The Hunt For The Loch Ness Monster

!!! LESSON PLAN IN PROGRESS !!!

Description:

Brief Description: This is a third grade informational skills lesson that uses library Dewey Decimal classification signs, New York State maps, the book Nessie The Loch Ness Monster by Richard Brassey, and a “scavenger hunt “ approach to teach students how to locate books using the Dewey Decimal System beginning with 000 – computer science, information, and general works. The Loch Ness Monster is included in the 000 area. Students given a brief explaination of what the 000 area is comprised of. The students will be read Nessie The Loch Ness Monster and shown examples of what other books are in the 000 area. The 000 will be clearly marked and students will be given maps of the library. To assist students in this quest a trail of Nessie heads will be cut out leading from the story area to the 000 section. Once students locate the 000 area they must select one book from this area to bring back to the story area. Each student will show the other students what they have discovered. Also, each student will get a small handout explaining the Dewey Decimal System and the fact that Melville Dewey was born locally in Adams Center, New York. Students will then be broken down in teams and asked to locate their town of Hannibal on the New York State Maps. They will then be asked to find Adams Center. Once the teams complete this taks they will receive a cut out of Nessie to color and keep. The students will also get to see Scotland on the Leapfrog Globe which plays the music of that nation.

Goals & Objectives:

Information Literacy Skill(s): _ Accesses and collects information using the Dewey Decimal System.

Information Literacy Standard(s): Accesses information efficiently and effectively.

Related Subject Area(s): Scotland
Dewey Decimal System Usage
New York State

Related Content Standard(s): New York State history
World history
Geography and map reading skills
Life skills

Grade Level(s): 2^nd Grade.________________________________________

Number of Students: __14

Relevant Characteristics: Seven and eight year old boys and girls

Rural environment

Basic Understanding of the Dewey Decimal System

Beginning the study of local and world map reading skills

Poor to middle class families

Majority do not have computer or internet access at home

Low to medium parental support and minimal high parental support

English as a first language

Low numbers of minority students

Range of learning styles

Range of reading levels

Motivational Profile (Incoming Motivation Levels):

Attention: Low Medium High

Comments: Students are already locating books in the Dewey Decimal area of the library and are using maps and seeing local maps regularly posted in the library and around school. They are highly interested in these tasks but are not making the connection to where they live on the maps in contrast to the world. They also are not making a connection to finding books in the “number” section and to what the numbers mean concerning the Dewey Decimal System.

Relevance: Low Medium High

Comments: It will be easy to show students where the 000’s are located in the library because they are familiar with the library. They also are familiar with posted maps of New York State in the library.

Confidence: Low Medium High

Comments: Some students will have more confidence than others in navigating the Dewey Decimal areas in the library because they do this regularly. Some students do have regularly visited this area of the library. Some students have spent more time using New York State maps than others.

Satisfaction Potential: Low Medium High

Comments: Some students will really understand the connection between areas and items of the library they are already familiar with and what the meaning is behind this.

Materials & Sources:

Introduction:

Students will arrive in the library for their 45 minute class. They will sit on the story area rug. I will begin by reading Nessie The Loch Ness Monster and show the students how this book has a number on it that begins with 0. The students will quickly be shown where Scotland is on the Leapfrog Talking Globe and one brief clip of a song from Scotland will be played on the globe. (TIME: 10 minutes)

Library Book (Nessie The Loch Ness Monster)

Attention (ARCS)

Leapfrog Talking Globe

Brainstorm

Examples of other books in the 000 section

Cut outs of Nessie heads leading to the 000 section

Library Maps

Body:

Relevance (ARCS)

New York State maps

Nessie cut outs

Crayons

Conclusion:

Once students receive their Nessie cut outs, orally review the process and hand out Dewey Decimal System fact sheets for students to take for further use. Query for any difficulties in any part of the process. (TIME: 5 minutes)

Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction (ARCS)

Fact Sheets

Group Discussion

Procedures:

I will show students in the story area other types of books that are found in the 000 range. This would include computer books, library information books, and Bermuda Triangle type books. (TIME: 5 minutes)

Students will be given maps of the library and then shown one Nessie head. They will be asked to locate the 000 section in an orderly fashion by using the map and the Nessie heads. The students will all go to the section by being called in alphabetical order to do so. Each student must bring one book back to the story area rug. (TIME: 10 minutes)

Students will share with the class what books they have found in the 000 section.

(TIME: 10 Minutes)

Announce that it is now time to sit at the library tables. There are four tables with two maps of New York State on each table.

The students of to work in pairs and they will be asked to find Hannibal, New York on the map. They will then be told that Melville Dewey was from very close to Hannibal. They will then be asked to find Adams Center by looking north on the maps. Once the students have done this they will given Nessie cut outs take home and decorate. )TIME: 5 minutes)

Assessment:

Learning Assessment Method(s): _ Observation

1) Do the students effectively navigate the library using maps and Nessie symbols to locate the needed materials in the 000 section?

2) Do the students successfully locate and bring back to the story area 1 book from the 000 section?

3) Ongoing assessment of both learning and motivation can be accomplished by observing these students when they enter the library to search for books.

Sources:

Print this Lesson Plan

Presented By: judith furnari

Grade Level(s): __2nd Grade.__________________________________________

Grade Level(s): 2^nd Grade.________________________________________