Courtesy of Terragalleria.com

Overview: What are the Casa Grande Ruins? How were they built? Why are they still standing 700 years later? The student will navigate through an exploration of these fascinating topics. Once finished, the student will be able to create a hands-on project to demonstrate an understanding of the construction of the Hohokam Casa Grande Ruins. This webquest is aligned with Arizona State Standards in social studies, reading, writing, and science.

Courtesy of Terragalleria.com

Introduction: Hundreds of years ago the Hohokam people settled in the Sonoran desert. While the conditions were harsh, the people were able to build dwellings that are still standing today. These people lived in a compound, or a group of buildings, that were surrounded by a 7-foot-high wall. Between the walls were houses, work areas, storages areas, and a large building named the Casa Grande, or the “Big House.” No one knows for sure what this special place was used for, but we do know it was strong. So strong in fact, it still stands today just miles from downtown Phoenix, AZ.

How did the Hohokum people build a home with a limited amount of building materials? What material can be found in the desert that can’t be easily destroyed by winds, rain, and dust storms? Today you will become an expert on Hohokam building and construction. When you are finished, you will build your very own Casa Grande!

Task: You will be placed into groups of four to become experts on the Hohokam Indian Tribe. Within your group, you will each be responsible for a specific topic to research. Upon completion, you will report your findings back to your group in order to create a final project based on everyone’s knowledge. This final project will include a model of the “Big House” and a newspaper with detailed information about it.

Your mission person number four, should you choose to accept it, is to become an expert Hohokum builder. J

Questions:

· What material did the Hohokum people use to build their dwellings?

· What technique did they use to be able to soften and use this hard material?

· How many stories high is the Big House?

· How much does the Big House weigh?

Student Roles/Titles:

Person 1 : Take a trip throughout the Sonoran Desert

Person 2: Discover the truth about the Hohokam Civilization

Person 3: Become an expert on Farming and Irrigation

Person 4:  (You) Become an expert on Building and Construction

Directions: Today you will need follow the directions and complete the tasks to make sure that you will be able to build a Casa Grande of your very own at the end of this project.

· Explore the web pages that are listed in the resource section. These web pages will give you information about and pictures of the Casa Grande Ruins.

· In your journal answer each question (found in the question section) in complete sentences. The title of your journal should be “Research Notes.”

· Make a detailed drawing of the Big House in your journal. The title of this journal page should be “Big House Drawing.”

· Write a one page detailed “How-To” essay explaining the process that the Hohokam people used to create the Big House in the Casa Grande Ruins.

· Meet with group to share all of the information that you have gathered.

· Create a newspaper from the information your group has found on the Hohokam Indian Tribe.

· Create a clay model of the Big House in the Casa Grande Ruins. This model will be surrounded around the desertscape and irrigation systems created by persons 1 and 3.

Presentation Requirements:

· Journal Response & Drawing

· How-To Essay

· Newspaper

· Casa Grand replica

Courtesy of kaet.asu.edu

Resources:

· http://www.nps.gov/cagr/Kids%20Corner/Fun%20Facts/What%20is%20the%20Casa%20Grande/What%20is%20the%20CG.htm

· http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9020590

· http://www.terragalleria.com/america/arizona/phoenix/phoenix.html

· http://cedarmesa.blogspot.com/2005/03/road-trip-casa-grande-ruins-ariziona.html

Evaluation/Grading Criteria:

As a group, you will now come together to create and name a newspaper article about the Hohokam Indian Tribe. You will also design a model of Casa Grande, the Big House, including the Casa Grande irrigation systems and surrounding dessert.

Overall Project	4	3	2	1
Plan for Organizing Information	Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information as it is gathered and in the final research product. All students can independently explain the planned organization of the research findings.	Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information in the final research product. All students can independently explain this plan.	Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information as it is gathered. All students can independently explain most of this plan.	Students have no clear plan for organizing the information AND/OR students in the group cannot explain their organizational plan.

Newspaper	4	3	2	1
Layout - Headlines & Captions	All articles have headlines that capture the reader's attention and accurately describe the content. All articles have a byline. All graphics have captions that adequately describe the people and action in the graphic.	All articles have headlines that accurately describe the content. All articles have a byline. All graphics have captions.	Most articles have headlines that accurately describe the content. All articles have a byline. Most graphics have captions.	Articles are missing bylines OR many articles do not have adequate headlines OR many graphics do not have captions.
Contributions of Group Members	Each person in the group has contributed at least two articles and one graphic without prompting from teachers or peers.	Each person in the group has contributed at least one article and one graphic with a few reminders from peers.	Each person in the group has contributed at least one article with some minimal assistance from peers.	One or more students in the group required quite a lot of assistance from peers before contributing one article.
Spelling and Proofreading	No spelling or grammar errors remain after one or more people (in addition to the typist) read and correct the newspaper.	No more than a couple of spelling or grammar errors remain after one or more people (in addition to the typist) read and correct the newspaper.	No more than 3 spelling or grammar errors remain after one or more people (in addition to the typist) read and correct the newspaper.	Several spelling or grammar errors remain in the final copy of the newspaper

Model	4	3	2	1
Construction -Materials	Appropriate materials were selected and creatively modified in ways that made them even better.	Appropriate materials were selected and there was an attempt at creative modification to make them even better.	Appropriate materials were selected.	Inappropriate materials were selected and contributed to a product that performed poorly.
Construction - Care Taken	Great care taken in construction process so that the structure is neat, attractive and follows plans accurately.	Construction was careful and accurate for the most part, but 1-2 details could have been refined for a more attractive product.	Construction accurately followed the plans, but 3-4 details could have been refined for a more attractive product.	Construction appears careless or haphazard. Many details need refinement for a strong or attractive product

Drawing	4	3	2	1
Content - Accuracy	Accurate facts are displayed on the drawing.	Some accurate facts are displayed on the drawing.	Few accurate facts are displayed on the drawing.	No accurate facts are displayed on the drawing.

Essay	4	3	2	1
Quality of Information	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.	Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Internet Use	Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.

Conclusion: If you want to get a firsthand look at this amazing building, you can visit it in historic Casa Grande. You can find out more information about this national monument at: http://www.nps.gov/cagr/. If you want to read more about the ruins you can read Casa Grande Ruins National Monument written by Rose Houk.

Courtesy of Center for Desert Archaeology