Swimming Around The Lake Champlain Basin
Webquest By Melinda A. Quillia,

UVM Inquiry Block Student
Created for fourth grade




     Fourth Graders...

An Introduction

    Lake Champlain is often referred to as one of the most historic bodies of water in North America. It is the sixth largest freshwater lake in the United States. That rich history is directly related to Lake Champlain geography. As a direct north-south waterway through heavily wooded and rugged terrain, Lake Champlain provided an easy traveling route, connecting earliest inhabitants to the Richelieu and St. Lawrence rivers to the north, and Lake George and the Hudson River to the south. Connections to major river waterways like the Otter Creek through Vermont and the Boquet River through New York provided access into the surrounding lands.

     We have been learning a lot  about Lake Champlain so far this year including some of the components that make up the lake or its surrounding region such as the three types of rocks, nearby attractions, and a visit to Shelburne Farms which borders a section of the Lake!

The Problem

     Recently, your class trip to see a better up close look of Lake Champlain on the Spirit of Ethan Allen II was cancelled due to bad weather conditions and now the fourth grade must wait until the very end of the year to take this very exciting trip, as an opportunity to learn more about Lake Champlain through personal experience. Therefore, the problem I am proposing to you is that without some refresher information, by the end of the school year you may not be as prepared about your trip to Lake Champlain and the Spirit of Ethan Allen II as you thought you were! Oh no!!! How will you possibly remember all of the information about Lake Champlain you have learned by May?





The Challenge

But no worries fourth graders! I have prepared this webquest search for you to help you further prepare for your future learning on Lake Champlain, and to help you prepare for your Spirit of Ethan Allen II trip in May.  Your task is to do research on Lake Champlain in order to answer the questions below. If you can find the answers to all of the questions below I feel that you will be very knowledgeable for your trip in May. Answering the questions below will help you prepare for some of what you will most likely see in May.


Research the following questions: Focus: What will I see in May on the Spirit of Ethan Allen II?
(You can write the each question and your answer on a piece of blank lined paper in your Vermont Folder .)

How large is the Lake Champlain Basin?

Lake Champlain is a freshwater lake. Using evidence from the websites below what does this mean?

What are some of the animals that inhabit the lake that I may see on my trip?

How many islands border the lake?

What are some of the activities or clubs that exist in and around the lake that you may see?

Name one piece of important history about the lake that you can amaze people with on the trip. (You may hear some of this from your tour guide while on the Spirit of Ethan Allen II!)

Finally, find one interesting fact about the Lake Champlain Basin that you can share with someone else on your trip!



Click on these Websites to help you!

http://www.lcmm.org/site/harbor/resource_pages/timeline/lcfacts.htm

http://www.harborwatch.com

http://www.lakechamplainregion.com/     
(be sure to check out the info on Champ the Lake Sea Monster!)

http://ina.tamu.edu/LChamplain.htm

 
Do you think you'll see Champ while on the Spirit of Ethan Allen II?


FEEDBACK
Please email me when you complete this research.  Let me know what you learned.
My email: maquilli@uvm.edu

  Just click on the link  above and you will be all set to email me! Your feedback is important so that I can continue to improve this site and make it more fun for you in preparation for your trip! Thanks for participating in  this exploration!

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