Destination:
La Paz
Home of the
Pearl of the World
Teacher's Notes
Destination: La Paz is a WebQuest assignment designed to teach a number of the course objective of the Grade 9 English Language Arts program, as specified by the Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation guidelines.  This WebQuest is designed to be used in conjunction with a unit of study on The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, and is designed to either compliment, or replace, a major research paper for the unit.  Course topics covered by this WebQuest include the following:
Communication within small and large groups.
Effective note-taking.
Multimedia literacy, including research using the Internet, developing computer-based slideshow presentations, and developing advertising brochures.
Speaking and listening skills, including oral presenations.
Pre-writing strategies, including brainstorming techniques.
Drafting, proof-reading and editing strategies.
The resources for Destination: La Paz include John Steinbeck's novella, The Pearl (New York: Penguin Books, 1992), and the textbook ResourceLines 9/10 (Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice Hall Ginn Canada, 1999), as well as a variety of web-based resources which are listed below. 
Tips for Teachers
This project is designed to accompany a unit on The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, and can either compliment or replace a major research assignment for the unit.
This project is designed to be used either by students working individually, or in small groups (3-4 group members).
This project is designed to be completed over 5-6 one-hour class periods.
You can drop or add links to student resources as you feel appropriate.
Students should not be restricted to using only those sources for which you have provided links.  Encourage students to do further research on their own.
You may find it helpful to reinforce the activities in this project by giving students handouts on the different types of tools and documents they will use.
Each group should be encouraged to divide the work under each step evenly, to keep a list of who has been assigned which tasks, and to consult with the teacher if group members are not pulling their weight.
Educational Resources
This WebQuest was based on a WebQuest for The Pearl by John Steinbeck found at:
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Stu/nbromber/webquest.html
Information on Corel Presentation Slide Shows:
www.elko.k12.nv.us/scmiddle/computer/prsnt8/
Public Speaking Tips:
The Allyn and Bacon Public Speaking Website
How To Conquer Public Speaking Fear
Additional Resources:
A WebQuest about WebQuest by Bernie Dodge
Building Blocks of a WebQuest 
Evaluation Rubrics
Mr. Wiseman's Place
(additional rubrics)
Evaluation
Credits