Introduction

Picture this: you get to switch places with your teacher for the week. Now you are in charge! Aside from all the fun you will have being in control, you must prepare your students for an upcoming writing assignment.

Being a thorough teacher, you have already identified certain areas of weakness that have shown up in the writing done by your students. You noticed that they have trouble with run on sentences, sentence fragments, punctuation, and organizing paragraphs. In order to help them ace their next writing assignment, you will search the Internet to find any helpful information or activities that can give them the academic boost they need!

The Quest

You will teach the class about the topic you researched, providing the class with notes, appropriate worksheets, and a writing activity.

The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will complete the Task or Quest(ion). As a member of the group you will explore Web pages from people all over the world who care about writing skills. Because these are real Web pages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of What? Why? and How? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully as you can.

• Run-On Sentences
• Sentence Fragments
• Comma Usage
• Paragraph Unity

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

According to what group you are in, you will be researching a topic that relates to writing skills. You will use the links below to find your information on the Internet.

After you answer the questions posed to your group, you will prepare a lesson to present to the class on your topic. This lesson will include notes, worksheets, and a writing assignment. Your group will also be responsible for evaluating the class.

Run On Sentence Expert

Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #1: Run On Sentences

1. What is a run-on sentence?
2. How can you correct one?
3. Write three examples of run on sentences; correct them!

Sentence Fragment Expert

Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #1: Sentence Fragment

1. What is a sentence fragment?
2. How can you correct one?
3. Write three examples of sentence fragments; correct them!

 

Comma Expert

Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #3: Comma Usage

1. When are you supposed to use commas?

Paragraph Expert

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #4: Paragraph Unity

1. What is a topic sentence?
2. Write an example of a unified paragraph.
3. How can you make a paragraph unified?

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about a different part of writing skills. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Task / Quest(ion) as a group.

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

If you ever decide to become a teacher, you can use the work you produced in your group to put in your portfolio!

Conclusion

Not only have you become an expert in a certain area of writing, you have also learned other ways to help you improve your skills. Now you are ready for any essay that comes your way; bring on the English Language Arts Assessment!