S.O.S. for Information Literacy

OPAC Jeopardy

Description:

In the middle school setting 5th graders are new to the building. They are expected to adjust to a variety of changes including a much larger library. This can be overwhelming for a child who just wants to find a great book to read. In order to ease anxiety and allow students to feel more comfortable in the library several visits are required. The lesson we planned will introduce students to the online catalog, Patron's Catalog, which the library subscribes to. We will teach them how to use the program, let them try some on their own, and then guide them to the library to find a particular book they searched for during training. This will encourage them to use the library more on their free time and increase their comfort level. It will also allow them to become more knowledgeable of what the library has to offer. Note: This lesson can be modified to fit other types of online catalogs.

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals:

1. Introduce students to the OPAC.

2. Students will become more familiar with all the library has to offer.

Learning Objectives:

1. Fifth grade students will be able to successfully search the OPAC on their own.

2. Students will be able to use the information from the OPAC to find a book in the library.

Motivational Goals:

1. Students will build confidence in their ability to effectively search the OPAC and the library.

2. Students will experience an increase in comfort levels in the library and on the computer with the online catalog.

Materials & Sources:

Media and materials used will include the powerpoint presentation projected on a screen for students to follow along. There will be handouts of part of the power point presentation to follow along with us and take notes if needed. This will also serve as a take home guide to refer to when using Patron's Catalog on their own. In addition to the handouts there is also a one page job aid that students can use to help them when using the online catalog. Each student will be seated at a computer terminal to be able to participate in the hands on lesson.

Procedures:

I. Intro:

A. The students will be introduced to the presenters of the lesson

B. The focus of the lesson will be presented. "Today we are going to teach you how to use Patron's Catalog effectively while looking for resources in the library."

C. We will then cover expectations. "We expect you to be good listeners and be able to follow directions at all times." We would then briefly explain expectations, for example: not playing with the computer while we are talking, listening and raising their hand to share ideas.

D. A brainstorming session will begin with "What do you think Patron's Catalog is and what is it used for?," When would you use it? We will prompt students for a good discussion and record ideas. The first powerpoint slide will be on the screen to help formulate ideas. (This will create an Attention getting device by sparking curiosity)

II. Body A. Instructors will take turns presenting slides and explaining the concept to be learned from each slide. After each direct instruction slide on easy or expanded search techniques there is a practice session for the students to explore the catalog with. We will allow time for instruction, exploration and then forming some conclusions about the results they found. (This will provide Relevance by making it a meaningful task that they will use again)

III. Conclusion/ Evaluation

A. As a culminating activity we have created powerpoint jeopardy to allow students to practice the skills we taught them. We will act as judges, presenters, and scorekeepers of the activity and the students will be the contestants. (This will help with Confidence because they will be able to succeed and receive immediate feedback if they need more assistance) B. Rules will be explained as follows:

1. we will split into two teams of three that we assign

2. you will take turns between teams and be able to pick a category and amount to wager

3. you will have approximately 20 seconds to find the answer on Patron's Catalog and report it to us

4. a correct answer will result in the amount of points you wagered for your team

5. an incorrect answer will result in a loss of points you wagered

6. you may not pass your turn

7. the team at the end with the most points wins

8. in the result of a tie both teams win C. We will then play the game according to the rules listed above until the time allotted expires or there are no more questions to answer A team winner will be awarded and both teams for good sportsmanship will be awarded a bookmark prize as a motivational tool that ties directly to the lesson (Satisfaction will take place when they complete the lesson and realize they have had fun and done a great job with Patron's Catalog. They will also feel satisfied as they head to the library to take out a book they searched for with ease)

Technique: Our presentation methods will involve direct instruction, powerpoint presentation, and hands on experience. With this combination of strategies the lesson will move along at a consistent pace and the students will be motivated to stay on target. The lesson will also be more meaningful due to the hands on practice throughout the activity. The motivational strategies will involve practice, praise and encouragement from the presenters, as well as a surprise bookmark at the end of the lesson for a job well done. Also, working on the computer itself acts as a motivator, as well as an interactive power point presentation. Conclusion: This lesson will introduce students to Patron' s Catalog and all it has to offer. This will help them in finding books for pleasure and assist them in finding sources for research. This will help make them more comfortable and be more effective in the library. Overall, it will make their library experience more enjoyable

Assessment:

The learning assessment method will be the powerpoint jeopardy game at the conclusion of the lesson. It will give the trainers an idea of who may not be able to maneuver around Patron's Catalog with ease. This way we can pinpoint students to follow up with one-on-one training. With two teachers in the room we will be able to present and assist each student more effectively.The teacher and the students will conduct the lesson evaluation at the end of the session. See media support materials for an example of our evaluation sheets. These will help us to modify the lesson for the next group that needs to be trained.

Sources:

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Presented By: Andrea Tully