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LIBRARY MEDIA SKILLS OBJECTIVES
The students will:
-use periodical indexes to find current information about a particular question.
-read a periodical article to find information about the question. -distinguish between facts and theory in an article about the question.
CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES
The students will study prehistoric man as a part of a social studies or world history unit.
MOTIVATIONAL OBJECTIVES
The students will:
-become interested in the research process
-understand the value of information skills
-gain confidence in research ability and accomplishment
| Credits: |
| Katherine T Bucher, JoAnne Fravel, and Mark Fravel Adapted by Kori Gerbig, Syracuse University School of Information Studies |
| Sources: |
| School Library Media Activities Monthly October 1996; 13 (2); 24-26 |
INSTRUCTIONAL ROLES
-The teacher and library media specialist may work on this activity cooperatively as students read to find the differences between factual and theoretical information (use can be made of the professional articles attachment section found in the attached resource list).
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES FOR COMPLETION
-The teacher may begin the activity with excerpts from movies about prehistoric man. The teacher may ask students to consider how moviemakers or illustrators of periodicals know what early primates and hominids looked like or how they might have lived. Students may provide a number of answers. The teacher will lead the students to consider the difference between information backed up with strong evidence and speculation based on minimal information.
-After the discussion, the teacher will explain that students will use periodical indexes and other sources to find out 'What do we know about early primates and man?'
-As the students use the resources, they will read to decide whether the information provided is factual and based on evidence or whether it is theoretical. The teacher may read examples from periodical articles that deal with prehistoric man. For example, James Shreeve's article, 'Sunset on the Savanna,' about why people walk upright on two feet contains some excellent written examples of the difference between evidence and theory. 'A more recent hypothesis suggests an erect posture exposes less skin to the sun...' and 'paleontologist Elisabeth Vrba of Yale began offering what was the strongest evidence that the drying up of African environments helped shape early human evolution...' The teacher may discuss evidence (fossils, bones, etc.) and how information is stated (documented, data, recorded, etc.). A list of words related to the theorization may be provided (speculate, theorize, hypothesize, etc.). Students may need practice reading informative paragraphs or sentences before they begin their research.
-The assignment in the library media center will include the following steps:
1) Use a periodical article to locate citations on the origin of prehistoric primates and man.
2) Locate the periodical article(s).
3) Read the article(s) to find information about evidence and theory.
4) Record the information on charts.
5) write a paragraph stating what is factual and what is theory.
-The library media specialist may review use of the indexes and location of articles. Some students may need assistance as they read for two different kinds of information in the articles.
FOLLOW-UP
The students may:
-illustrate a theory about the origins of prehistoric man expressed in an article.
-read more than one article and state more than one theory about the origin of prehistoric man.
