WHEELS!
A WebQuest for Family Literacy, Adult Education, and Advanced ESL Students By Astrid Robitaille
astridrobi@yahoo.com
Introduction: The car that you drive can say a lot about your transportation needs. Close your eyes and picture a sleek, bright red sports car, low to the ground and FAST. Think of the driver behind the wheel. Let me guess…..you probably didn’t think of an elderly woman with a conservative housecoat and sensible shoes, did you? Now picture a sturdy, square, navy blue minivan with a soccer ball bumper sticker and a “Baby on Board” window decal. Who is driving the minivan? A very different sort of car consumer, right? Sooner or later, almost everyone is faced with the challenge of purchasing a car. This WebQuest will help you think about what kind of vehicle would suit your needs….from price range to size to reliability to finding auto insurance. Tasks: The time has come for you to buy a car. Whether you buy a new or used car, there is a lot of research to be done before you spend all that hard-earned cash! After researching just the car you need, compile all of your findings in a PowerPoint or poster board presentation about your new car. Your presentation must include: One or more slides for each of these bits of information: a photo of the make and model, purchase price, safety ratings, estimated gas mileage, any recalls that your car has been involved with
Three or more quotes from auto insurance carriers A paragraph about WHY you chose this particular car. Keep in mind that a PowerPoint presentation on any topic is more interesting when it includes graphics!
1. Decide what kind of car would fit your needs. Take this online quiz to help you decide: My Product Advisor (New Cars) http://www.myproductadvisor.com/mpa/auto/inputSummary .do Be sure to write down or print out the results. These results will help you narrow down your search. 2. Once you have decided on the make, model, and year that is right for you, start thinking about other characteristics: safety and reliability. Use this website to check the safety and crash-test ratings of your chosen vehicle: National Highway Transportation Safety Administration http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/ Again, print out and save or write down the information you find so that you can include it in your final project. 3. Next, explore this website to check on any recalls on your car: Consumer Affairs Recalls http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/ If there are any major recalls listed for your vehicle, you may want to reconsider your purchase of that particular car. If you decide to try a different vehicle, simply return to step
number 1 above and go through the process until you find a car that suits you. Remember, you must include recall information in your PowerPoint or poster board presentation, so print out anything you find. 4. Now that you’ve decided on a vehicle and collected lots of data about it, it’s time to go shopping! Remember, your car payment must fit in with your budget, so if you only work part time as a waitress, make sure you’re buying a car that fits your budget! Go to any of these websites to find a car that meets your needs: Auto Trader http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/ Kelly Blue Book http://www.kbb.com/ Autobytel http://www.autobytel.com/ Smart Sense Car Buying Guide http://www.smartsense.com/ Once you have found a car to purchase, print out the specifics so you can use them for your presentation. 5. You can’t hit the open road without auto insurance, and it pays to shop around. Use these sites to get quotes from three (3) different insurance companies. Include these quotes in your presentation. Geico Insurance Company http://www.geico.com/auto/sales/
Progressive Insurance Company http://www1.progressive.com/ Allstate Insurance Company http://www.allstate.com/ State Farm Insurance Company http://www.statefarm.com/quote/arq.htm 6. Complete your PowerPoint presentation and share with the class. OR: 7. Present your findings on poster board and share them with the class. Evaluation: Check with your teacher for information as to how he/she will be evaluating your project. Conclusion: The Internet can be a valuable resource when you’re considering the purchase of a car, and through the completion of this WebQuest, you should now have a more complete understanding of the car-buying process and the steps involved with purchasing auto insurance. This activity also gave you the opportunity to compare your results to other class members. Were your findings similar or different? Think about what you might do differently if you were to do this search again. You have gained many skills while completing this WebQuest. Remember these skills when you officially purchase your next automobile.