Webquest literature

Welcome: Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Description: There are many different genres of literature. In this lesson you will explore and
analyze the different genres of literature.
Grade Level: 3-5
Keywords: Genres, Literature
Author(s): Inmaculada Garca Millas

There are many different genres of literature! So many, that one may get confused when trying to
learn them all on their own. You will team up with a few of your fellow classmates to explore
the genres of literature and create a newspaper explaining the literature that you found for the
world to see!
You are a reporter and the United States of America needs you! You have been hired by the
president of the United States to help your fellow Americans get the literature that they need!
The country is in chaos! It is up to you and your classmates to team up and create a giant
newspaper. Your newspaper needs to include:

Name

Headline: A short attention getting statement about the literature.

Dateline: The date the literature was written.

Volume I, Issue I

Page numbers

Byline: Group member's name who chose the literature on each piece of literature
chosen

One poem with related picture

One realistic fiction article with related picture

One folk tale with related picture

One biography with related picture

A reflection of each piece of literature chosen answering questions on the piece.

The reflection will also be a part of the newspaper.*

Step 1
I will organize students into groups (4 students per group) and give each student a task
checklist. You will check off each task after you have completed it.
Step 2
I will assign each group to a computer. Do not use or touch any computer that you are not
assigned.
Step 3
Follow the Sample Newspaper link and identify the heading, dateline, Volume #, Issue #, page
numbers and bylines of the newspaper. Your newspaper will need to contain each of these
elements.
Step 4
Each student in your group will be given a different role: a biography expert, a poem specialist,
realistic fiction developer and a folk tale master. Each person will be responsible for choosing one
piece of literature, one related picture and writing one reflection on the chosen piece of literature
for the newspaper.
Step 5
As a group, visit the Genres link to receive a complete definition of the genre you will be
exploring.
Step 6
Individually, look at the links below for your role. Explore the website and read at least 3
passages. You will choose one passage from your link's website to include in your newspaper.
Step 7
Choose the passage that you would like to use in your newspaper and raise your hand for my
assistance with printing.
Step 8
Now that your article has been chosen and printed, it is time to complete the reflection portion of
the newspaper. In your reflection,be sure to...
1. Explain and discuss why you chose that specific article.
2. Explain and discuss how you know that the article is a poem, adventure, biography or
folk tale.
3. Explain and discuss your thoughts about the article.

Your reflection should be no longer than one page and no shorter than one half of a page.
Step 9
Check the writing of your reflection with the proofreading checklist. A link to this checklist is
provided below.
Step 10
Once everyone in your group has completed the first nine tasks, gather your article and reflection,
andraise your hand. I will supply your group with a poster, glue, and scissors to make your
newspaper.
Step 11
While waiting for my assistance, discuss and choose as a group the Name of your Newspaper.
(ex. Miss Green's Class News or Helping Our Nation)
Step 12
It's time to begin putting your newspaper together! Organize your work as so: the work of the
poem specialist will be on the first page, the second page belong to the biography expert, the
third page will belong to the realistic fiction developer and the fourth page will belong to the folk
tale master. Make sure that your page has:

Page number

Dateline

Your article and reflection has a byline

Volume I, Issue I

Your article and reflection has a heading

Feel free to refer to the sample newspaper link below.

Step 13
After each member has pasted their work onto the poster, as a group, review the newspaper and
be sure that nothing is missing.
Step 14
As a group raise your hands and show me your complete newspaper! :)
The overall grade obtained from this project will be group based. Students should act as
motivation and support for each other.
Evaluation Rubric
Beginning

Developing

Accomplished

Exemplary

Score

Accuracy

Did not follow

directions.
Missing parts of
newspaper.

Comprehension The group does

not understand
and/or cannot
distinguish the
differences
between poems,
non-fiction and
fiction literature.

Followed few
directions.
Missing parts
of newspaper.

Followed
Everything is
directions. Missing done correctly.
1 part of
newspaper.

The group
The group can
understands distinguish the
the differences differences
between fiction between poems,
and non-fiction. non-fiction and
fiction literature.

/5

The group
/5
understand and
can distinguish
the differences
between poems,
non-fiction and
fiction literature.

Design

The newspaper's The

The appearance is The newspaper's /5
appearance is
newspapers good, neat, but not appearance is
poor.
appearance is organized.
great, neat, and
mediocre and
is well
not organized.
organized.

Grammar

8 or more errors. 5 to 8 errors.

Checklist not
Checklist not
completed.
completed.

Checklist not
2 or fewer errors. /5
completed. 3 or 4 Checklist
errors. Checklist completed.
completed.
Total Score:

Congratulations! You have successfully helped your fellow citizens! By following a process and
working together as a team, you identified the different genres of literature, understood and
distinguished poems, non-fiction and fiction literature, and discussed, responded to and reflected
on these genres. You also gained the ability to identify the characteristics of the genres. Your

newly learned skills coupled with your ability to identify, and use the different parts of a
newspaper enabled you to create your own newspaper and assist the US in their time of need.
Now that you have created your newspaper and aided the world, you will have the opportunity to
present your newspaper to the class and you will be able to watch them present theirs as well!