Introduction
    This lesson was developed to coordinate Yorkville School District's new reading series, Scholastic's Literacy Place, with our Science curriculum on plants and animals.
        In this webquest the students will be divided into groups of four to read "Gila Monsters Will Meet You at the Airport"
(Scholastic, Grade 3)or any other article about gila monsters.  The groups will then research gila monsters, dinosaurs and dragons to determine which groups gila monsters are most closely related to.  Fantasy and realism will also be investigated.  Using the Super Spyglass Notebook the students will reach a conclusion and continue on in the lesson to write, debate, create a picture and develop and present a debate.

Learners
     Gila Monsters:  Dragons or Dinosaurs? is designed for 3rd Grade students, but may be used for high 2nd Grade students.  It will incorporate use of scientific inquiry, research techniques, writing a persuasive paper, writing a poem, using digital art and making an oral presentation through participating in a debate.
       Learners will need some knowledge of how to use Kidpix or other digital art programs and the elements of writing a persuasive paper.

Leaning Outcomes
   Science Standards:
               -Formulate questions on a specific science topics and choose the steps needed to answer the question.
                       -Use data to produce a reasonable explanation.
                       -Categorize features as either inherited or learned.
        Creative Arts Standards:
              -Identify and describe the elements of space, figure-ground, value and form; the principals or rythm, size proportion and composition.
                       -Understand the relationship among media, tools/technology and processes.
         Language Arts Standards:
                       -Make and support inferences and form interpretations about main themes and topics.
                       -Generate and organize ideas using a variety of 
planning strategies.
                       -Organize and integrate information from a variety 
of sources.
                       -Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate to purpose of material.
                       -Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions.
                       -Prepare and deliver oral presentation based on inquiry or research.
 
       The students will also receive practice in teamwork, reasearch skills, deductive thinking, organization of data, problem solving, making an oral presentation and creativity.

Process

      This lesson is multidisiplinary and will need a time period of 2 - 3 weeks.  The first week should be devoted to organization and research, the second week for preparation and work time, and the third week for debates and presentations.
      It may be done in a classroom with several computers, but is best accomplished in a computer lab.  Volunteers could be used for help in computer research, drawing the Kidpix picture and as coaches preparing for the debate.
     Students may be divided into groups at random, or by grouping students of different ability levels together.
     The Super Spyglass Notebook needs to be printed, cut apart and stapled together.  The Dragons/Dinosaur Wordsearch also needs to be printed and copied.

Resources
       Copies of the story, "Gila Monsters Will Meet You at the Airport"  Scholastic Reading Series, Level 3
or other articles about gila monsters will be needed.  Library books about gila monsters, reptiles, dragons and dinosaurs would be helpful.

Evaluation
       See the evaluation rubric on the student page.  

Conclusion
         Gila Monsters: Dragons or Dinosaurs? will integrate fact and fantasy, research and interpretation of data, reaching a conclusion and a creative as well as a factual presentation of the facts.  It is presented in the context of a mystery which allows the students to explore being a detective.

Credits and References
"Gila Monsters Will Meet You at the Airport"  Scholastic, Grade 3
Dragons/Dinosaurs Wordsearch  www.awesomeclipartforkids.com
Mrs. Sylvial Torto, Digital coach

                                         Designed by
                                     Patricia Coleman
                                        June, 2001
                             Copyright Yorkville CUSD#115
                              pcoleman@yorkville.k12.il.us

st updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page