Product+Comparison+Webquest

= A WebQuest for 8th Grade Language Arts =

Unit Plan "Read the Fine Print" Designed by Sheri Henningsen  shenningsen@mac.com

Essential Question:
Are all products created equal?

Unit Plan Screencast
http://www.screencast.com/t/G4LaRXuKc

media type="file" key="HenningsenUnitppt.mov" width="300" height="300"

Unit Questions:
Is one phone better than another? Which car has the best warranty?

Introduction
In this web quest students will be researching product user guides and warranty information. Half of the class will be in the market to help their family buy a new car. The decision is between either the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry. Both are very good cars, but research will help you list the advantages of one over the other.

The other half of the class is in the market to buy a new cell phone. The decision is between either the iPhone 4 or the Verizon Droid X. The available information will help you make an educated purchase. Before you make your purchase, you too need to do some research. Using the available resources of websites and user guides you will read the fine print and list the pros and cons of each.

Task
Working in pairs you will research the products you have been assigned. You will use the venn-diagram to help categorize the pros and cons of each product. After you have defined the strengths and weaknesses of each, you will each individually create a Buyers Guide PowerPoint multimedia project or a product brochure to be shown or presented to the class.

Process
Working in pairs, you will do Internet research on two similar products to compare and contrast warranty coverage and user guides. The purpose of the unit is to learn to use consumer materials to gain meaning and make educated consumer decisions.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">You will use the computer lab to create one of two summary projects: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">1. PowerPoint presentation <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">2. Brochure created in Microsoft Office.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Each project will be presented individually to the class.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Student Sample - Powerpoint
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Information Sources
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Compare Warranties: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">1. Honda Accord warranty <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">2.Toyota Camry warranty <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Compare Instruction Manuals: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">1. iPhone user guide [] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">2. Verizon Droid user guide []

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Evaluation
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The final product will be evaluate based on the criteria below: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">PowerPoint
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Background: The background should not detract from the text or other graphics
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Originality: The presentation should show considerable originality and inventiveness. The content should be presented in a unique way.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Spelling and Grammar: The presentation should not have any misspellings or grammatical errors.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Content Accuracy: Make sure that the content throughout the presentation is accurate and factual.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Use of Graphics: Graphics should support the content of the presentation.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Text and Font: Font and text formats should be readable and enhance the presentation.

[|PowerPoint Rubric.pdf]

[|Brochure Rubric.pdf]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Brochure
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Writing: Each section of the brochure should be clear and organized.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Spelling and Grammar: The presentation should not have any misspellings or grammatical errors.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Vocabulary: The brochure should clarify vocabulary or new words to the reader.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Content Accuracy: Make sure that the content throughout the brochure is accurate and factual.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Use of Graphics: Graphics should support the content of the brochure.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Organization: The brochure should show considerable originality and inventiveness. The content should be presented in a unique way.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Conclusion
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Although you are not old enough to buy a car, and you may not have to buy your own phone, you have learned some of the skills you will need as an adult to make an educated purchase. Is it a good idea to by something just because a friend has one? Is there more to consider that product popularity? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">You are not far from making these purchase decisions in life. What other products would it be beneficial to research or compare before purchasing? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Xbox vs. PS3? <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[] <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">A new laptop? <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[] [|Henningsen.DOC] [|Henningsenpdf.pdf]

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Credits & References
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Copyright-Friendly Media <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Thank you to Philip Martin Clip Art <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">http://www.phillipmartin.info/clipart/homepage.htm <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Clip Art provided by Microsoftoffice.com

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Thank you to [|The WebQuest Page] and the [|Design Patterns] for this template and training materials.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name (Sheri Henningsen) is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL.