teaches you Microsoft Word.

MS Word - Here is how to ues it.

Microsoft Excel

Excel Tutoral -  The University of San Diago

Tutor Computer - Teaches you Excel spreadsheets.

Excel - Brought to you by the good folks at Compusmart

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


Evaluation

The final products that your group create will be graded according to the following rubric.  Note that part of your individual grade is dependent upon the success of the group’s performance.
 

 

Unacceptable

0

Developing

2

Average

4

Exemplary

6

Score

Public Relations

 

*not present

*minimal level of detail

*limited number of facts

*presentation does not proceed smoothly

 

*brochure fulfills requirements

*uses three graphic organizers 

*sufficient presentation

*brochure is highly creative

*multiple graphic organizers

*abundance of facts in presentation

 

Researcher

 

*not present

*few websites found

*zero annotations

*websites found


*Annotations incomplete

*five websites found


*each with its own annotation

 

Technologist





 

*not present

*one poor quality picture or photo

*too few slides

*show too short

*one high quality picture or photo with caption


*presentation choppy

 

*more than one high quality picture


*each slide has transition

 

Data Entry Clerk

 

*not present

*spreadsheet disorganized

*clear directions for tracking time 

*sufficient number of cells

*highly creative

*abundance of cells

 

Overall
Presentation of Materials

*none presented

*sloppy

*unorganized

*incomplete

*neat and legible

*well organized

*colorful and eye-catching

*highly organized

 

MAXIMUM TOTAL POINTS =[to be determined by your instructor] 

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


 

Conclusion 

 

 

You now know that community service hours are needed for graduation from Flanagan High School .  You have also learned that there are different levels of community service hours needed for graduation, the Florida Academic Scholars Award, and the Silver Cord Award.  

You created the brochure, organizer, and slide show.  You did the research, now it's up to you to go out and help. Contact an organization that appeals to your interests. Tell them you would like to volunteer. You will be surprised at how much happiness and warmth you will receive from your efforts. One day you may be on the recieving end of somebody's generosity.  Good luck!

 

 

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


Credits And References

Sunshine State Standards - choose "Language Arts" and then click "Go" to view the standards, then choose level "10-12" and click "Benchmarks" to read the individual benchmarks and their descriptions

*applies a variety of response strategies, including rereading, note taking, summarizing, outlining, writing a formal report, and relating what is read to his or her own experiences and feelings.

*locates, gathers, analyzes, and evaluates written information for a variety of purposes, including research projects, real-world tasks, and self-improvement.

*selects and uses appropriate study and research skills and tools according to the type of information being gathered or organized, including almanacs, government publications, microfiche, news sources, and information services.

*synthesizes information from multiple sources to draw conclusions.

*selects and uses a variety of electronic media, such as the Internet, information services, and desktop-publishing software programs, to create, revise, retrieve, and verify information.

*organizes information using appropriate systems.

*produces final documents that have been edited for

·   correct spelling

·   correct punctuation, including commas, colons, and common use of semicolons;

·   correct capitalization;

·   correct sentence formation;

·   correct instances of possessives, subject/verb agreement, instances of noun/pronoun agreement, and the intentional use of fragments for effect; and

·   correct formatting that appeals to readers, including appropriate use of a variety of graphics, tables, charts, and illustrations in both standard and innovative forms.

*uses effective strategies for informal and formal discussions, including listening actively and reflectively, connecting to and building on the ideas of a previous speaker, and respecting the viewpoints of others.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background found at http://www.marketwizz.com/backgrounds

Wishfulwave Font found at http://www.fontfreak.com/

Webquest template provided by Brad Gammon at Coral Springs High School

Eternal gratitude to Ms. Butterman, Mr. “Beam” Furr and Mr. Cavnar for their assistance and patience.

This page is dedicated to my loving wife Lisa and my son Max.

Introduction | Objectives | Procedure | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits


Based on a template from The WebQuest Page