By Marina Andrade

& Sue Chen

This web quest is designed for 2nd to 3rd grade students to
expand their knowledge on a specific country while practising
their computer research skills.

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Introduction
Have you ever wondered what life is like in other countries and
cultures? In the next few weeks, you will be paired up with a pen pal
from a country of your choice, but before you write your first letter, you
must learn more about your pen pals home country. So, pack your
journal and enjoy your virtual trip!

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Tasks Part 1
You will create My Pen Pal Portfolio that includes this information:
Table of Contents
Name of the country and continent
Pictures of the map, flag, traditional clothes, and a landmark
National Anthem, government, language, population, currency,
climate, typical food, and national sport
Describe one of the national holidays or tradition.
See Next Page

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Tasks Part 2
You will take photos that you would like to share with your pen pal. Your
photo images will describe you and help your new friend to get to know
you better! They can be about your:
Family
School
Country and community
Hobbies
Anything interesting about you!
See Next Page

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Tasks Part 3
You will write a letter to your pen pal. Some writing topics that are
appropriate include:
Your age
Where you go to school
Where you live (city, state, country) and what there is to do
Things you enjoy doing
Your family
Ask questions about your pen pals life!
To see an example and guideline, click here.

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Process
Choose a country from the next page that you are interested in and
would like your pen pal to come from.
Click on the country.
The teacher will provide you with a pen pal portfolio booklet which
you will complete. Unleash your creativity! You can use pictures,
drawings, and descriptions to describe the information you find.

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Process

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Evaluation Part 1
Grade 3 - My Pen Pal Portfolio
Excellent
(10 pts)
All 15 required topics
Task Completion are included in the
report

Category

Organization

Originality

Mechanics

Good
Fair
Poor
(7 pts)
(4 pts)
(1 pt)
10 - 14 of the required 5 to 9 of the required Less than 5 of the
topics are included in topics are included in required topics are
the report
the report
included in the report
Report needs some
Report layout is
Report is very well
Report is well organized organizational
unorganized and
organized and tidy.
and mostly tidy.
improvement and could
messy.
be tidied up.
Pictures and/or
Pictures and/or
Pictures and/or
illustrations are used to illustrations are used to illustrations are used to There are no pictures
represent all of the
represent most of the represent a few of the in the report.
country's symbols
country's symbols
country's symbols
No grammatical,
Almost no grammatical, A few grammatical
Many grammatical,
spelling, or punctuation spelling, or punctuation spelling, or punctuation spelling, or punctuation
errors.
errors
errors.
errors.

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Evaluation Part 3
Grade 3 - Letter to my Pen Pal
Category
Sentences &
Paragraphs

Excellent (10 pts.)

Sentences and paragraphs are

complete, well-constructed, and of
varied structure.

Good (7 pts.)

Fair (4 pts.)

Poor (1 pt.)

All sentences are complete and wellMost sentences are complete and Many sentence fragments or run-on
constructed (no fragments, no runwell-constructed. Paragraphing sentences OR paragraphing needs lots of
ons). Paragraphing is generally done
needs some work.
work.
well.

Grammar & spelling Writer makes no errors in grammar Writer makes 1-2 errors in grammar Writer makes 3-4 errors in
(conventions)
or spelling.
and/or spelling.
grammar and/or spelling

Writer makes more than 4 errors in

grammar and/or spelling.

Letter is typed and looks like it had been

Letter is neatly hand-written, clean, Letter is typed and is crumpled or
shoved in a pocket or locker. It may have
not wrinkled, and is easy to read with slightly stained. It may have 1-2
several distracting error corrections. It
no distracting error corrections. It
distracting error corrections. It
looks like it was done in a hurry or stored
was done with care.
was done with some care.
improperly.

Neatness

Letter is typed, clean, not wrinkled,

and is easy to read with no
distracting error corrections. It was
done with pride.

Ideas

Ideas were expressed in a clear and Ideas were expressed in a pretty

organized fashion. It was easy to
clear manner, but the organization
grasp the point of the letter.
could have been better.

Ideas were somewhat organized,

The letter seemed to be a collection of
but were not very clear. It took
unrelated sentences. It was very difficult
repeated reading to figure out the
to figure out the point of the letter.
point of the letter.

Length

The letter is 10 or more sentences.

The letter is 8-9 sentences.

The letter is 5-7 sentences.

The letter is less than 5 sentences.

Capitalization and
Punctuation

Writer makes no errors in

capitalization and punctuation.

Writer makes 1-2 errors in

capitalization and punctuation.

Writer makes 3-4 errors in

capitalization and punctuation.

Writer makes more than 4 errors in

capitalization and punctuation.

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Conclusion
Wow! Congratulations! You have learned so much about your pen pals
home country. I am sure he/she will be very happy to see how
interested you are in knowing more about his/her background. Now,
make sure to share your findings with your family as I am sure they will
learn a thing or two as well.

Web Quest: My Pen Pal Portfolio!

Credit
We would like to thank Mr. Matthew Rydelek, our instructor, for his
coaching and ideas.
Big thanks to our families and friends for proof readings and
suggestions. To my dear friend, Maria, for being a big IT support.
We would like to give credit to some of the resource sites that we
repeatedly used in this project such as Google, CIA and Maps of World
which made this type of project so easy to put together.

Mexico
Task #

Information

Website

Task 1

Map

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html

Task 2

Flag

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html

Task 3

Traditional Clothes (1)

http://www.facts-about-mexico.com/mexican-clothing.html

Task 4

Landmarks (1)

http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-mexico

Task 5

National Anthem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_anthems

Task 6

Language

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 7

Population

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 8

Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_peso

Task 9

Climate

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 10

Typical Food

http://diet.yukozimo.com/what-do-mexicans-eat/

Task 11

National Sport

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/379167/Mexico/259837/Sports-and-recreation

Task 12

Government

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/mexico.htm

Task 13

Holiday

http://www.mexicocity.com/v/festivals/

Fun Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/mexico.html

Back to Map

Brazil
Task #

Information

Website

Task 1

Map

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html

Task 2

Flag

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html

Task 3

Traditional Clothes (1)

http://cosmeticsea.blogspot.ca/2013/06/traditional-brazilian-clothing-trend-of.html

Task 4

Landmarks (1)

http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-brazil/

Task 5

National Anthem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_anthems

Task 6

Language

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 7

Population

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 8

Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_real

Task 9

Climate

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 10

Typical Food

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brazilian_dishes

Task 11

National Sport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_sport

Task 12

Government

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/brazil.htm

Task 13

Holiday

http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/brazil/index.php

Fun Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/brazil.html

Back to Map

France
Task #

Information

Website

Task 1

Map

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html

Task 2

Flag

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html

Task 3

Traditional Clothes (1)

http://www.fredericback.com/cultures-du-monde/france/bretagne/les-costumes.00029.en.shtml#medias

Task 4

Landmarks (1)

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/France/Things_To_Do-France-TG-C-1.html

Task 5

National Anthem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_anthems

Task 6

Language

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 7

Population

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 8

Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_euro

Task 9

Climate

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 10

Typical Food

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/famous-french-food.html

Task 11

National Sport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_France

Task 12

Government

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/france.htm

Task 13

Holiday

http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/france/

Fun Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/france.html

Back to Map

Japan
Task #

Information

Website

Task 1

Map

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html

Task 2

Flag

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html

Task 3

Traditional Clothes (1)

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/cultural/experience/q.html

Task 4

Landmarks (1)

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Things_To_Do-Japan-TG-C-1.html

Task 5

National Anthem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_anthems

Task 6

Language

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 7

Population

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 8

Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_yen

Task 9

Climate

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 10

Typical Food

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2035.html

Task 11

National Sport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_sport

Task 12

Government

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/japan.htm

Task 13

Holiday

http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/japan/index.php

Fun Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/japan.html

Back to Map

Australia
Task #

Information

Website

Task 1

Map

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html

Task 2

Flag

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html

Task 3

Traditional Clothes (1)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_traditional_Australian_clothes_look_like

Task 4

Landmarks (1)

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/australian-tourist-attractions.html

Task 5

National Anthem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_anthems

Task 6

Language

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 7

Population

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 8

Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_dollar

Task 9

Climate

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 10

Typical Food

http://travel.cnn.com/sydney/eat/40-foods-australians-call-their-own-651613

Task 11

National Sport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_Australia

Task 12

Government

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/austral.htm

Task 13

Holiday

http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/australia/index.php

Back to Map

Morocco
Task #

Information

Website

Task 1

Map

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html

Task 2

Flag

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html

Task 3

Traditional Clothes (1)

http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/traditional-dress-of-morocco/

Task 4

Landmarks (1)

http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/morocco-mar.htm

Task 5

National Anthem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_anthems

Task 6

Language

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 7

Population

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 8

Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_dirham

Task 9

Climate

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

Task 10

Typical Food

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/moroccanfood101/tp/Moroccan-Comfort-Food.htm

Task 11

National Sport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_sport

Task 12

Government

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/morocco.htm

Task 13

Holiday

http://heymorocco.com/morocco-public-holidays.aspx

Fun Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/morocco.html

Back to Map

See Next Page

Back to Task Part 3

Back to Task Part 3