Third graders will be doing a research project on an Adirondack animal of their choice. The students will use a builder on Adirondack animals to guide them and follow directions during the research project. A rubric will be available to the students at the end of the lesson so the classroom teacher and teacher librarian can assess their research project. The builder is located at:
http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/2290
The lesson will develop students’ information literacy skills and provide them with an interactive way of learning new information.

Instructional Goals:

1.      Third grade students will be able to read, evaluate, and follow instructions during a research project.

2.      Students will be able to evaluate and assess their research skills as indicated by a rubric.

 

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will write a research paper on the Adirondack animals using the Trash and Treasure method of note taking as indicated in the builder with 100% accuracy.
2. Students will use a builder to find information on Adirondack animals with 100% accuracy.

Adirondack Animal Builder

 

Trash and Treasure worksheet

 

http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/2290

 

Rubric

 

 

Introduction: The classroom teacher will

introduce the Adirondack animals project.  After

spending a week learning about different kinds of animals

that live in the Adirondacks, students will get ready

to start their research projects. The students

will be given the following guidelines:

1. Pick one animal you would like to research.

2. A rubric will be used to evaluate the research project.

3. There will be four weeks to work on the research project.

           

 

Body:  Students will use the computers in the computer  

lab in order to access the builder. The teacher librarian

will discuss the purpose of builders. Students will be

instructed to link to the Adirondack Animal Research

builder at:

http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/2290

The classroom teacher and teacher librarian will

monitor students as they access the site. Students will

follow the instructions in the task section of the builder

and tell the classroom teacher which animal they have

selected for the research project. After reading the

research tips in the builder, students will print the

Trash and Treasure note taking worksheet.         

Students will then follow the links to selected

websites that provide information about their

animal. Using the Trash and Treasure worksheet,

students will take notes on their animal. The teacher

and teacher librarian will read over the notes students

have taken and make suggestions for improvements.

                         

           

Body (Continued)

The classroom teacher will inform students how to set

up a research paper. Students will be required to

include the following in their research report:

1. an introductory paragraph

2. a  paragraph describing:

• where the animal lives
• what the animal eats
• its special characteristics

3. a concluding paragraph.

 

After writing their rough draft,

the students will edit their papers. Upon completion of the

final draft, students will access and print the Adirondack

Animals Research rubric.

 

Conclusion: Students will work with the classroom teacher  

or teacher librarian to complete the rubric. They will assess

 and evaluate their research skills.

A rubric will be used to assess:

Did the students follow all of the directions?

Did students provide information about:
where their animal lived
what it eats
specific characteristics of the animal?

Did students include an introductory and concluding paragraph?