Introduction

Congratulations! Yov have just been chosen as a member of the team that awards the annual Caldecott Medal to a deserving children's book. Before the team meets you 'll want to learn everything that you can about the medal. You'll also want to look at some of the books that have won the medal in previous years. It's a BIG job, but this Webquest can help!

We have spent quite a long time studying the Caldecott Medal as a class, but if you need a memory refresher, check out the following Website on the Caldecott winners.

After you and your team mates choose the next medal winner, you will design a Power Point presentation to show the rest of the class which book you chose and why you chose that book. The show must contain at least FIVE slides explaining your reasons for choosing the book that you did. Your completed worksheet will help you to create the Power Point show.
 
 

1. You will be put into groups of four. Your first job is to decide on who will do the following jobs for your team.

1. Scribe - this person will take notes on what the team talks about.
2. Spokesperson - this person will speak for the team when the team has to give a progress report to the teacher.
3. Supply captain - this person will get the materials that the group needs each class.
4.Timer - this person will watch the clock and help the team to stop and clean up in time for the bell.
When you have agreed on the jobs, raise your hands and the teacher will come to visit the team.

Fill in the worksheet showing the type of artwork used in the illustrations.

4. Look at the size of the illustrations in your four books. Do most the illustrations cover at least 1/2 of each page? In most Caldecott Medal winning books the illustrations are large and fill at least 1/2 of the page.

5. Now your group is going to read each book and answer the following questions on your worksheet.
Do the illustrations help the author to tell the story?

In a Caldecott Medal winner, the illustrations help the reader to understand and enjoy the story. 

The work that your group does will be evaluated using this rubric. You will get the number of points that most closely describes your work. Make sure that you take turns evaluating your work before you hand it in. Go for the GOLD STAR!
 

 
 

	1	2	3	4	Score
Is the worksheet completely filled out?	Only a small portion of the worksheet is complete.	At least 1/2 of the worksheet is complete.	Almost the entire worksheet is completed.	The entire worksheet is completed with no blank spaces.
Is the worksheet done neatly. Is it easy to read?	The worksheet is very messy and hard to read.	Only about 1/2 of the worksheet is neatly done.	Most of the worksheet is done neatly.	The worksheet is neat and easy to read.
Did the group work well together, sharing work equally and solving problems together?	The group did not work well together at any time.	The group only worked together  one or two times.	The group worked together most of the time but had a few hard times.	The group shared the work equally and solved problems fairly.
Does the Power Point presentation contain FIVE slides?	The Power Point presentation contained only two slides or less.	The Power Point presentation contained only three slides.	The Power Point presentation contained only four slides.	The Power Point presentation contains FIVE slides.
Does the Power Point presentation clearly state the reason that the winning book was chosen?	The Power Point presentation was not clear at all.	The Power Point presentation was a little bit clear about the reasons the winning book was chosen.	The Power Point was mostly clear about the reasons that the winning book was chosen.	The Power Point presentation clearly stated the reasons that the winning book was chosen.

Your group has learned about the difficult job of evaluating book illustrations and choosing an award winning book.
Congratulations!!  Give yourself a pat on the back!

 

• Amazon.com for clip art of book covers
• American Library Association for Caldecott medal information.
• Discovery School for clip art
• Thanks to the artists of the Village of Pinehurst for examples of watercolor illustrations.
• Thanks to the art gallery of Alfred J. Smuskiewicz for examples of pen and ink drawing.
• Thanks to the artists represented in alloilpaint.com for examples of oil painting.
• Credit for the WebQuest format goes to Bernie Dodge.
• Many thanks to Debra Delbono for her patience.