Who wants to Hire a President?

Subject Area(s):

• Social Studies(general)
• United States History
• Historical Understanding
• K-12: Language Arts
• K-12: Technology

Grade Level(s):

• 7th-8th Grade

Description:

Seventh and eighth grade students will use the Internet to do biographic research about a United States President and will write his "resume" using a word processing program.

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals:

• Students will be able to successfully find information using electronic resources.
• Students will be able to develop skills for evaluating resources.
• Students will be able to arrange and sequence information in the format of the assignment.

Learning Objectives:

• Seventh and eighth grade students will perform Internet searches to locate biographical information about United States Presidents.
• With information obtained by Internet searches students will create a resume for their president following the model provided.

Motivational Goals:

• Generate interest in the research process.
• Encourage increased confidence in research ability
  

Materials:

Powerpoint "Presidential Jobs"

Laptop and Projector

Handouts 

Procedures:

Introduction

• Upon arrival in the library the teacher librarian, the social studies teacher and the students will do a quick brainstorming activity where they will list some of the occupations that the students think Presidents of the United States have held prior to becoming president.
• The teacher librarian and students will play the game "Presidential jobs?"
• The teacher librarian and social studies teacher will introduce the lesson.
• Students will be allowed to work individually, in pairs or small groups.
• Students will select their subject.

Body

• The teacher librarian will review using search engines to locate information on presidents.
• Keyword, natural language, and Boolean searches will be explained and demonstrated.
• The teacher librarian will review taking notes and proper citation.
• Handouts will be given to the students with examples of the form to use for the resume.
• Final instructions will be given prior to the students breaking up to work.
• Students will have several sessions to complete their research and resume.
• The teacher librarian and social studies teacher will walk around the class providing help and feedback as needed.

Conclusion:

• Each new session will begin with a recap and a chance for the students to ask any questions as a group.

• The teacher librarian, social studies teacher and class will review and evaluate the process. 

Assessment:

The teacher librarian and the social studies teacher will be working collaboratively and will be able to provide feedback to the students throughout the task.

Resume rubric

Group work rubric

Supporting Files:

• Group_Work_Rubric.doc
  
• Pres_Rubric.doc
  
• Pres_game.ppt
  
• Fake_resume.doc
  

Standards:

National Information Literacy Standards (K-12)

Accesses information efficiently and effectively.

• Recognizes the need for information.
• Formulates questions based on information needs.
• Develops and uses successful strategies for locating information.

Evaluates information critically and competently.

• Determines accuracy, relevance and comprehensiveness.
• Identifies inaccurate and misleading information.

Uses information accurately and creatively

• Organizes information for practical application.
• Produces and communicates information and ideas in appropriate formats

Information Skills and Subskills (K-16)

Definition

• Identifies requirements of research task
• Determines amount/type of information needed to complete research task

Planning

• Formulates a search strategy

Exploration

• Locates and accesses information resources

Collection

• Selects most appropriate information sources
• Locates relevant information within selected sources
• Evaluates quality of information and information source

Organization

• Summarizes/synthesizes/classifies final information
• Sequences final information

Presentation

• Presents results

Evaluation

• Evaluates end product
• Subject: K-12: Language Arts

National Content Standards (K-12)

Writing

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
• Gathers and uses information for research purposes
• Subject: K-12: Technology

What is Government and What Should it Do?

• Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology