The intended audience for this web quest is college students in a lower division course. However, I think that this assignment can be used in many in high school classes also and double as a cool paper art assignment. There is a little critical analysis but I think that high school students can handle a toned down version of this assignment. So this assignment will work for many things.
Learning goals:
1. Create an argumentative essay
2. Force students to plan out a structured argument that is defensible.
3. Use of guided discovery learning to create an argument and approach the subject differently.
4. Use of different media to create art work i.e. paint, inks, papers etc
5. The ability to analyze misconceptions and defend new ideas and arguments in a healthy debate.
Prior skills needed:
The only skills that are needed are a robust knowledge of the Internet and its resources (Google, Wikipedia, academic search primer…, some prior knowledge of how people perceive art and the media, and the ability to write a five paragraph essay. The discussion always follows the writing of questions so the students’ papers will almost be written by the end of the three weeks.
Computer time:
I think that five to seven hours of computer time will be necessary to complete this assignment. The links that I have provided are just a shoe into other links that form an easy introduction to the subject: so therefore, only about five hours to seven hours will be necessary.
Grading rubric: 100 possible points
Paper: 50 points
-Sources in the proper formant, 15
-Grammatically correct paper, 10
-Paper flows well and creates a valid argument, 25
Poster: 50 points
-Poster has is original and well composed, 25
-The poster follows the size guidelines and pertains to the subject matter, 15
-Class critique, 10
