You may want to work together for some or all of this WebQuest, as there is a lot of work to be done, and with a bit of forward planning it could be shared out between a group of two or three of you. Decide on a name for your group - why not use the name of a famous explorer.

You will of course need to report back to each other at regular intervals, so plan to hold meetings after every stage to share what each of you has found out among the group. That would also be a good opportunity to discuss the questions you have been answering, as you are far more likely to achieve a good result if you all pitch in and help each other.

Stage 1

Study the following pairs of examples and look for clues which agree with the statement in the panel between them. What is it about each example that makes that statement true - there will be several points in most cases. Note down your observations and conclusions on the Analysis Sheet which you can download and print from here.

When you have completed your analysis sheet, have a group meeting and discuss all your entries. Make sure you have not wandered off the point of the questions, and see if you all agree that the answers are sensible. It is very easy to get carried away and forget precisely what the question was asking you to do.

You may need to print off a new Analysis Sheet and do it again if there are too many crossings out after your meeting. Don't worry about it though - THIS IS GOOD AS IT SHOWS YOU ARE USING THE INFORMATION, NOT JUST NOTING IT DOWN WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT IT.

Use the Shelters Record Sheet to record information from each of the websites provided, and from the selection of pictures. Do at least six shelters - use a new Record Sheet for each one.

Each of the websites will have descriptions as well as pictures. It is important to read through these descriptions as they contain a lot of vital information that will help you to fill in your Record Sheets more accurately.

1. Begin by entering your group name and the name of the Shelter
   
   
2. Tick a box to say which type of shelter it is
   
   
3. Think about who or what it was designed for. It may have been designed for a number of different people, animals or things - in any combination
   
   
4. List the materials used. Try to be as accurate as you can - e.g. don't just put "metal" if you happen to know it is aluminium
   
   
5. You will need to think and discuss this next question carefully. Name three of its most important features - e.g. the Mir space station's most important feature is keeping the air from escaping
   
   
6. Finally, do a sketch of the shelter and label its main parts. Again, be as accurate as you can. A little sketch of the joints used may be very helpful later.

Domestic greenhouses

Tornado shelters

Bus Shelter

Cantilever Bus Shelter

Collapsible Shelter

Covered Road Bridge

Cycle Shelter

Igloo

Grass hut

Taj Mahal

Umbrella

Garden Shed

For more background information, here is a collection of photographs showing details of lots of shelters at the Bishops Wood Environmental Education Centre.  Use the thumbnails to be selective, as some of them may not be of any use to you. DON'T ignore the ancient techniques though - some of the methods the Saxons used may be more helpful in your situation than anything modern!
Be patient as these may take a while to download.

Stage 3

You and your friends (the ones helping with this WebQuest) are in deep and serious trouble. You WERE on a passenger liner in the South Atlantic, but you were messing about in one of the lifeboats when somebody pulled the wrong lever and suddenly THE LIFEBOAT FALLS INTO THE WATER AND STARTS DRIFTING AWAY FROM THE SHIP.

Nobody hears you shouting.

Nobody sees you waving.

The liner gets further and further away until it is right out of sight.

Suddenly there is a crash and you are thrown onto a beach among the wreckage of the lifeboat.

It is a splintered wreck, but fortunately you and your friends are OK.

Also very fortunately, the contents of the lifeboat are scattered around, but undamaged.

The first step is to make a list of everything you can lay your hands on which might help you to build a shelter. (For this WebQuest it has already been done for you.) Your shelter has to protect you from the cold wind and the rain, so it needs a good roof and fairly windproof sides. Click on the icon below to see the list of everything you can use - if it is not on the list, then you cannot use it!