Webquests and Lesson Plans for 4th and 5th Grades


     What you will find listed below is not a massive list of lesson plans or web quests. You will find some good lessons that are applicable to students in grades four and five. They may be in a form that you can use right away. Most probably, they will spark ideas that you can adapt to use for your student's best advantage.

Native Americans
American Colonies
American Government Westward Movement
U.S.Civil War General History
Integrated Geography Science
Language Arts Art
Math



Native Americans


Native American Musical Instruments -students will discuss the geographical factors leading to the creation of the instruments...
The Trial of Standing Bear  an advanced and informative study about his decided to return to his homeland in Nebraska with as many people who would like to go.
Create a Totem Pole  good directions and resources for making one of papier mache
Native American Webquest  do varied activities many involving art


The Explorers


Time Machine - Choose the explorer you think is the better leader.


The Colonies

Jamestown - an award winning webquest
Here We Go Jamestown - You are to make a travel brochure about Jamestown and the voyage from Europe to Virginia. Your brochure will include descriptions of the many dangers and hardships faced during the voyage and setting up of the colony and surviving.
Colonial America 1600-1776 - from Carol Hurst's newsletter
Life in Colonial America - combines language Arts and social studies
Plantation Master - interesting format for unique project
Exploring Florida - Not a colony, but early information, reading passages, activities, and maps are just some of the things that one can find at this site.

American Revolution


The American Revolutionary War: A Thematic Unit - centers around the novel, Johnny Tremain
Predicting Weather - good lesson to correlate with science
Plants and thier Medicinal Uses - good lesson which can be researched on the Internet and elsewhere
A Battle of the Battlefields - Which battle site will get the million dollar museum?
A Revolting Alphabet - The students will collect descriptive words and terms related to the American Revolution through the use of the Internet and, in the process, review concepts and terms introduced in the social studies unit.
Make a Colonial Paper Quilt - Students will to compare colonial crafts with contemporary creations to make a paper quilt showing colonial crafts.
Can't You Make them Behave, George - from the Montgomery Public Schools
Queen Yuckabella Rebellion Simulation - draw cards to determine the role to be played
Life as a Slave - explore personal narratives


American Government


Our Government at Work - Students go on-line to investigate the three branches of government, the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, then make posters to summarize the tasks of each branch.
President's Day Webquest - learn about Washington and/or Lincoln


The Westward Movement


Davy Crockett and Tall Tales - Examine the real life and tales of this legendary figure in this integrated lesson.
The Historic Steps of Louis and Clark - You'll face six major decisions that affected the outcome of the expedition. Choose the right answers and you'll reach the end of the trail
Donner On-line - collecting information, images, and insights
I Hear the Locomotives - Find out about the impact of the transcontinental railroad.
The Lonestar Dilemma - Determine if Texas should be part of the USA.
Front page News: The California gold Rush or the Oregon Trail - Knowing that you are the star reporter, your boss gives you the choice of either writing an article about The California Gold Rush or The Oregon Trail.
Lewis and Clark - You have just been informed by the President of the United States that you are to create a new fifty cent coin to recognize the accomplishments of the men and women who participated in the Lewis and Clark journey.


The Civil War


The Gettysburg Address - teach about it and relate it to other pieces of literature
Slaves and Conductors - Learn about and inform the group about the important things and people we should know.
The Underground Railroad - You are a slave.
Signs in Stitches and Song - an investigation of the signs of the underground railroad
Project: Write a Letter to a Civil War Soldier - more letters can be found here.
Create an Abolitionist Poster - Have each group display its poster and read it aloud to the class. Invite students to comment on the choice of the person from history whose appearance was advertised in their poster


General History


Teaching with Historic Places - excellent American history lessons with links to superior primary sources
The Most Amazing Americans - Who would you add to the list? Find out and justify the selection with this webquest.


Integrated Geography


Which Way is North? - Using QuickTime video and topographic maps, determinations can be made.
Let's Move the Capital of the United States - Congress has made the decision to move the nation’s capital. There is a search in progress for the best location. Each state will form a committee to persuade Congress to move the U.S. capital to their state.
national Geographic Xpeditions: Activities - There are many great ideas here.
Vacation You have won a $3,000 gift certificate for a one week vacation from Tumbleweed, the Magic Vacation Fairy. You may go to any one of the four Southwestern states with the adult of your choice.
Crisscrossing the USA-- several different lesson plans are presented to help the students learn about famous places and sharpen their Internet skills.
Smallville Prairie Development Project - students will choose between development and remaining a prairie
Virtual Field Trip to Antarctica - check the temperature and the animals
Geologic Explorations - with the aid of QuickTime, students can compare and contrast topography of many areas and then locate them on a classroom map by using their coordinates.
The Stowaway Adventure - track a ship, monitor weather, and more in this real time adventure in mapping etc.


Science


CIESE on-line Collaborative Projects  great science activities
Project Labs: Experiments and Activities - great things to do in all areas of science in PFD format
the Secret Life of Trees - from the University of Illinois
It is a Zoo Out There - The Town of Braintree has decided to designate a portion of Pond Meadow Park to become the site of a new zoo for the residents of the town.
Animal Breakout - Help the animal that breaks away from its keeper in North Carolina.
Prisoners or Protected? Decide what zoos are really doing to the animals.
Bird Migration Study - collect and share information about which are coming to your bird feeder
Incubation and Embryology - a hands on project with lesson plans, activities, and resources that help teach respect for life
Frogs - Students will develop an appreciation for the role frogs and other amphibians play in their ecosystems and learn about the anatomy of the frog.
Dino Inquiry - with the aid of QuickTime video, panoramas, and digital photos, one can study the dinosaur bones at Dinosaur National Monument
Art To Zoo - compare the coral reef of the Caribbean and the rocky coast of Maine.
The Living Ocean - downloadable curriculum from the NASA Seawifs Project
Educational Materials Associated with the Ocean Planet - many activities from varied sources
Life in the Ocean - identify and describe phytoplankton and zooplankton
COAST - great and simple oceanographic activities
Hurricane Alert - In being the hurricane, you will describe your life in detail from a first-hand account!
The Oceans - investigate the role of oceans in our lives and create a display
Tornado Alley: A Wild Weather Webquest - your group of community activists will investigate the history and power of tornadoes, look at our school's preparedness plan and publish a safety brochure for students, parents, and community members.
Earthquakes - To chart location, magnitude and frequency
K-9 Lesson Plans - about ten lessons on various aspects of science
A Reason for the Seasons - an Xpedition from National Geographic
Structures - lots of activities
How Things Fly - simples but effective lessons from the National Air and Space Museum.
Optics, Color, and Their Uses - 98 page great guide from NASA in pdf format
Simple Machines - learn to identify and explain the value of them
Rock Hounds - students will gain an understanding of the rock cycle including how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks form.
Water on the Web - here is a great example of how to use real data with great experimentation
Cave Unit - integrated activities including science, writing, and art which are part of the Borneo Cave Expedition
Ecosystems and Environment - 6 different guides with lots of activities
Deciduous Forest - Prepare a presentation for an important group of scientists.
Science Experiment Page - many experiments involving ecology linked to the Illinois Standards

Finding Impact Craters - activities and materials from NASA
Solar System Adventure - Students learn about the solar system and our galaxy from Web sites and write a science fiction story based on what they discover.
Exploring Planets in the Classroom - 25 hands on activities enhance the study
Reaching for the Red Planet - a multi-purpose curriculum focusing on planning a Mars colony.
Comets - Discover what elements make up comets and facts about Halley's Comet
Body Systems - many activities and graphics for each one
Paper or Plastic? - Which one is better to use?

Teaching the Scientific Method Using Adhesives - simple and fun activities - Use the back button to get a PFD copy.
Testing Water for Harness - step-by-step directions - Use the back button to get a PFD copy.
Glirch II - Students always enjoy this one.


Language Arts


Literature Based Projects - There are many from which to choose.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes - Find out why Sadako is a heroine to the children of Japan.
Sign of the Beaver - tasks that go along with the book
Fairytale Quest - you are the editor of Happily Ever After Travel and Fairy Tale News, and you have been chosen to visit different countries on the World Wide Web and learn about their fairy tales
Story Telling Festival - explore the native cultures of the Americas, to learn some aspects of oral storytelling, and to share their knowledge with others
A New Twist on an Old Tale - examine and compare some of the many versions of Cinderella.
Art


Explore Art - many lessons
Van Gogh's painting Style - create a painting in his style
Impressionism Art Webquest - Create a brochure about Monet.
Creating Space and Distance - Students will create three-dimensional landscapes.
Inuit Art Create a brochure for the display.
African Art and Music - lesson plan with good activities and links from PBS
Drawing Menu - learn bout perspective and shading
Imagination Factory - many ideas to explore


Math

E_Examples Index - There are many examples of problem solving using interesting applets to help visualize solutions. This is part of the "Seeing Math" program.
Spreadsheet - a Variety of Activities - coordinate other subjects with math
Best City Weather - Where would it be? You have to find out.
National Park Vacation - You would have a great time at any.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game - convince the commissioner that your division is best
Where Will you Live? - Pick the place that is best?
An Excellent Adventure - Take a trip to Disney World
Pascal's Triangle - look, color, and learn
Fractals - a neat introduction to the subject
Accessing and Investigating Data Using the World Wide Web: - use census data
Island of Discarded Calculators - How can you solve the problems if a key is missing? Trying is fun!
Fraction Learning Units - over a half dozen activities in pfd format
Math Concepts - lots of examples and support in using a spreadsheet to teach/reinforce learning
Geometry Learning - some of the PFD format lessons are good




Miscellaneous

Walk in My Shoes -teaches young people about growing older and the physical changes that occur with age
MarcoPolo  excellent and often unusual lessons on all areas of the curriculum
Rubric Builder - create yours on-line
Project Based Learning Checklists - just put in a few checks and you are ready to print it out.