The GREAT Me,

the Webquest-ion of

Who Am I?

A Counseling WebQuest for ALL Ages

andrea buchanan, 2006

Last updated 11/13/06

"Painting can be a conversation with oneself and, at the same time, it can be a conversation with other paintings." (Jasper Johns, 1989)

Boy with Shadow, Toni Frissell

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/young/images/y30.jpg

#7 Introduction for Teachers

Designed by Andrea Buchanan, abuchanan@cgsd.org.
Last updated November 13, 2006.

This lesson was developed as part of An Adventure of the American Mind at Waynesburg College, a federally funded professional development program to assist educators in using Library of Congress primary resources to support student learning.

This unit could have also been titled *using GREAT masterpieces as a self-reflective introspective* ~OR~
*tell me about this picture and learn about yourself*.

This WebQuests could fit into various aspects of a unit of study:

____ As An Introduction to a Unit:

This is an compilation of artpieces with a question. Together (question + art) will insight students to question and probe his/her own belief and ideas of "Who Am I?"

____ In Place of a Unit:

This WebQuest would be an insightful and multi-disciplinary mini-unit for self-esteem and learning about oneself. The GREAT Me would be an excellent starting point for a careers' unit. The GREAT Me would be a great resource for writing classes.

____ An Assessment of a Unit:

A rubric is included for teacher/counselors use. Create your own to fit your use of the WebQuest. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

This WebQuest created for use in: 

Central Greene School District, Pennsylvania

Unit or Chapter Number and Title: The GREAT Me, a unit on self-esteem and learning about oneself

Conceptual Unit Question: Who Am I? Art + Discovery = Art-covery

This WebQuest is designed for all age levels and has multiple curriculum uses. I designed this WebQuest for a small group counseling session in schools.

There are not any prerequisite skills that need to be mastered before doing this WebQuest.

Modifications and adaptations: Use one picture at a time and discuss. Don't use Word or Paint, let students journal and draw or paint or collage. Share all the information orally.

Gifted:Allow students to find their own masterpieces to inspire questions. Branch off the picture and discover who was the artist, write about it. Create more questions to inspire others. Research early psychologists.

#9 Pennsylvania Academic Standards

This section aligns this WebQuest with Pennsylvania Academic Standards.

The student will recognize that individuals have unique interests. (13.1.3.A)

The student will identify current personal interests. (13.1.3.B)

• & standards 13.1.5.A, B and H, 13.1.8.A, B and H, adn 13.1.11.A.

The student will identify appropriate speaking and listening techniques used in conversation. (13.2.3.A)

• & standards 13.2.5.A and 13.2.8.A

The student will explain effective group interaction terms, such as, but not limited to: compliment, cooperate, encourage, and participate. (13.3.3.C)

The student will define and describe the importance of lifelong learning. (13.3.3.G)

• & standards 13.3.5.C and G.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education web site has links to standards documents in all academic areas. http://www.pde.state.pa.us/stateboard_ed/lib/stateboard_ed/Final_Form_Career_Ed__Work_Stds.doc

Links to National Standards:

National Council for Social Studies Standards for Excellence
National Council of Teachers of English Standards
ISTE Standards

#10 Process for Teachers

The lesson is organized in an open format. It could be one class or one week. How involved do you want it to be? What are your students' needs? It can be a single counseling unit or a multidisciplinary introduction. I made this WebQuest to be used. Use it however you want!

This project was originally designed for a single student introspective and sharing within a group. However, with modifications, it can be done whole class or done by groups. For example, in small groups, how would characters from a novel respond to various pictures/questions then share whole class. Change the rubric as you see fit.

This is a basic WebQuest. It was designed to be user-friendly. If you don't have Word experience, background, or capabilities, then let the students journal. Ditto for Paint, let the students create a picture outside the computer.

#11 Resources for Teachers

Supplies to have on hand to implement this lesson:

• Journals
• Drawing paper, crayons, markers, pens...
• Internet access
• Print-outs of the picture documents
• Microsoft Word
• Paint

Web site Resources used in developing this WebQuest:

• http://www.loc.gov
• http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=rbc3&fileName=rbc0001_2002juv17793page.db
• http://www.metmuseum.org/
• http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/
• http://www.nga.gov/kids/
• http://www.haringkids.com/
• AAM Waynesburg WebQuest Index

#12 Evaluation for Teachers

The students' project isn't really about the product. It is ABOUT the PROCESS. The sharing of information about self-revelation is what you want to pull out of the students: helping them to look inside themselves, discovering preferences, and who they are. The rubric is a guide if you need to assign a grade.

#13 Conclusion for Teachers

Who Am I?

When students know themselves, what they are about, their strengths, and preferences, they develop a stronger self-esteem and are more likely to set goals. Setting goals insures self-esteem, cyclic. This links to the career standards. IF a child knows him/herself, he/she can better plan career goals and plans.

A fun book you can use to take this study further is The Wisdom of a Starry Night by Sharon Marson. (It's a square book near the check-out in Barnes and Noble.)

#14 Credits and References

Designed by Andrea Buchanan, 2006, abuchanan@cgsd.org with Central Greene School District, Waynesburg Central Elementary School, with An Adventure of the American Mind at Waynesburg College. Last updated Novmeber 13, 2006.

Template created April 2006 by Amy Martin, An Adventure of the American Mind at Waynesburg based on a template designed by Lisa Bradshaw, An Adventure of the American Mind - Colorado.

Many ideas for webquest content and worksheets were adapted by permission from An Adventure of the American Mind - Northern Virginia Partnership, Dr. Rhonda Clevenson, Director.