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I created this webquest for my final project in “Instructional Technology II” at California University of Pennsylvania.  Special thanks to the Grant-Kohrs Ranch Website , Discovery Channel,  Tiffany Herman, and other teachers who have shared their lesson plans relating to cowboys on the Internet.

This webquest was designed to introduce the impact of cowboys upon American history and literature to tenth graders. I feel that this webquest would be beneficial in introducing either a western themed literary work or a  teaching unit on poetry. Personally, I think that poetry can be a bit daunting for a high school class but by introducing poetry from the view of a cowboy, traditionally thought of as an non-formally educated individual, students may have less apprehension about creating their own poetry.  This teaching unit may also be a good launch pad for examining literary works by Larry McMurtry, Willa Cather, Zane Grey or other authors. One extension of this website could be “Making Myths: The West in Public and Private Writings" lesson plan found on the PBS website.

Ideally, if I were to teach the "Cowboys of the American West" webquest I think that five class periods should be allotted.

Day 1  Show Episode 5 of the PBS series “The West” to the class.

Day 2  Students use the Internet to explore “A Cowboy's Life” webpage, explore the links on the page, and write a short story.

Day 3 Students use the Internet to explore "Cattle Branding" webpage, explore the hyperlinks on the page, design their own unique cattle brands,  write a brief explanation of their brands, and write a paragraph explaining the comparisons and differences to modern day items suggested on the Process Page.

Day 4 Students use the Internet to explore the "Cowboy Poetry" webpage, locate a piece of cowboy poetry, write a brief critical analysis of the poem that they select,  and write their own 12 line cowboy poem.

Day 5 Students recite the poems that they have composed in front of the class.

    Language Arts Skills

Technology Skills

-Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

- Students utilize technology in the locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

NCTE Standards

This webquest employs aspects of  the following standards set forth by the National Council of Teachers of English.

1.  Students read a wide range (of print and) non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
  
3.  Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
 
4.  Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
 
5.  Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
 
6.  Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
 
8.  Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
 
9.  Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
 
12.  Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards

This webquest also meets criteria set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Criteria for Reading, Writing Speaking and Listening.

Criteria for Arts and Humanities

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