Little Grunt & the Big Egg:
A Web Quest
 

aherbert@cortlandschools.org

bclosson@cortlandschools.org
2nd grade
Smith Elementary School
Cortland, NY

Introduction | Task | Process |Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion |

Introduction

In the story Little Grunt & the Big Egg, Little Grunt found a dinosaur egg. When it hatched, he named the dinosaur “George” and decided to keep him as a pet. Eventually, George grew too big for the cave and, sadly, Little Grunt had to set him free. Let’s help Little Grunt learn more about pets so that he can choose a pet that is better suited to his family’s lifestyle.

 

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Task
After reading the story, work with a partner to find out more about pets and what they need. You will investigate:

	types of pets
	needs of pets
	special considerations for different pets

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Process

1) Little Grunt could not keep George because he grew too big to live in his family’s cave and he did not have enough to eat. You and your partner will investigate 2 types of pets each to determine their shelter and food needs. Click the link below and use the graphic organizer to make your comparisons.

2) Little Grunt and his family ran into many problems while George lived with them. Using the chart attached, choose a pet that you have already investigated and write down 3 problems a family might encounter living with this pet. Once you have decided on the problems, come up with solutions to the problems. Share your chart with your partner and discuss.

3) Using the information that you have learned about pets, select a pet and create a display for a “Pet Fair” to share with others. Your display could be a poster, diorama, mobile, or any project that displays the information you have researched. Your display must include:

	Name of your pet
	A picture of your pet
	Food needs
	Shelter needs
	Other needs specific to your pet

Print out the rubric at the link, so that you know how the display will be evaluated.

4) A good pet is a happy pet. Selecting a pet whose needs can be met will make the pet and the pet-owner happy. Think about the problems that Little Grunt’s family had with George as their pet. Click on the link to the 4-Square graphic organizer. You will use this to write a letter to Little Grunt:

	Explain why a dinosaur is not a good pet choice.
	Make a suggestion for a suitable pet.
	Tell what this pet will need, including:                       * What type of shelter                       * Food needs and                       * Other needs that are specific to this pet.

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Resources
Much of the information obtained for this WebQuest was found at the following sites:

ASPCA. “Pet Care & Nutrition”. http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_home. 2004.

Foster & Smith. Pet Education. http://www.peteducation.com. 2004.

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If you enjoyed the story Little Grunt and the Big Egg, visit the library for other books by Tomie DePaola.

You can also check the library for these (and more) great books about pets:

If you’d still like more information, check out these web sites about pets:

PetDoc

http://petdoc.com

Care for Animals
http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/default.asp

Got Pets Online

http://www.gotpetsonline.com/

ASPCA Animal Land
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kids_pc_home

Paws Kids
http://www.pawskids.org/pets/pet_care/

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Evaluation
You and your partner can earn up to 50 points on this Web Quest. You will find a graphic organizer to complete tasks 1, 2, and 4. Tasks 1 through 3 are worth up to 10 points each. The letter to Little Grunt is most important! You can earn up to 20 points. Each task has a point rubric. You can decide how many points you want to earn. You will help grade your own work.

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Conclusion
Now that you have become a pet care expert, visit these fun and informative sites. You can learn more about various pets, play games, read pet poems, and write a story. You can even create your own animal mask!

AVMA Kids Corner

http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/kidscorner/default.asp

Giggle Poetry: Animal Poems

http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poemcategory.aspx?CategoryID=11&CategoryName=Animal%20Poems

Graphing Pets

http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/KidsHavePets/default.htm

PBS Kids: Clifford the Big Red Dog Adventures

http://pbskids.org/clifford/index-brd-flash.html

DLTK's Pet Animal Crafts for Kids

http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/pets.html

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Annette Herbert & Barbara Closson

Smith Elementary School