Did you know? Learning to use the World Almanac for Kids.
Description:
3rd grade students will be introduced to the World Almanac for Kids and how it can be used as an information source. The lesson will be conducted in two class sessions. In the first, students will learn about the almanac and what is inside. The second part of the lesson will focus on how to use the almanac and most effectively access the information you may be looking for.
Goals & Objectives:
Instructional Goals:
- Students will learn about the World Almanac for Kids as a reference tool
- Students will understand what type of materials in contained in the World Almanac for Kids
- Students will learn how to most effectively retrieve information from the book
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:
- orally identify in class discussion the names of different categories contained in the almanac after completing the crossword which explores a variety of these categories
- explain 2 ways to look up information in the almanac after watching the video which demonstrates this for them
- orally identify areas of study where the may wish to utilize the almanac as a reference tool after completing the crossword and watching the video
Motivational Goals:
- Students will share new facts that interested them in a group discussion to promote confidence in using the Almanac, and generate interest in its contents
- Students will learn the value of the Almanac: the information contained, how to retrieve it, and how they can then utilize it for future research
Materials & Sources:
Whiteboard
Classroom set of the World Almanac for Kids
Video- instructional aide for using World Almanac for Kids
Crossword puzzle (created for 2003 edition)
Procedures:
1. Students will discuss how often the Almanac comes out, in comparison to magazines. They will discuss any past experiences using the Almanac and what type of information they found.
2. Each student will browse the contents of the World Almanac for Kids, and come up with an interesting fact. They will share the fact with the class, and determine which category it falls in (Sports, Weather, Animals, etc.) which will be written on a whiteboard.
3. Students will be given the crossword to complete. If necessary, they can work in pairs/groups.
4. We will discuss the answers to the crossword, so that everyone has filled in all the answers. We will discuss which category these answers were found in (Sports, Weather, etc.)
5. We will discuss when students might use the Almanac.
Part II
1. Students will enter the LMC and sit at their assigned tables. They will share some of the information they learned last week.
2. They will be asked if they like gameshows... since today we are watching a gameshow.
3. Students will view the instructional video that came with the classroom set of World Almanac for kids.
4. During the video, they will be questioned on what they are learning, to be sure they maintain attention.
5. We will discuss the ways that they can look up information, whether using the Table of Contents, or the Index. Where are they located? Which is quicker?
Assessment:
- Observation of students completing the crossword will demonstrate their ability to read and navigate through the pages of the almanac.
- Group discussion upon completion the crossword will require that students identify different categories of information contained in the almanac.
- After watching the video, students in a class discussion will be able to orally explain the 2 methods of retrieving information from the almanac.
- Group discussion upon completion of both the crossword and video about what type of tasks or assignments students would use the almanac for in the future will demonstrate students understanding of the almanac as a reference tool.
Collaborators:
None
Sources:
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/ Utilized this free website puzzle creation tool to construct the Almanac Crossword.
