Webquest Proposal

So my plan is to make a webquest for a biology 20 class because I find this will be far more useful to me than making an e-portfolio.
I want to propose a problem based learning for my students. I am tentatively thinking of giving them a scenario in which they are a new doctor in a small community in SK. They notice a trend of many patients comming in with the same symptoms. The students will find out after completing tests that it is a certain virus causes these problems. I am thinking about focusing on H1N1 since it has been so current in our lives. From here the students will have to learn about propertoes of viruses from structure to lifecycles. After learning about the basic, they will need to decide if a virus is living or non living. In biology 20 there is general concept of life and its characteristics.
After this I will have the students learn about vaccines the facts and myths. Finally I wnat the students to argue if it should be mandatory to have everyone vaccinated, since having children unvaccinated poses a threat to the rest of the community.

I plan on using notes that I have made up, from texts books, using utube videos, as well as uploading videos that I have found from educational sites on virus lifecycles, world health organization website, and the public health agency of canada to help teach the students about viruses and the flu. I of course still need to do some more research into good websites to use, but I do know that there is lots of information on the flu pandemic of 1918, and obviously lots on H1N1. I also have a great clincial microbiology textbook, so if need be I can simplify information and make brief notes for them. But I definately have some great videos that will enhance this assignment.

I think it is important for students to learn about viruses since these little things have and do have such an impact on our lives. The more informed a person is, the more educated and prepared they will be to make decisions such as gettng a vaccine or not.

Here are some of the curriculum objectives that I will cover:
Exhibit a curiousity about life and the conditions which support it.
Recognize the relationship between what is studies in biology and daily life.
Describe viral structure and activity.
Identitfy some diseases causes by viruses in plants, animals and humans prevalent in SK.

some websites I will be using:http://http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/
http://http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/faq_rg_h1n1-eng.php

http://http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=cbp&wcsuffix=6192

http://http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078695104/student_view0/unit5/chapter18/concepts_in_motion.html

As for evaluation of the assignment, I have not done any rubrics or anything, but I plan on getting them to explain the lifecycle of a virus, to debate if viruses are living or not living (give reasons why or why not) and then finally to debate if vaccination should be mandatory. I will have them to use simple knowledge, such as understanding the virus life cycle, and then have them evaluate and synthesis for the two debate questions. I will have both higher level thinking and basic thinking skills.

I do not have all the details yet, plus I know that once I get started and actually make the scenario, the fine details will change. I hope that by doing this assignment it will work on the students' research skills (finding out the infection the patients have), and on their critical thinking skills. I wnat them to think of all the ethical issues involved and what it really means to be living or non-living.

I will also attach my concept map of the problem/assignment