The Ocean Floor

A WebQuest for 5th Grade Science

Designed by
Dorothy Fannin
dfann002@odu.edu

Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

Introduction
The mysterious ocean floor, some would say the biggest mystery mankind has yet to solve, is the
focus of this project. You are the detective, trying to solve at least a part of this vast mystery.
What is the ocean floor like? What are its features? What is its grand design? How does it
look? How is it shaped? Surely it isnt rolling waves, or flat as it seems on the surface at the
horizon. Does it slope? Does it drop off suddenly? How different is one spot on our ocean floor
from another? These are a few of the questions you will answer with this WebQuest. At the end
of this project, you will have a clear picture of some of the features of the ocean floor. You will
use the links to research the ocean floor. You will create a project that showcases the knowledge
you have gained. You will be The Great Detectives.

The Task
You will use the internet to research some basic information on the characteristics of the ocean
floor. You will access each link and complete the assigned task for that link. You will use the
data and information you collect to create a model project that shows some of the physical
characteristics you discover about the ocean floor. Your project will display the answer to your
mystery: What are some of the characteristics of our vast, deep, mysterious ocean floor?

The Process
Here are the steps that you will follow as you don your role as detectives:
1. First, you will be assigned to a squad of 4 detectives (a group of 4 classmates.)
2. Next, you will each choose a role to play: One will be Lead Investigator and navigate the
websites. One will be the Lead Analyst and complete a summary of each site. One will
be Lead Forensic Artist and find or create an image to represent each site and step in the
investigation. Your final detective will be Sargent and be responsible for assigning roles
for completion of the model that you will create based on your findings.
3. After you have assigned the Team Members, you will access each link that follows and
create a brief summary of information from each site. Your summaries can be in the
form of hand written outlines, charts, or webs. You must have at least one image that
comes from, or relates to each site.
The following site has a good depiction and description of the ocean floor.
(Especially note the section about seafloor features, and the image of the ocean
floor.)
Watersome Blogspot: Geology of the Ocean Floor
The following is a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
website. It has graphics depicting satellite captured images and links for ideas for
projects based on the features of the ocean floor:
NOAA.gov Ocean Floor Features
The following gives a Museum of Science brief overview and a graphic image of
the ocean floor features, especially the continental slope:
 Looking at the Sea: physical features of the ocean
The following is from The National Geographic Society and offers a description
of the continental shelf and slope:
National Geographic: continental shelf
The following is an Encyclopedia Britannica article and depiction of the
continental slope:
Encyclopedia Britannica: Continental slope
The following is an Encyclopedia Britannica article and depiction of the
continental rise:
Encyclopedia Britannica: Continental rise
4. You will then use the data (in the form of the summaries and images you have gathered)
to create a model of the ocean floor. This model may be in the form of a shadow box,
poster board, sculpture, or any other creative display you choose. Check out this link for
project ideas: Pinterest, ocean floor projects.
5. *You may have noticed, with your great detective skills, that the continental shelf, slope,
and rise, are mentioned in several descriptions and are shown on each site. Plan your
project with this in mind!

Evaluation
Describe to the learners how their performance will be evaluated. Specify whether there will be a
common grade for group work vs. individual grades.

Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score

1 2 3 4

Assignment No clear Roles assigned Fewer than four clear Four Detective roles 0-10
of Group assignment of with teacher roles assigned. assigned without
Roles roles. assistance. (5-9 points) assistance.
(Group
(0 points) (1-4 points) (10 points)
Grade)

Summary No summaries Incomplete Complete or partially Complete summary 0-10

for Each Site listed. summary listed complete summary listed for five to six
Listed for one to six listed for two to four sites.
(0 points)
(Group sites. sites. (10 points)
Grade)
(1-4 points) (5-9 points)
 Image No images Hand drawn Hand drawn or A combination of 0-10
Included for included. images included computer images hand drawn and
Each Site (0 points) for one to three included for three to computer images
(Group sites. four sites. included from five to
Grade) (1-4 points) (5-9 points) six sites.
(10 points)

Model No model Incomplete model Complete model Complete model 0-40

Created created. created (not created with created with
Based on (0 points) showing either continental shelf, continental shelf,
Research of the continental slope, and rise, using slope, and rise, using
Sites (Group shelf, continental two-dimensional creative and
Grade) slope, or materials. interesting materials
continental rise) or media.
(13-25 points)
(1-12 points) (26-39 points)

Contributed Did not Made a partial Made a complete Made a complete 0-30
to and contribute to contribution contribution during contribution to all
Worked any part of the during the first the first three steps phases of the
Well With project (as three steps of the and a partial WebQuest and
Group (This reported by WebQuest. contribution to the project.
will be an group final project.
(1-15 points) (30 points)
individual members to
(16-29 points)
grade.) the teacher at
the end of the Total Points
project.) Possible:
(0 points) 100

Conclusion
At the end of this Investigation, you and your Fellow Detectives will have uncovered some of the
mysteries of the vast depths of the great Ocean Floor. You will have met the Standards of
Learning objectives:
5.6 The student will investigate and understand characteristics of the ocean environment. Key
concepts include a) geological characteristics; b) physical characteristics
You will do the following: create and interpret a model of the ocean floor and label and
describe each of the major features.
Important features of the ocean floor near the continents are the continental shelf, the continental
slope, and the continental rise. These areas are covered with thick layers of sediments (sand,
mud, rocks).
Now that you are one of The Great Detectives, how will you use this information? Will you go
on to do greater things? Will you discover things that will continue to change the world around
you? What vast mysteries will you uncover next??
Credits & References
Wave image from the following:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpaudit/
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/legalcode

______________________