1. Be a Good Citizen with Miss Rumphius
A 3rd Grade WebQuest

2. INTRODUCTION Are you a good citizen? What is Citizenship anyway?
How can you be a good citizen and help your…
family?
friends?
school?
community?
country?
You and your partner’s quest will be to study citizenship through the eyes of author Barbara Cooney’s story, Miss Rumphius, and through projects and activities. Be ready to read, visit the web, and complete your tasks to earn a Good Citizenship Award.

3. THE TASK You and your partner will complete the following tasks:
Make a Citizenship folder where you can keep your work.
Look up the meaning of citizenship on the web.
Learn about being a good citizen in your family, with friends, at school, in your community, and in your country.
Read Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney to see how she was a good citizen and do a book report with a partner.
Celebrate your good citizenship with a project from our list of chores.
Your quest is finished and you may claim your reward!

4. THE PROCESS Put on your “thinking cap” and let’s begin your quest.
You and your partner will need to get one piece of construction paper. Next, fold the paper in half “hamburger style” to make a folder. On the cover, write the word “Citizenship” and your names. You may decorate the cover later for extra credit. THIS FOLDER IS WHERE YOU WILL KEEP ALL OF YOUR WORK.
Go to the following website to learn more about CITIZENSHIP: Scroll down and copy the meaning on the inside cover of your folder.

5. THE PROCESS (CONT.)
2. Good citizens do their share of chores at home. On a piece of paper, show how you and your partner are good citiens by each writing at least one chore you do at your house. Think of one extra chore you can do to be more helpful at home. Write it down and tell your teacher when you do this job to earn extra points.

6. THE PROCESS (CONT.)
3. Good citizens use polite manners, cooperate, and use kind words with friends. Go to the following website to get tips on how to be a good friend:

7. THE PROCESS (CONT.)
4. Good citizens follow the rules and respect others at school. Each of you can pick one school rule and make a poster showing how you follow that rule. To get more points, pick another rule and make another poster.

8. THE PROCESS (CONT.)
5. Good citizens help to keep their community clean and safe. Find out about others that help in your community by going to the following website:
Now copy the sentences below on a sheet of white lined paper, fill in the first blank with a community helper, fill in the other blanks, and don’t forget to put it in your folder.
_________________ help our community by _____________.
I can help my community by ___________________________.

9. THE PROCESS (CONT.)
6. Good citizens take care of their country’s air, land, water, and learn about their country’s symbols. To read about some “Helpful Hints for Planet Earth” go to On the site, click on “Read our Book” to learn what you can do to take care of your country. Don’t forget to click on the arrow to read all the slides. Next go back to the home page, click on “Earth Day Quiz” and print it. Fill in the blanks on the quiz and place it in your folder. To visit “Symbols of the U.S. Government” go to Check out the many symbols of our country and print the one you like best.

10. Now print your book report form from the following website:
THE PROCESS (CONT.)
7. It is time to take a break from the computer and read. With your partner, read Miss Rumphius to see how Miss Rumphius was a good citizen.
To learn more about lupines go to
Now print your book report form from the following website:

11. THE PROCESS (CONT.)
8. Now that you are an expert on citizenship, choose one of these projects to complete either with your partner or on your own.
Design a citizenship flag for your class. At the bottom of the page, explain why you chose this design.
Miss Rumphius liked lupines. Design your own flower to plant that would make the world more beautiful. At the bottom of the page, name the flower and tell where you would plant it.
Write a thank you letter to Miss Rumphius thanking her for making the world a more beautiful place. Tell her what your plans are for being a good citizen. Draw a picture to go with your letter.

12. EVALUATION SCORE CITIZEN FOLDER Makes a plain folder
Folder has names and title
Folders has names, title, and meaning
Folder has names, title, meaning, and is decorated
LIST OF CHORES
Each lists one chore
Each lists more than one chore
One extra chore to be done at home is added to list
Student tells teachers that the extra chore added to list was complete
RULE POSTER
Poster with rule and some illustration
Poster with rule and illustration with more detail
More than one poster done
EARTH DAY QUIZ
Prints out quiz and answers 8 correctly
Answers 9 correctly
Answer 10 correctly
Answers 11 correctly and prints a symbol
BOOK REPORT
Answers 4 correctly
Answers 5 correctly
Answers 6 correctly
Answers 7 correctly
FINAL ACTIVITY
Designs picture only
Designs flower only
Writes letter only
And 2. include picture and writing
3. Letter with picture

13. CONCLUSION
HOORAY! You are now an expert of citizenship. Celebrate by clicking on the link below for your award!
Print the award, fill it out, and color it.
Congratulations! You are a star citizen!

14. Credits & References
Yorkville CUSD #115
- Carol Frey
- Jennifer Meier