Panama Canal Web Quest

Introduction
The Panama Canal is one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever attempted. In the next week your job will be to research who, what, where, when, how and why—the six major questions asked by any researcher.

Task
Your task as a researcher is to answer as completely as possible the question assigned to your group. You will create either a Powerpoint or poster to show what you have learned about your topic.
Who What countries were involved in building the canal? Who were the major figures that played a part? What was the work force like?
What What was the country of Panama like before the canal was built? What challenges did this country present; weather, animals, vegetation, terrain, disease?
When What was the timeline for the building of the canal? What is the future of the canal?
Where What locations were chosen for the canal? What were the reasons for the choices?
How How was the canal built? How does the canal work? What are the dimensions of the canal?
Why Why was the canal so important to so many groups of people?

Process
Each student will use the Big6™ process to research their topic, using the worksheet to take notes and keep track of sources. Each group will produce either a Powerpoint or poster. What type of visual information will you include? (Map, diagram or picture with title, caption and labels)  Click here for the Panama Canal Investigation worksheet.

Resources
Who http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/index.html (Early Plans), (French Canal Construction), (American Canal Construction), (Work force)

http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/whybuild.html

http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/zonelife.html

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/panama.construction.gallery/
frameset.exclude.html

http://www.canalmuseum.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tr/panama.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/panamacanal

What http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/index.html (The Land Panama)

http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/dirtfly.html

http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/bugwar.html

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/panama.construction.gallery/
frameset.exclude.html

http://www.canalmuseum.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tr/panama.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/panamacanal

When http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/blast-1.htm

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/panama.construction.gallery/
frameset.exclude.html

http://www.canalmuseum.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tr/panama.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/panamacanal

Where http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/chooseroute.html

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/panama.construction.gallery/
frameset.exclude.html

http://lostparadise.com/maps/index.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tr/panama.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/panamacanal

How http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/index.html (Culebra Cut), (Locks Design)

http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/enter.html

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/panama.construction.gallery/
frameset.exclude.html

http://www.canalmuseum.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tr/panama.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/panamacanal

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/howitworks/index.html

Why http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/index.html (Early Plans)

http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Make-the-Dirt-Fly/whybuild.html

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/panama.construction.gallery/
frameset.exclude.html

http://www.canalmuseum.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tr/panama.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/panamacanal

Evaluation
You will be graded on your Powerpoint or poster.