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A Science News Webquest

Introduction | The Task | The Process & Resources | Conclusion | HyperText Dictionary


Introduction

You are a group of reporters working for the science news section of a big newspaper or web-site. Together, you get to choose the most important news story and write about it.

But wait a minute! One of you (Latest Links Larry) is the excitable type. Boy, does he love knowing things before everybody else and surprising people with his news. He is the breaking-story reporter, the guy with the nose for the newest news.

He couldn't be more different from Significant Science Sam. Sam is one of those really deep people who wants to know how today's science news will affect the future. He's likely to spot that one story which everybody will remember years from now.

Krazy Karl, Kid Reporter likes important news too, but he has a different definition of 'important.' He writes news for younger people, and he's always on the lookout for something that would interest most fifth graders.

Finally, you might have Weirdnews Wesley on your team. Wes is one of those people who always has an interesting story to tell, and at the end of his stories people are always shaking their heads and going 'Whoa! That's really strange.' He looks for news which is out of the ordinary and unexpected.

These reporters all work together on the same job, right? To look for the most important news every week, and write about it. But what's the 'most important?' For each reporter, it's a different thing. Larry is looking for the latest, Sam is looking for the deepest, Karl is looking for the kid-friendliest, and Wes is looking for the weirdest. Yet they have to work together to bring out their newspaper--and they have to agree on the story they're going to publish.

In the following WebQuest, you will use the power of teamwork and the resources on the Internet to read about this week's science news. Each person on your team will choose the five most important news stories of the week, but then you will come together and choose the one you can all agree on (or the one you least disagree on!).

The Task

You decide:  What is the most important science news this week?  You want to be the team with the best breaking news.

The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with your work-group. Each group will answer the Task. As a member of the group you will explore webpages which present science news. Because these are real Webpages, the reading level might challenge you. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom.

You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

With your work-group, read the first paragraph of 'What Do They Do?' together.

Then click through all the news sites below, glancing at each one. Discuss them and see if your group can figure out three things:

  1. What is the purpose of each site - what does it say it does?
  2. Who publishes it?
  3. What is the audience of each site - is it the general public or a particular kind of person,such as families,kids, scientists, or businessmen?
  4. Does this site get its money from advertising, or is it government-funded? Does it look as if it costs a lot to publish it, or not?

These questions are important, because they help you understand why each site chooses the stories it reports, and help each one of you choose sites which fit yourpurpose.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Now each reporter will go find the guys with the same name (in other words, there will be a Larry group, a Sam group, a Karl group, and a Wesley group). You don't have to agree with everybody in your 'name' group, but you do need to work together to find stories. Depending on how many students are in your group, you may work on one computer or two computers.

2. Choose the links you think fit your job the best, and look at the science stories they list. You may temporarily copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.

Latest Links Larry

You are looking for the newest and best news.  Of all the science news stories that have been released today or in the last few days, which five are the best? Why are they the best? Write a sentence about each one in your journal, giving the URL where you found it. Each sentence should persuade your group members that this would be the best story on which to focus your efforts.

Significant Science Sam

You are looking for the most important science news.  Of all the science stories you have looked at, which five tell about the most important scientific discoveries? Why are they the most important, and how will they affect the future? Write a sentence about each one in your journal, giving the URL where you found it. Each sentence should persuade your group members that this would be the best story on which to focus your efforts.

Krazy Karl, Kid Reporter

You are looking for things kids would enjoy reading.  Of all the science news stories that have been released today or in the last few days, which five would interest kid readers the most? Why would kids like them? Write a sentence about each one in your journal, giving the URL where you found it. Each sentence should persuade your group members that this would be the best story on which to focus your efforts.

Weirdnews Wesley

You are looking for the "offbeat."  Of all the science news stories that have been released today or in the last few days, which five are the funniest and most peculiar? Why would they make people laugh or say, 'Wow!' Write a sentence about each one in your journal, giving the URL where you found it. Each sentence should persuade your group members that this would be the best story on which to focus your efforts.

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Writing the News Article

You have all learned some things about current science news. Now group members come back to their own work group with a list of five major news stories they each think are the best. Now you have to finish theTask as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Look at the stories on your computer.  Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task.

When you have decided how answer the Task, your work group should write out a one-paragraph article summary in Microsoft Word that everyone on the team can live with, and be prepared to report it to the rest of the class.  Rehearse it as if you were a television news reporter, and have pictures to help you present.

Phase 4 - Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter to Dr. Turner. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are--your group name, your group members, and what job each member had.

2. Write a paragraph together explaining what each person did and how you made your group decision. Your paragraph should give a few examples of news you decided not to include and why.

3. Write a second paragraph discussing 1. whether the news you chose was the most important for every reader, 2. how you would improve what you did if you were publishing a real science newspaper. Use your imagination.

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message.

5. Dr. Turner will write you back with comments.

Your Contact is: Dr. Turner - Dr. Turner, Science Teacher

Conclusion

So what is the important science news this week? Well, the answer depends, doesn't it? Every science news website you looked at has a different point of view, just like you did, and that means they each choose different sets of stories to report. They also have different audiences, or readers, and they have to do different things to stay 'alive.' Some of them are commercial sites, which depend on getting the most readers (and the most advertisers), while others are only for scientists and get their money from grants. In other words, websites are made by people a lot like Larry, Sam, Karl, and Wesley, with different purposes and opinions.

Now you all know a lot more. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to choose articles yourself? What other parts of Science News could still be explored? Remember, learning never stops.

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This page last updated August 15, 2002