We the People 2007: Digging for Information

Subject Area(s):

• K-12: Science
• K-12: Language Arts

Grade Level(s):

• 3rd-4th Grade

Description:

In connection with the book 'Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel', students will learn how to find information they need for projects, assignments, or for their own personal interests using different resources available in the library. The lesson will be taught as a supplement to the 3rd grade archeology unit (artifacts.)

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals: Students will learn different resources that are available to find information.  They will also learn which resources are better in finding certain inforamtion (for example: maps are good for finding where places are located and not helpful in finding definitions.)

Learning Objectives: Given 5 possible resources (recreation books, reference books, interent, magazines, and maps) 3rd grade students will find 3 important facts that they did not know before about archeology.  Each fact will be from a different resource.  With each fact students will tell which resource was used.

Motivational Goals:

1. Build students' confidence in their ability to conduct a successful, time effective research.
2. Promote relevance for each resource for the students' everyday information needs.
3. Generate students' satisfaction with learning how and where to find information.
4. Build students' knowledge that there are many resources available to all patrons of the library and that there needs to be a respect for others needs as well as their own.

Materials:

"Digging for Information" worksheet

Book: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Computers with Internet connection

Procedures:

Introduction:

The teacher has already built background knowledge by beginning the archeology unit in the general education classroom.

Day 1:  The teacher-libraian and the students will read Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel and then brainstorm what steam shovels can dig for and connect with what archeologists dig for.  This will lead into what else can be dug for... information.  The teacher-libraian, will then ask students, "If you need information where do you look?"  Again, the teacher-libraian and the students will brainstorm ideas of where to find information (books, internet, etc.)  Next the teacher-librarian will explain the assignment: "Given 5 possible resources, 3rd grade students will find 3 facts about archeology that they did not know before this assignment.  Each fact must be from a different resource."  A worksheet template will be given to the students to fill in the information to complete the assignment.

Day 2: The teacher-librarian will briefly review the assignment that was discussed that last the class met in the library.  The students will start the assignment and the teacher-librarian will check with each student once they have found at least one fact to ensure they are on the right track or help them get on the right track (this will build their confidence for the rest of the assignment.)  All information will be tracked on the given worksheet and handed into the teacher-librarian.

Day 3: The teacher-librarian will go over a few of the good examples that were handed in and then let the students go find something they have always wanted to know as a reward for learning their new found knowledge (this reward was chosen in place of an actual assignment grade.)

Conclusion:

This assignment will show the students they can use this new skill for school or personal purposes.  Since there will be no grade given on this assignment the students reward will be the privilege of looking for whatever information they want, anything they have ever wondered about.  The teacher-librarian will explain to the students, "that because they did so well learning how and where to find information the students will be rewarded by having the chance to find information on any subject they want using their new skill."

This activity will:

1. Keep the students attention on finding information
2. Support the relevance of the skills they will use in everyday life
3. Build more confidence by giving practice
4. Give satisfaction that they have completed the assignment
5. Have been rewarded for that completion
   

Assessment:

Did the students find 3 new facts from different resources, using the list of resources given and name which resource was used to find each fact? This will be known if the students are able to complete the worksheet.

Supporting Files:

• Digging_for_Information__worksheet.doc
  "Digging for Information" worksheet - to assist in assessing if the students learned the skill and completed the task

Standards:

National Information Literacy Standards (K-12)

Accesses information efficiently and effectively.

• Recognizes the need for information.
• Identifies a variety of potential sources of information.
• Develops and uses successful strategies for locating information.

Evaluates information critically and competently.

• Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.

Uses information accurately and creatively

• Integrates new information into one's own knowledge.
• Produces and communicates information and ideas in appropriate formats

Practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.

• Respects the principles of intellectual freedom.