Library Research, Developing KeyWords

Note: the term "Critical Human Issue" in this lesson/unit refers to contemporary problems that face people in our community, country and/or world. Students will determine critical issues based on literature they have read in class.
Throughout the year, students will have read a variety of common texts in their English class, with themes that include contemporary problems. Upon completing each text, students will have discussed issues and create "Wordles" that include common words, topics and themes. (essentially a keyword/word association exercise)
This plan takes two 50 minute class periods and focuses on expanding student knowledge of critical human issues, students learning to perform key word searches on a chosen topic and identifying relevant articles in on online database.
After these two periods, for the culminating activity/assessment students will create a written proposal that they will present to a panel of faculty. The goal of this presentation is for students to use the information from their research to persuade the panel that their critical human issue is important and deserves to be funded, and request the opportunity to raise funds for a charity that works to make change for the better in regard to their critical human issue.

Yes, English teacher and Librarian co-teach

100 minutes

2

1.  “Wordles” (www.wordle.net)

2.  Online Databases (General Encyclopedia such as Grolier Online,   

     magazine index such as ProQuest)

3.   Print Material in collection relevant to chosen topic.

 

DAY 1 - Lead Teacher: ELA Teacher

OBJECTIVES

• Students will understand the process of building keywords for a research topic.
• Students will apply their knowledge of building a key word search to create their own for a specific topic

SETUP                             

1.      Possible literature to read during the year to facilitate discussions and awareness of critical human issues includes but is not limited to:

     Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishamel Beah (possible topics: child soldiers, diamond certification, rehabilitation/post traumatic stress disorder)
     Princess: Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson (possible topics: girl’s education in underdeveloped nations, religious fundamentalism, FGM (female

     genital mutilation)
     Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (possible topics: poverty/issues in rural communities, child abuse especially neglect and emotional abuse, dysfunctional families)
     Fences by August Wilson (possible topics: racism/prejudices, parent-child relationship, mental health)
     Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (possible topics: autism, divorce, treatment of people with disabilities)

 

2.     Prior to class period, teachers must complete a model of reading and highlighting an article to create a "Wordle".

 

 3.     Because the librarian will be working with students on the second day to show students how to search in databases, arrange for librarian to help with completion of

         the model, and attend class to assist with students keyword building.

 

PROCEDURE

 

1.     Motivation:  To access prior knowledge and faciliatate a feeling of success, Begin lesson with names of each book/novel/memoir the students have read this year listed on

        white board. As a class have students brainstorm words and topics that immediately come to mind in regard to each book. (7 minutes/about 1 minute for each book).

 

        Have a brief discussion using the question: "If you were to do research about any topic that we have brainstormed on the board, how would you go about finding

        information?" Record student responses, and use their responses to discuss the positives and problems that may come up in the methods that the students choose to

        search. (7 minutes)

2.     Anticipatory Set: Explain to students that the words we often come up with for topics in our books are broad and not specific. Oftentimes, students will ask (when

        searching for information), “What else should I search?” Explain that today’s lesson will dmonstrate a strategy to come up with more search words to use when trying to

        research and find information. By the end of the class students will know how to build keywords for use in a search in preparation for tomorrow's research. Explain to

        students that one way to increase your searching ability when you research is to start with the general topic, find an article about the general topic, read

        that article, highlight new important words, then use those words to try new searches for more detailed information. (5 minutes)

                                  (put this on a handout: Generating Key Words)

 

4.    Model: On the Smartboard model what you have just explained (how students can build key words for a topic by using a general articles.)The Smartboard

        presentation should model the following steps (these are the materials the teacher has prepared prior to the lesson):

• An article that 4 teachers have read about a certain topic that is relevant to one of the novels/memoirs read by the class. (This topic should be one that you do not want students to use for their own research)
• a screenshot or scan of each article with teacher highlights (It may be helpful to have each teacher highlight in a different color.)

(modeling: 10 minutes)

5.  After modeling, tell students that they will now read about a different topic and practice highlighting key words relevant to the topic.

 

6.  Have 4 new topics with an accompanying article prepared for students. Based on the teacher’s knowledge of students’ interests, assign each student one topic along

with the accompanying article.
handout and clarify instructions: (2 minutes)

7.    Have students read article independently and highlight key words as they read. (about 10 - 15 minutes)
       ACOMMODATION FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS: If students finish earlier than others, allow them to respond in writing to the discussion questions below. These students who

       have had the opportunity to address the discussions can be told that they can work as leaders in their group discussion. This will also allow all students to use the

       necessary time they need to complete the reading assignment.)

8.    When students have finished reading, have them find the other students in the room who have read the same article.

        In a group, allow students time to discuss their key words and why they highlighted various words. Give students the following questions to guide their group

        discussion.

•  Choose one key word you underlined and why did you underline this word?
• When you chose to underline a word, what drove that decision?
• Choose a Keyword that many of you chose, what do you think can find by using this word in a key word search online?
• Discuss words that you think you can pair together to make your key word search more specific. Why would you pair those words together?

(Group Discussion:  10 minutes)

10. Closing: Have each student write an "exit ticket" summarizing the discussion that they had in their group. Let students know that they will be required to complete a wordle of their key words in class. Teachers may want to collect the highlighted articles from each group so they have them for the next day's lesson.(2 minutes)

 

Day 2 - Co-Teach: ELA Teacher and Librarian

 1.  Introduction/ motivation: Pass out the articles to students from previous day. Ask students to sit with their topic group from the previous day. Ask students to answer the following questions on mini-white boards with dry erase markers, or on paper to each question. Teacher should have students hold up answers to each question if they are using whitebaords. If students are using paper, teacher should circulate room to get a quick sample of student answers to report to the class.

Questions:

• What is one thing you want to avoid when using online to research?
• What is one thing you should do when you research a topic?
• What was the topic you read about yesterday?
• What was one key word you think is important?

(motivation: 5 minutes)

2.   Next, tell students that they will make a wordle of the words they highlighted from their articles so that they have a visual of key words they may want to use when

     they begin their research. Teacher should model the Wordle entry based on the model articles from the previous day. Students should be told that this is a good way to create a key word search anytime you research a topic.

(modeling: 5 minutes)

                        Note: In order for a “Wordle” to work, students must enter every key word, each time they see it. This allows the visual representation to show which words

                        are of more importance and which words may be less relevant.

 

3.  Independent practice: Allow students time in the computer lab to complete, generate, and print their Wordle. (20 minutes)

 

4. After students generate their wordle have them discuss the following questions in their group. Tell students they should be prepared to share their topic and ideas with the class when they are finished discussing.

 

     Questions:

• What stands out to you in the way the Wordle was created?
• What five words do you think will be best to use in your search?
• Choose two pairs of words you might use together when you search?

Have studetns report to the class.

(discussion and reporting: 10 minutes)

 

5.   Have each student individually determine which of the 4 topics they would like most toresearch for the following day's research, and have them choose the 5 key words they want to use in their search. Give students a handout on which students can record their topic and the 5 key words to search. (10 minutes)

 

Day 3 - Lead Teacher: Librarian

 

OBJECTIVES

• Students will understand the steps for accessing the library’s online database and how to search for materials online in online encyclopedias and magazine
• databases.
• Laptops for online database searching will be fully charged and ready to distribute to the class.

SET UP

1.     Laptops for online database searching will be fully charged and ready to distribute to the class.

 

2.    Forms will be created, listing the recommended resources and leaving space for students to share with the teacher their rationale for their chosen articles.

 

PROCEDURE

1.           Orient the students to the Library’s website, and familiarize them with the steps required to get there.

 

2.     Using a projector, students will be guided through the online databases (Grolier Online, ProQuest Direct) they will search with the keywords they identified in the

        previous lesson.

 

3.    The librarian will model steps directing them to the library’s resources. She will identify the most appropriate online databases and walk through an advanced

       search to show how the keywords should be used, and how to select relevant articles on their issues.

 

4.  Students will now have independent computer time to search with guided feedback from the librarian and teacher to help direct them to appropriate articles.  They

     will have to select two articles they feel are the most useful and relevant, and fill out a form with a rationale explaining why they chose them.

 

5.  After researching, students will present to the teacher-librarian and ELA teacher their chosen articles. Students will use the handout they have completed during their

     research to guide their sharing.

 

 

Erin Ramirez, Cathy Bean