Mercury, Mars or Venus?

Amid the growing development in communication and technologies which has resulted in the increasing availability of cellular phones, computers and the internet to children in Trinidad and Tobago, it has become essential that educators integrate these technologies into the classroom environment. Technology should be used as an instructional tool as it is naturally inspiring. Also imperative is the development of best practices to provided students safe and meaningful experiences on the internet.


Mercury, Mars or Venus was designed for a Standard 5 Class. These 10-12 year old students  are interested technology and are quite savvy with the use of computers and the internet. They are quite familiar with downloading music, looking at your tube videos and sending messages via facebook and email. Given their enthusiasm with computer and the internet I think a web quest would be quite an interesting experience for them. The various
websites offer simulations of the movement of the solar system, diagrams,
pictures and satellite imagery which make the abstract concept more real to students.

This instructional tool was
designed as a medium to help assist students through a problem-based,
cooperative learning environment, whilst encouraging higher-level thinking and
providing links to an appropriate rich
resource for information, the internet.

This Web quest is an inquiry-based on-line learning activity which promotes independent learning while the internet helps the reader to understand the concepts of the planets closest around the earth.