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This is your chance
to investigate something that interests you. Research a topic. Find an
issue that you want to explore. Investigate the Explore More Web site.
And create a newspaper section that you can show to your family and friends.
Introduction:
What you
are doing on your WebQuest.
Task:
What you are going to research and write.
Process:
The steps you need to follow.
Explore
More News Section: What your finished product will be.
Introduction
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Dear
Rookie Reporter,
Think
you're ready for a challenge? I want to review your responsibilities
for our special section in the Explore More News. You realize that
most of our readers wouldn't know a glow-in-the-dark bunny from
a field of Bt corn. A wind turbine from a windmill. A fish kill
from a fish net. The water cycle from a bicycle. You need to explain
why they should care and why these are problems we need to tackle.
First,
you are going to find an issue that interests you. Then you are
going to research your topic and write an article. This is going
to require your best reporting skills. I want our readers to know
who is involved and what the issue is. You'll report on the topic,
or write a human interest article or investigate a major issue.
We go
to press as soon as you finish. So go get your pen and paper and
get to work.
Sincerely,
I. M. Thiboss
Managing Editor, Explore More News
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Task
I want you to learn
about an issue related to one of the Explore More Web sites. You need
to know who is involved, what is involved, why it is an issue, and all
its future possibilities. You are going to take that knowledge and create
an Explore More newspaper that contains one of the following three
articles. You will write a general news article, a human interest article,
or an issue article.
In other words, you
are going to select a topic, identify an issue related to that topic,
investigate the people, information, problems and views related to this
topic, and create an article that will let our readers know one of the
following:
1. What the topic
is. (This is the general news article that introduces the basics of
the topic.)
2. Who is involved
in this topic. (This is the human interest article that profiles an
expert or stakeholder involved in the topic.)
3. What is an interesting
or important issue of this topic. (This is an in-depth investigation
of a compelling issue that relates to your topic.)
A few reporting tips:
Remember,
the topics are genetic engineering, energy, working landscapes, or water
quality. Examples of sub-topics within each major topic might be cloning,
laws or agriculture in genetic engineering. The issues are the really
hot items. They might be "Should cloning be allowed for endangered
species?" or "Should the federal government restrict medical
research involving genetic testing?" or even "Will genetically
engineered crops help or harm the environment?"
Use your best reporting
skills and look for the facts. Report what is true and be fair with
your coverage of the subject. This is not your opinion, but rather the
facts, statistics, and examples you’ve learned in your research.
After you’re
done writing, you’ll have an Explore More News article ready to publish!
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Process
There are several basic steps you will need to accomplish.
1. First, choose
one of the Explore More topics and look through the Web site to get familiar
with the topic of your choice.
2. Investigate the
sub-topics of your chosen topic. What interests you? environment? people?
medicine? laws? business?
3. Pick an issue
that interests you. Remember, an issue is one of those burning questions
that really gets people thinking about your topic. This issue will be
the focus of your Explore More WebQuest.
4. Remember to think
about your audience. Your audience will be the readers of the Explore
More News. Ask yourself: Who is my audience? What do they need to know?
Why should they care? Are they students? Adults?
5. Follow the instructions
for one of the three articles (below).
6. Write your articles
and have fun!
Explore More News Assignments (choose
one)
General News Article
Human Interest Article
Issue Article
General News Article:
1.
Choose a topic–select one of the Explore More Web sites for your
research.
2.
Investigate the topic and sub-topics involved.
3.
What general facts, information, statistics do you find? What are some
of the major concerns about this topic?
4.
Write an article that would explain the topic to readers.
Human Interest Article
1.
Stakeholders are people who have something to lose or gain. When you
think about your stakeholders, ask yourself why they care about your
topic. They might have social, economic, political, religious, personal,
or cultural reasons for feeling as they do. Find out about these people
and how they feel. Look for people who have different opinions and views
on your topic. What are your stakeholders' viewpoints? Why do they have
these viewpoints? Make sure to look in the Viewpoints sections for video
clips and transcripts. Research other sources for different viewpoints.
(The other Web links are a great place to start.)
2.
Find a stakeholder with an interesting viewpoint. Find out the background
of the stakeholder and the "why" behind the viewpoint.
3.
Write an article that explains the stakeholder’s situation and
viewpoint in a fair and unbiased manner. Use quotes, facts, examples,
and statistics where needed.
Issue Article
1.
Skim through the Web site to find the issues that interest you.
2.
Take notes on issues that you find during your pre-research.
3.
Do not limit yourself to what you see listed as an "issue." Choose something
that interests you.
4.
Write your issue as a question and then define your issue by explaining
what it is to the reader.
5.
Write an article that reports your issue. Find out the what, who, when,
where, why and how of it. Explain what the issue is, who is involved
with this issue, why this is an issue, and why people should be interested
in this issue (what causes people to have an opinion).
Explore More News Article
You should
now have a pretty good understanding of one Explore More topic or one
issue related to that topic. You have truly written an Explore More News
article of great value to your readers. How do you think new research
will change your issue? Can you see your topic changing as laws change
or technologies develop?
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