A Journey Through Time to ...

A Year-Long Interdisciplinary WebQuest
for Upper Elementary Grades

Introduction

You and your team of three time-traveling author/illustrators have been asked to write and illustrate a series of books chronicling the life and times of America from it's earliest colonists through today's most current headlines -- tomorrow's history. You have only days before you and your team are to report to the Center for Scanportation where you are to prepare for scanning and the beginning of your journey to times past. This series of books will provide insight into how we have grown as a nation, who brought us to where we are today, and how we lived together along the way. Will the readers of your books will be able to answer the question, "Where do we go from here?" The answer lies in your hands, because society can never prepare for the future with having looked at the past.

Task

The publisher has given you specific guidelines your team must adhere to when writing your books. These guidelines are not telling you how to write the books, but rather what the finish product should appear like. These guidelines for all the books are:

• written in similar fact-based or expository style

• ready for publication by including a cover, title page, illustrated text, and a bibliography

• formatted for landscape (horizontal) NOT portrait (vertical), 14" x 8½" legal-size layout design

• each historical entry is to be five paragraphs in length

• each entry must be accompanied by an illustration

• to be titled A Journey Through Time to {the period name as noted in The Process} i.e., A Journey Through Time to Colonial America

Process

Step 1: You and your team meet to discuss the layout of the book and which of you will be responsible for which section of the book -- The People, The Events, or The Life and Times.

Step 2: Next you must choose a topic of interest within your section of the book. You can best do this by going on a fact-finding mission, investigating the Web links provided for your chosen book section. Once you have settled on a specific topic, to avoid duplication, have your topic approved by the publisher (your teacher).

Step 2: Using your best investigative and research skills begin researching your topic.

People	Events	Life and Times

Step 3: Since your publisher has requested a bibliography for your book, you will need to create bibliography source cards for each resource you actually use in preparing your final draft. Guidelines for bibliography cards can be found here. Once you have completed your research, have your bibliography source cards checked by the publisher. 

Step 4: You are now ready to use your source cards to prepare your five paragraph rough draft. Have your rough draft edited by the publisher or their designated editor. Once edited, you may begin to prepare your final draft. 

Step 5: After you have finished your final draft, prepare a size appropriate (14" x 8½" legal-size) illustration using color pencils. Your illustration must enhance your readers enjoyment and increased understanding of the book. Feel free to consult books, Web sites, fellow writers and your publisher for ideas and suggestions. DO NOT copy an existing picture, use your own imagination and creativity.

Step 6: Turn your your final draft, bibliography source cards, and illustration to your publisher. If you have teams members still working on their topic, please see if you may be able to help them in any way.