LIBRARY MEDIA SKILLS OBJECTIVES The student will: -become familiar with the writings and life of the author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. -navigate, read, and analyze information from a website about the author.

MOTIVATIONAL OBJECTIVES: The student will: -become interested in the research process. -understand the importance of information skills. -experience increased confidence in research ability -understand the value of information skills. -achieve satisfaction in research accomplishments

RESOURCES
Networked computers
Modem and online service
"WebWhacker" or other software for downloading a website
"Netscape Navigator" or other browser program
Handouts (above)
Laura Ingalls Wilder books

BACKGROUND
-This learning experience is most appropriate within the context of a unit on the history and culture of the American West. The main purpose of this instruction is to introduce students to the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which are based on the author's memories of her pioneer childhood. The books are replete with details of everyday life among pioneers told in a strong, individual voice that captures the emotions of growing up, struggling for survival, and family love. Another purpose of this activity is to give students practice and guidance in reading the information on a web site critically and carefully. Too often, students "surf" their way through web sites without actually reading, examining, and learning from the information contained in the texts, pictures, and captions.

INSTRUCTIONAL ROLES
-This activity may be completed cooperatively by the classroom teacher and the library media specialist.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES FOR COMPLETION

-The library media specialist reads selected chapters from different books by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the class. The following chapters work well as independent selections and are effective in motivating the students to read the books:

-"Deep Water" and "Grasshopper Weather" from "On the Banks of Plum
Creek

-"Indian Warning" and "Cap Garland" from " The Long Winter"

-"A Stiff Upper Lip," "Managing," and "A Knife in the Dark" from "These
Happy Golden Years

Using "WebWhacker" or other software for downloading, download the Laura Ingalls Wilder site ( http://webpages.marshall.edu/~irby1/laura/index.html

NOTE: This website has been selected as a replacement for the original site listed with this lesson plan. Original site no longer exists).
Copy the website to as many computers as are available in the libray media center or computer lab. (Be sure to delete all sites from all computers when the lesson is completed).

-Introduce students to the web site and distribute map handouts. Instruct the students to examine the entire web site and use the information to mark their maps to show three of the states where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived (Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakota Territory). The students must also write down some of the important events that took place in Laura's life in each state.

-On the back of the handout, students are instructed to compare and contrast their lives with Laura's life.

-Finally, students must match three small pictures with a title of one of her books ("Little House in the Big Woods," "By the Shores of Silver Lake," and "The Long Winter").

-These activities have been constructed to require students to read carefully and think about the information on the web site. Students should be reminded to read everything, but to select only the most important or most interesting pieces of information to record on their handouts.

-After students have completed the handouts, gather the group together and display each handout on an overhead projector. Students share some of the answers and write them on the overhead projector.

FOLLOW-UP

-There are many ways to extend and develop a study of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Students may cook the food described in the books, sing the songs of Laura's family, act out selected chapters in skits or charades, or rewrite selected chapters from a point of view that is different from the narrator's. The best follow-up is for students simply to read several of her books with enjoyment and sympathy.