Grade Levels: 5-12

Subjects: Language Arts, Social Science

Enduring Understandings:

1. Providing access to national parks and preserving them requires careful planning which involves addressing all types and levels of use, resource protection, access, and the visitor experience.
2. Careful analysis of input from many different groups of interested Americans is critical to a good plan for the near and distant future.

Duration: 2 to 3 class periods

National Standards:

Social Studies

Strand III: People, Places, Environments
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.

Strand X: Civic Ideals and Practices
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.

English Language Arts

1.Students read a wide range of print and non print texts to build an understanding of texts; to acquire new information.
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 and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features
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 communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data
from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to
create and communicate knowledge.

Technology

5. Technology research tools
* Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
* Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
* Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

Materials Needed:

Persuasive letter graphic organizer 1 or organizer 2

Objective:

This webquest is designed to engage students in looking at a complex issue from several different perspectives. Students will be reading material from different sources relating to the proposed new access routes and proposed action plans through Denali National Park and Preserve. It requires groups to discuss the issue and come to an agreement about their stand resulting in a persuasive letter.

Anticipatory Set:

Post the following guiding questions and facilitate a short discussion.

Procedure:

1. Students will work in groups of four.
2. As a group, they will investigate, analyze and evaluate the feasibility studies done by the National Park Service and the comments about proposed action plans from reading information from the different web links provided.
3. The group will discuss the different perspectives and information gathered to come to a consensus of which plan will be best.
4. They will then write a persuasive letter to the Denali National Park and Preserve Planning Department stating their preference and why they have chosen that plan.

Assessment

Activity	Above Proficiency	Proficient	Not Proficient
Research & Gather Information	Collects a great deal of information--all relates to the topic	Collects some basic information--most relates to topic	Collects very little information--some relates to the topic.
Participate in Group Discussion	Offers information which has been analyzed from the perspective of the role which was assigned	Offers information which is gathered	Either gives too little information or deviates from the groups' task
Persuasive Letter	Weak counterpoints exposed. Digs for truth. Propels reader in one direction. Sound reasoning. Clear position. Opinions thoughtfully supported. Credible evidence probing, penetrating. Telling evidence. Avoids exaggeration. Provable statements. Compelling arguments, Fact/opinion distinguished. Conclusions well-grounded. Displays evidence to advantage. Believable. Defensible. Convincing. Tough to refute.	Some chinks in foundation. Few surprises. Predictable, well-worn arguments. Nudges reader gently. Relies on good will of audience. Overlooks key evidence. Basic position easily inferred. Credible but limited support. Acceptable, knowledge as evidence. Relies on common sense. Fact/opinion sometimes overlap. Non-probing. Holds one position throughout. Mix of rational and muddled thinking.	Fuzzy thinking dominates. Weak, questionable evidence. Reader resists budging. Appeals to feelings. Position weak/unclear/shifting. Easy to refute. Exaggeration in lieu of logic. Ignores/glosses over facts. Repetition in lieu of real strength. Unsure of ground. Giant leaps of faith required. Minimal content. Unsupported statements

Conclusion

Return to a whole class discussion relating to the four original question posted at the beginning of the webquest.

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