OHIO
COUNTIES
A WebQuest for
4th Grade
Designed by
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Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion
Congratulations! You
and your partner have been chosen to select the best county in Ohio to live
in. You have the following tasks
ahead of you:
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The Task
- Research
the county that you have selected in the drawing
- Determine
the three largest cities
- Identify
tourist attractions
- Record
the population, crime rate, employment rate and any other information you
think would be helpful to someone who is deciding on whether or not your
county would be a good county to live in
- Find
major industries in your county
- Use
the above information to create a brochure to convince your classmates
that your county would be the best county in Ohio in which to live.
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The
Background
There are 88 counties in Ohio.
The physical makeup of these counties ranges from the foothills of the
Appalachian Mountains in the south to the glaciated plains in the north.
Some counties in the south and east are bordered by the Ohio River, and
some counties in the north by Lake Erie.
This interesting topography lends itself to a variety of industries and
attractions within each county.
Your purpose is to research Ohio counties in order to learn more about the diversity of the state you live in.
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The
Process
and Resources
You and your partner
will each choose two roles from the four listed below.
You will use your worksheet to record the information you find.
Use the goal statements to help you decide on the roles you will
choose.
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Role |
Goal |
| Inquirer | You will find the three largest cities in your country and
list them in order from largest to smallest
You will find the name of the county seat and list it |
Resources:
http://www.odod.state.oh.us/osr/profiles/default.htm
Click
on the picture or name of your county to find the city information in the
“Largest Cities” table. Use
the 1998 estimated census figures.
Search
using “Ohio Counties Listed by Name”.
Click on the first letter of your county name to find the county seat.
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| Tourist | You will find out about the natural and man-made attractions in your county |
Resources:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us
Click
“Outdoor Adventures by County”. Click
on the picture of your county. Click
on the name of your state park to learn more about it.
Or click on the “Park Directory” at the bottom of the page, and
then click on “Clickable Image Map”.
Next find the name of your park on the map and click on it to find
additional information on your park or parks.
Continue your search using this site to find out about recreational,
hunting, fishing and boating areas in your county.
http://www.odod.state.oh.us/osr/profiles/default.htm
Click on the picture or name of your county. At the end of the introductory paragraph on your county it will list the major attractions available to visit.
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| Statistician | You will look up information in charts and tables about population, crime rate, and employment rate |
Resources:
Search
using “Ohio Counties Listed by Name”.
Click on the first letter of your county name to find the population.
Use the 1998 population.
http://www.odod.state.oh.us/osr/profiles/default.htm
Click
on the picture or name of your county and read the information on employment
and unemployment under ”Civilian Labor Force, 1998”.
Where did your county rank in unemployment among the other 88 counties.
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| Entrepreneur | You will find information on major industries and employers in your county to determine if your county would be a good county to do business in |
Resources:
http://www.odod.state.oh.us/osr/profiles/default.htm
Click on the picture or name of your county to find the major industries represented on the pie graph. Read the summary under the pie graph. Go to the end of the page on your county to find a list of major employers in your county.
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Critical Thinking
Use the questions below to determine what is good and
not so good about living in your county.
- Are
there enough jobs for people who want to work?
(An unemployment rate below 5% would be good.)
- Does
your county have a large or small population?
How will the size of the population in your county affect the
quality of life? Are there
any major cities? Is there a high crime rate?
- What
types of activities can you expect to do in your county?
(Major natural and man-made attractions)
- What makes your county a good or poor place to live for a person who
would like to be a part of the business community?
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- You
and your partner will create a brochure to convince your classmates that
your county is a great county to live in.
- Your
brochure will be evaluated on the following points:
- Did
you follow directions?
20 pts
- Is
your information accurate?
20 pts
- Is your project colorful? 20 pts
- Did you spell correctly? 20 pts
- Is your brochure neatly done? 20 pts
- Did
you follow directions?
20 pts
Total: 100
pts
You
and your partner will be given a team grade for your brochure.
Your total score will be multiplied by 2.
You and your partner may then divide your total score in whatever way you
would like. For example, your team
of two earns an 86% for the total project.
Your project grade will be multiplied by 2 for a total of 172 points.
You could give each person 86 points or you could give one person who
worked really hard 100 points and the other person 72 points.
You can divide your 172 points in any way you wish as long as the total
adds up to 172 points. You and your
partner must agree on how to divide the points.
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You have explored one of the 88 counties in Ohio. You have learned about its people, natural resources and business opportunities. You have designed a brochure for your classmates to try to convince them to live in your county. Did you learn more about searching the Internet for information? Did you learn other interesting facts about your county? Would you like to visit your county some day?