A TRIP TO MISTY'S HOME - CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

A WEBQUEST ACTIVITY

Now that you have have enjoyed the book, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry you will now be planning a family trip to Chincoteague, Virginia to see the ponies for yourself.

TASKS (what to do)

     Your end product will be a plan for a family trip to Chincoteague, VA.  You will be visiting the town during the last week of July.  You and your family will want to explore the town, visit the island of Assateague, and see the ponies. You are to work with your group or "family".  Each student in the group is responsible for researching a different part of the trip (with a partner). You will be using sites on the WWW to gather information.  Each student pair is to write a paragraph about one or more of the tasks listed below and share the information with the rest of the group. The group then will plan the entire trip.  The group will share their trip plans with the rest of the class.

1.      Locate at least 7 facts about Marguerite Henry.  Locate titles and summaries of other books Marguerite Henry wrote.  Visit the school library media center to locate these books and choose 2 to take with you on the trip and check them out. While in the media center locate and check out any books available about Chincoteague ponies (use the computer catalog).

2.      Gather information about the ponies.  Be sure to include how they got on the island, what they look like, what they eat, and why they are sold to people.  Gather lots of other facts, too.

3.      Locate Chincoteague, VA on a map.  Trace the route from your hometown.  Which direction will you travel?  What states will you travel through?  How many miles will you travel?

4.      Find information about Chincoteague Island. Include at least 7 facts in your paragraph.  How is Assateague Island different from Chincoteague?

5.      Find information about places to stay.  See if you can find a vacation rental on the island of Chincoteague.  How much will it cost to stay for the week?  What is the place like? Why did you choose it?  What different types of places (motels, cabins, etc.) are available for you to rent?

6.      List the different things you can do while you are in Chincoteague.  Choose 5 and write at least 3 facts about each activity.  What special clothes or shoes will you need while having fun on the island?

RESOURCES (where to find information)

·         Misty of Chincoteague Foundation was founded by Marguerite Henry to save the Beebe ranch.

·         Authors & Illustrators:  Marguerite Henry ;

·         Illinois State Library: Illinois Authors ; and

·         Books by Marguerite Henry all give information about Marguerite Henry or the books she has written.

·         Assateague Island National Seashore - Assateague's Wild Horses;

·          Delmarva Online! Beach to Bay - Assateague Island - Pony Penning;

·          Chincoteague Pony: Gift of the Sea; and

·         The Chincoteague Pony sites all provide information about the Chincoteague ponies.

·         MapQuest is a web site that will show you maps of anywhere in the world.

·         Delmara Online! Beach to Bay - Chincoteague Island, Virginia;

·         Chincoteague Island Visitors Information;

·         Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge ;

·          Assateague Island National Seashore;  

·         National Park's page about Assateague Island National Seashore and

·         Delmara Online! Beach to Bay - Assateague Island all offer information about the area of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands.

THE PROCESS (how to do it)

1.      Gather in your group (family unit) and divide into pairs.

2.      Each pair is to accomplish 1 or more of the tasks.  Be sure to write down facts that you find as you visit the WWW sites.  After your research write out your facts in a paragraph with complete sentences. (Personal Best please!)

3.      Rejoin your group and share what you have learned.

4.      Make a poster or bulletin board showing all parts of your trips (all 6 tasks).  Add at least 1 illustration for each task.  Be sure to include a title and your names on your poster.

CONCLUSION

Now that you know so much more about the Chincoteague area, the ponies, and Marguerite Henry, perhaps you would like to visit the island with your own family or read some of the other books available.  You can find more books and additional information in our school library media center.

Hoofbeats in the Sand background image is from HorseNet and is used with permission. :-)

This WebQuest was created by Charlotte Brown, Media Specialist at Spring Mill School, 8250 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN 46260.  It was created on July 25, 1997 and is appropriate for upper elementary students.