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Instructional Goals
Students will:
· Understand how to use non-fiction books effectively to find information.
· Orally and visually share what they have learned about their animal.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
· Use the table of contents and the index in a non-fiction book to quickly and effectively find information to answer the questions they are seeking to answer about their chosen animal.
· Summarize the information they have found and put it on their research work sheet.
· Create a poster that creatively presents the information they have found.
· Present their poster and a short oral report about their animal to the class.
Motivational Goals
· Generate interest in the research process.
· Build students’ confidence in their ability to learn/use information skills.
· Reinforce students’ confidence in their ability to learn/use information skills.
· Promote students’ satisfaction in their research accomplishments.
· Motivate continuing information exploration.
This lesson was designed to complement a unit on habitats. Prior to this lesson, the students have learned about the different habitats around the world and the animals that live there. Ask the teacher to have the students brainstorm a list of animals that they are interested in learning more about. Before the students come to the library for this lesson, gather non-fiction books (at their reading level) about the animals on their list. Have the books and the research worksheet (attached) ready for the students when they come to the library. This lesson will take five 40-minute sessions.
Introduction
Session 1
1. When the students arrive, have animal/jungle sounds playing in the background. Library teacher should be wearing a safari hat and have a backpack containing a canteen, compass, journal and a camera. This will serve as an attention getter to draw the students into the lesson.
2. Tell the students that you are getting ready to go on a safari to search for animals and that you’ve packed all the gear that you’ll need on your trip. Then take out each object from your backpack one at a time, explaining why you have each as follows: canteen in case you get thirsty, compass to point you in the right direction, journal to write down what you see and find and a camera to help you put together a photo album to tell people all about your trip.
3. Then tell the students that you heard they were “thirsty” for information about certain animals so you got together some “gear” for them to go on their own safari. Explain that the purpose of the assignment will be for them to find out some more information about the animal they choose so they can teach the rest of the class about that animal.
4. Hold up one of the non-fiction books and explain that just like your canteen of water will help you when you are thirsty for a drink, this book will help them when they are “thirsty” for information. Go on to explain how non-fiction books are different from fiction books and that they wouldn’t necessarily read them the same way. Instead, they would use them to find the specific information they were looking for.
5. Show the students the table of contents and the index in the book. Explain that these sections are like a compass that will point them in the right direction so they can find the information they are looking for quick and easy. Instruct the students on how to use the table of contents and the index and how both are arranged. Use a practice question to show them how this would work.
6. Tell the students that just like you will be keeping track of what you find and learn in your journal, they will record what they learn on their research worksheet. Show them what the worksheet looks like and explain that they will only be answering four specific questions about their animal for this project. Read through the worksheet. Answer any questions the students may have about the assignment so far.
7. Last, tell the students that just like you will be using your camera to make a photo album to tell people about your trip, they will be creating a poster to tell the class about their animal. (The poster will be explained in more detail during Session 3).
Methods, Media, Materials
Presentation, lecture, object lesson
CD with animal sounds, CD player, safari hat, backpack, canteen, compass, journal, camera, nonfiction book about an animal, supplemental handout (animal research worksheet).
Body
Session 2
1. Begin this session by reviewing the basics of looking for information in a non-fiction book. Ask them what they remember about using the table of contents and the index. Give them another example.
2. Give each student the book on the animal they have chosen, the research worksheet and a pencil. Remind them that they have the “gear” they need to help them in their quest for information.
3. Explain to the students that their task for this period will be to use the table of contents and the index in their book to answer the four questions on their worksheet. Make it clear to the students that they will not be copying the information directly from the book. They will need to read the section relating to the question and then put it in their own words.
4. Students will spend the remainder of the period looking for the information they need to answer their questions and summarizing it on their worksheet. The library teacher will go around assisting any students that need help and encouraging students as they look for the information they need.
Methods, Media, Materials
Discussion, review
Nonfiction books about animals, supplemental handouts (animal research worksheet), pencils.
Session 3
1. Welcome the class back to the safari with animal sounds playing quietly in the background.
2. Have a few of the students share how their hunt for information is going so far. Have them share how using the index and the table of contents have helped them find the information they need quick and easy.
3. Answer any of the questions the students may have about finding their information.
4. Let the students know that they will have some more time during this period to find any information they still need. But, for those who are ready to move on, introduce the next aspect of the assignment.
5. Explain to the students that, now that they are becoming experts on their animal, they will be teaching the rest of the class what they know. To do this, they will be taking the information they have found and creating a poster about the animal. The poster can be arranged any way they like as long as it includes the name of the animal and the information gathered from the four questions. They may choose to write the information from the point of view of someone studying the animal or from the animal’s point of view telling about itself. They can draw pictures to go with the answers they found or that correspond with the animal in some way. This is where they can let their creativity shine as they present their information in a way that they think will be interesting and exciting. Model what you are talking about by showing them a poster that you have arranged about an animal.
6. Allow students to continue gathering their information or begin their posters if they are ready. Let them know that you will be available if they have any questions or need help.
Methods, Media, Materials
Sharing, discussion, modeling
CD of animal sounds, CD player, non-fiction books about animals, students’ animal research worksheets, pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, poster board.
Session 4
1. Welcome the class back to the end of the safari.
2. Encourage the students by complementing the progress they have made so far on their project. Point out the ways they have successfully found the information they were looking for.
3. Review the requirements of the poster and let them know that they will be finishing the work on their poster today so they can present them to the class during the next session.
4. Allow students to continue working, providing feedback and encouragement as needed. Encourage the students to also seek feedback or bounce ideas off of their classmates about their poster arrangement and presentation.
Methods, Media, Materials
Review, motivational feedback
CD of animal sounds, CD player, non-fiction books about animals, students’ animal research worksheets, pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, poster board.
Conclusion
Session 5
1. Arrange the library so that the students will have an easel to put their poster on as they present their information. Classroom teacher will join class for presentations.
2. Welcome the students by pointing out how well they used their “gear” to hunt for information about their animal. Let them know that the information they found about their animal is just the beginning. They now have the skills they need to continue to find more information about their animal if they wish or to find information about a different topic. Now they know how to seek information for themselves.
3. Ask the students what they learned about finding information during this assignment. Ask them if they enjoyed “hunting” for information. Ask them how else they can use what they learned during this project.
4. Tell the students that now the real exciting part has arrived! Now they get to share what they have learned with their classmates!
5. Have each student present his/her poster and the information they gathered about their animal.
6. After each student has shared, ask the students if they learned anything new that they didn’t know before. Let them know that that is the greatest thing about doing research- learning new and wonderful things!
Methods, Media, Materials
Motivational feedback, review, discussion, questioning, oral presentation (by students).
Easel, students’ completed posters.
