As seventh graders are beginning their study of Latin next week, this week they participated in a WebQuest built by Ms. McKinnon that uses QR codes. The lesson guides students through the language, art, engineering, and culture of Ancient Rome. After searching for information, students record what they find on a worksheet that asks specific questions and allows them to investigate areas in which they have a particular interest. The culminating activity is a short (1 to 3 minute) oral, visual, or multimedia presentation utilizing the information they find to answer the question: What influences have Ancient Roman culture, discoveries and/or language had on our society today?
What is a WebQuest?
A WebQuest is an inquiry-based learning strategy that allows students to explore internet sites and gather information by reading and synthesizing what they find. WebQuests work well because they focus the students’ attention on a narrow set of informational portals, whereas something like a Google Search would return hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of potential “hits.” A good WebQuest will not only result in knowledge acquisition but also will involve higher order thinking and problem-solving as well.
What is a QR code?
QR codes are similar in function to the bar code on an item at the grocery store; rather than providing information about a product, QR codes provide a path to a website through the use of a QR code scanner app (similar to a bar code scanner) on an iPad, iPhone or other Smart phone. Students simply scan a QR code using the school’s classroom set of iPads and it takes them to a site on the internet from which to conduct their WebQuests. Think of the initial site as the middle of a spider’s web that branches off to many other points, all related.
This activity was a culmination of the faculty and staff of The Donoho School, and Ms. McKinnon would like to thank Mr. Russ Connell, Mr. Ben Cunningham, and Mrs. Lisa Light for their insight and knowledge in QR codes and WebQuests that inspired this activity for her seventh graders.
