Webquest 101 - Searching I

pzl-pcs.gif (2364 bytes) Webquest 101 – Putting Discovery into the Curriculum

The Search Begins

Now that you have defined the elements of your webquest, you’re ready to begin locating materials to include. We suggest three strategies to get started. Both assume that you have already selected a topic for your webquest.

Option #1 - Look at TeachersFirst First

TeachersFirst has thousands of web resources listed by topic and grade level. While you probably won’t be able to build an entire webquest from these resources, chances are that you should be able to find one or two good sites that will get you started or give you ideas. Try this option first, if you wish, then move on to option #2

Option #2 - Research by Wandering Around

If you have already found at least one web site for your topic that you like, try reviewing the links contained on that site. If the authors were good at their craft, they will lead you to other interesting sites. If you find this to be the case, bookmark these sites for future reference. Continue reveiewing references until you no longer find sites that are applicable to your topic. If you don’t find other usable sites (and sooner or later this will happen) move on to Option #3.

Option #3 - Structured Researching

Most of the serious digging for webquest sites results from structured searching. This is the process of using search engines to find and bookmark sites that may be useful for your webquest. Web searching is something of an art, and it can be endlessly frustrating if not done properly. Here are some tips to keep your searches fruitful.