In this lesson plan and corresponding buILder, middle school students will work with their SLMS, English Language Arts and Social Studies teachers to research a current events topic. The students will use both print and electronic resources for their assignment, and will receive instruction from the SLMS about website evaluation techniques. Examples of appropriate and reliable sources will be provided, as well as examples of inappropriate or inaccurate sources.

Instructional Goals:
Middle School students will:

• be able to successfully use the corresponding buILder
• be able to use the database to locate information needs
• be able to evaluate (judge) websites
• be able to explain (tell how) the difference between fact and opinion
• be able to describe (tell all about) reliable and unreliable resources
  

Learning Objectives:
Middle School students will:

• identify the Six Steps to Evaluation
• identify the difference between fact and opinion using the fact or opinion worksheet and the table in the buILder
• describe (tell all about) the resources available in the library media center's database for their assignment needs
• evaluate (judge) news related websites using the Six Steps to Evaluation 
• properly use electronic resources to locate and retrieve accurate and reliable information for their current events assignment from the databases and the assigned internet sites
  

Motivational Goals:

• Students will gain interest in researching and retrieving accurate and reliable information for their assignment needs.  
• Students will enjoy using the computer with internet access and learning the proper way to evaluate information resources found on the internet.
• Students will gain a better understanding of how to use the databases which will increase their confidence and abilities for future searching needs.    
• Students will use the Six Steps of Evaluation to evaluate websites in other classes and in their every day needs, making them more information literate and secure in their abilities as a learner and researcher.  With this building of confidence in their abilities they will be more apt to use the Six Steps for all of their searching needs because they will understand the searching process.
• Students will be able to easily answer the questions in the Fact or Opinion Worksheet which will build their confidence in using the same deciphering skills when they move on to the more advanced website analysis.

Materials:

 

Computers

Databases

OPAC

Specific websites

Newspapers, Journals

Assigned topic

Fact or Opinion worksheet [see Supporting Files]

Assignment checklist and rubric [see Supporting Files]

Six Steps to Website Evaluation worksheets

Keynote or Powerpoint  Presentation Software

Introduction:

Day 1. The school library media specialist (SLMS) and the Social Studies/ELA collaborate to create a lesson that will incorporate ELA Standards, Social Studies Standards and Information Literacy Standards to create a current events project for the sixth through eighth grade students.  The instructors will introduce the assignment to the students by providing each student a copy of a locally printed newspaper, journal, or other news related items.  The instructors will then explain what information is found within the paper, the difference between fact and opinion, why it is reliable, and then explain how that information and other similar information can be accessed through the computer’s databases and buILder.  The students will practice the difference between fact and opinion by completing a worksheet.  The students will then receive their assigned current events assignment topic.  The students will also be informed that they may come down to the library/computer lab during their study halls and lunch groups to work on their projects.

 

Body:

Day 2. The school library media specialist (SLMS) and the Social Studies/ELA will present the assignment to the students, with a checklist and rubric of what the students are expected to do throughout the assignment.  The SLMS will instruct the students on the importance of locating reliable and up to date information for their current events assignment.  The SLMS will provide the Six Steps to Website Evaluation worksheet for every source the student will use and go over each step. 

Day 3.  In the first few minutes of class the SLMS will go over the assignment and remind the students to use their handouts from the previous class.  The students will then log into their computers and begin the S.O.S. for Information Literacy buILder provided by a bookmarked link on their internet web browser.  The students will then have the remainder of their class time to work on the buILder.

Days 4-6.  The students will take the information learned from the instructional period and the buILder and begin their research. 

Day 7. The students will compile their information into a paper and keynote presentation.

Day 8-9. The students will hand in their completed report along with checklist and rubric.  The students will then present brief oral reports along with keynote presentation on their research and the process.

 

Conclusion

Day 10. Ask the students to evaluate the process and discuss their usage of the databases and the buILder through discussions of the assignment.  The SLMS, ELA and Social Studies teachers should work together to grade the student assignments.  The instructors will then evaluate the assignment and determine which areas worked well and which areas will need improvement for future current events assignments.

- Teacher and teacher-librarian observation of the students
- The middle school students correct completion of the project will reflect their understanding of proper searching techniques, ability to distinguish reliable websites, ability to navigate databases, and ability to follow instruction
- The correct completion of keynote presentation
- The middle school students correct completion of the fact or opinion worksheet

LMS and Social Studies/ELA teacher