Website Research Task

Hi guys, for your first task, click on this link: http://www.scs.sk.ca/cyber/elem/learningcommunity/6/2/curr_content/tisdale/integrated/wysiwyg/assignment_1.htm to get information about Jacopo.  When you finish with the University of Michigan site, be sure to record the URL as your source.

It's always good to have a second source, so check your answers with an online encyclopedia such as Brittanica, Encarta or Wikipedia.  Record any new facts that you learn on your paper. Discuss your findings with your classmates.

Your second task is a bit more competitive. You're going to determine if you can tell if a website is reliable or just a load of rubbish.

Process:

Check out a few websites below to determine which ones are "real" and which are "fake."  Answer each question on your sheet as you proceed, giving you reason for believing so.

1. Do bears hibernate?
   
   • http://www.pa.msu.edu/sci_theatre/ask_st/021898.html
   • online encyclopdia
2. Can men get pregnant?
   
   • http://www.malepregnancy.com/
         
   
3. Which one is the real website of the World Trade Organization?
   
   • A) World Trade Organization http://www.gatt.org/
   • B) World Trade Organization http://www.wto.org/
   
   
4. Where is New Hartford, Minnesota?
   
   • Go to Yahoo.com and do a search.
   • Now try an online encyclopedia.
   
   
5. How many people live in Ruritania?
   
   • http://homepages.udayton.edu/~ahern/rurhist.htm
   • Search for updated numbers from the CIA World Fact Book
   
   
6. Would you like to holiday in the real Mankota, Minnesota?  Explain why using 3 specific reasons (from the pictures)
   
   • Visitor Website #1
   • Vistor Website #2
   
   
7. Which one is the official website of the United States Whitehouse?
   
   • The White House #1
   • The White House #2

8.  Is the tree octpous really endangered?
                Use wikipedia.org and the NSA website to find out!

If you finish early, see if you can find any other "fake" websites to fool next year's classes!

Iditarod Time!

That's right, it's the time of year that Alaskans go crazy over their most famous sport... no, not cricket or rubgy (too much snow for that this time of year.. although we do go pin bowling on frozen lakes!).  All the hype this time of year focuses on the "Last Great Race"--the 1000 mile (1,609 km) dog-sled race known as the Iditarod.

The links provided below should help you find bits/pieces needed for the trivia challenge (held today in class).  However, you can find all the answers by google or bing if your prefer!  I've also included links to help you choose your best time/musher for our class prize competition (due no later than the beginning of lunch on Thursday, 3/3).  

Iditarod Hot Links!

Link to wikipedia for: general history of the iditarod! 

Learn about the Iditarod: http://www.iditarod.com/learn/

Specifics on the race route:  http://www.iditarod.com/race/route.html

List of 2011 mushers: Click on each name to find out more about them!

Race coverage (day by day and video clips): http://www.iditarod.com/race/http://www.iditarod.com/race/ 

Another great site to download a free poster of the map and links to track of your musher (day to day!) Cabellas Sponsor of Iditarod

Remember... closest estimate to 2011 finish time gets a free snack off campus (hot chips chips or milkshake).  Anyone who guesses the winning musher gets a get-out-of-homework pass.  So, do your research, have some fun, and good luck to you and all the 2011 mushers!   

This is Ms. V's Favourite Musher.   
She's AMAZING--strong, beautiful, kind, a cancer survivor, and more top ten fnishes than almost any other musher.  Her highest placing is second.  Perhaps this is the year??   GO DEE DEE! :) 

 Video of Dee Dee's Start in 2009

Welcome to 2010!

Hey 8V.  This blog is created for us.  It's a place to share what's happening, provide easy links for homework, assignments, and foster community for Reporoa's finest form class.  Basically, it's up to you to decide how we want to use this.  (More info. to come after class discussions!)

Cheers.
Ms. V