The Call of the Wild

1. The Call of the Wild A WebQuest for 7th Grade Language Arts Designed by – Ashley Schmeltz apahl@bgsu.edu EDTL 6800 – Information Literacy for Teaching and Learning – Summer 2009 Based on a template from The WebQuest Page Introduction Task Resources Process Evaluation Conclusion Standards Citations Teacher Notes

2. Introduction • GOLD! GOLD! GOLD! It is 1897 and gold has been discovered in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Thousands have been lured by the possibilities of striking it rich and you do not want to be left out! Your talents as a journalist have led you across the Chilkoot Trail in order to capture this historic event while your party searches for gold. Will you find your fame in the publishing world, will the harsh Canadian wilderness claim another victim, or will you hit the mother load!?

3. Task • The Gold Rush is on! After completing some research, you and two partners will publish the front page of a newspaper that will give a glimpse into this historic event! • Each of you will explore a different aspect of life during the Gold Rush. One of you will explore the Klondike Gold Rush, one of you will explore the physical characteristics of the Yukon and the other will explore the life of a dog musher. After you have taken notes, you will each write an article summarizing the information you have found. • When each group member has completed their article, your group will come together and create the front page of a newspaper. Each of your articles will be featured on the front page along with a title and date for your newspaper and any pictures that you would like to include.

4. Resources • Computers with Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher • Poster board or construction paper • Markers • Glue • Scissors • Notebook Paper • Pencil

5. Process • Groups • The teacher will put you into groups of three. • Your group needs to designate one member for each role: • Klondike Gold Rush Expert • Yukon Territory Expert • Dog Musher Expert • Research • Click on your role above to complete your research and article. • You will have two class blocks to complete your research and write your article.

6. Process • Newspaper • Your group will create the front page of a newspaper using your articles and pictures. • Make sure your newspaper meets the following criteria: • It is created using Microsoft Publisher or poster board. • It has an appropriate title and date. • All articles are included. • It is free of spelling and grammar errors. • Pride has been shown in work. • You will have one class block to complete your newspaper. • When you are finished, hand completed assignment to teacher.

7. Klondike Gold Rush Expert • Explore the following links to help you answer the questions below. While you are researching you may save one to two pictures or maps that would illustrate your topic. • The Canadian Encyclopedia • National Park Service When was the Klondike Gold Rush? Where was the Klondike Gold Rush? What was the Klondike Gold Rush? How did the Klondike Gold Rush start? Who took part in the Klondike Gold Rush? Is there any other information that you feel should be included? continue to next slide

8. Klondike Gold Rush Expert • Use your notes to write a one to two paragraph article about your topic. • Use Microsoft Word to create your article. • Make sure to follow the formula for writing a good paragraph. • Proofread your work for good writing conventions before you print your final copy. • Print any pictures (one to two) that you may want to include as well. When you are ready to create the front page of your newspaper, click here!

9. Yukon Territory Expert • Explore the following links to help you answer the questions below. While you are researching you may save one to two pictures or maps that would illustrate your topic. • The Good Life • Yukon Where is the Yukon Territory? How big is the Yukon Territory? What is the climate like in the Yukon Territory? What types of animals live in the Yukon Territory? What types of land features are in the Yukon Territory? Is there any other information that you feel should be included? continue to next slide

10. Yukon Territory Expert • Use your notes to write a one to two paragraph article about your topic. • Use Microsoft Word to create your article. • Make sure to follow the formula for writing a good paragraph. • Proofread your work for good writing conventions before you print your final copy. • Print any pictures (one to two) that you may want to include as well. When you are ready to create the front page of your newspaper, click here!

11. Dog Musher Expert • Explore the following links to help you answer the questions below. While you are researching you may also save one to two pictures or diagrams that would illustrate your topic. • PBS • Yukon Quest During the Gold Rush, what were dog sled teams used for? What breed of dogs were used as sled dogs? What qualities are needed in a sled dog? What are some obstacles that mushers face on the trail? What type of equipment is used in dog sledding? Is there any other information that you feel should be included? continue to next slide

12. Dog Musher Expert • Use your notes to write a one to two paragraph article about your topic. • Use Microsoft Word to create your article. • Make sure to follow the formula for writing a good paragraph. • Proofread your work for good writing conventions before you print your final copy. • Print any pictures (one to two) that you may want to include as well. When you are ready to create the front page of your newspaper, click here!

13. Evaluation • The following rubric will be used to grade your individual article: TOTAL: continue to next slide

14. Evaluation • The following rubric will be used to grade the front page of your newspaper: TOTAL:

15. Conclusion • Congratulations! You have captured a moment in history with your front page headlines about life in the Yukon Territory during the Gold Rush Era. You are now ready to begin the novel The Call of the Wild by Jack London which is a story about Buck, a dog who is stolen from his home in California and sold into life as a sled dog in the harsh, Canadian wilderness. Does Buck have what it takes to survive? Read and find out!

16. Standards • Ohio Academic Content Standards • Language Arts • Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies: • Establish and adjust purposes for reading, including to find out, to understand, to interpret, to enjoy and to solve problems. • Summarize the information in texts, using key ideas, supporting details and referencing gaps or contradictions. • Writing Processes • Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. • Conduct background reading, interviews or surveys when appropriate. • Establish a thesis statement for informational writing or a plan for narrative writing • Determine a purpose and audience. • Use organizational strategies (e.g., rough outlines, diagrams, maps, webs and Venn diagrams) to plan writing. • Group related ideas into paragraphs, including topic sentences following paragraph form, and maintain a consistent focus across paragraphs. • Use available technology to compose text. continue to next slide

17. Standards • Ohio Academic Content Standards for Technology • Technology and Information Literacy • Select and evaluate relevant information about a specific topic in several sources. • Compile information learned about a topic from a variety of sources. • Create information products to share information using different formats. • Guidelines for Effective School Library Media Programs in Ohio • Information Literacy • Compile information learned about a topic from a variety of sources. • Create information products to share information using different formats. • Take notes, organize information into logical sequence and create a draft product.

18. Teacher Notes • This WebQuest is a prereading activity that explores several major elements of The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Because of this, it would be beneficial to have read the novel so these elements can be tied to the novel. • If all students are comfortable using technology to create documents, Microsoft Publisher or any other publishing program could be required to create the front page of the newspaper, instead of being optional. • Many of the Web sites in this WebQuest have links to more resources if additional information is needed. • When writing paragraphs my students know to “follow the formula for a good paragraph” which means using a topic sentence, a minimum of three supporting details and a concluding sentence.

19. Citations Berton, P. Klondike gold rush. (2009). Retrieved July 15, 2009, from The Canadian Encyclopedia Web site: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004349 [Book jacket]. (n. d. ) Retrieved August 1, 2009, from the Camel’s Hump Radio Web site: http://www.vpr.net/camelshump/library/season_3_pages/08_call_wild.html Center for Curriculum and Assessment Office of Curriculum and Instruction. (2004). Academic content standards k-12 guideline library. Columbus: Ohio Department of Education. Center for Curriculum and Assessment Office of Curriculum and Instruction. (2004). Academic content standards k-12 english language arts. Columbus: Ohio Department of Education. Center for Curriculum and Assessment Office of Curriculum and Instruction. (2004). Academic content standards k-12 technology. Columbus: Ohio Department of Education. Kelsey, S. (2005). [Wolf image]. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from the Ron Russel Middle School Library Web site: http://www.canby.com/nkelsey/rrmslibrary.html Klondike gold rush. (n.d. ) Retrieved July 15, 2009, from the National Park Service U. S. Department of the Interior Web site: http://www.nps.gov/klgo/ Sled dogs: An alaskan epic. (1999, November). Retrieved July 15, 2009, from the PBS Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/sled-dogs-an-alaskan-epic/introduction/3146/ The good life. (n.d. ) Retrieved July 15, 2009, from the eye-books Web site: http://www.eye-books.com/thegoodlife/yukonfacts.htm Yukon. (2009, March 29). Retrieved July 15, 2009, from the Web Pages for Students Web site: http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/canada/facts/yt.html Yukon quest sled dogs. (n. d. ) Retrieved July 15, 2009, from the Yukon Quest Web site: http://www.yukonquest.com/site/sled-dogs-in-the-north/ *All other images were retrieved from Microsoft Office’s Clipart.