LIBRARY MEDIA SKILLS OBJECTIVES
The student will:

-use the library catalog, online catalogs as appropriate, and CD-ROM or online periodical indexes.

-use a variety of print, non print, graphic, and electronic sources to find and illustrate information.

-analyze and evaluate verbal and pictorial information.

-use hypermedia or presentation sofware to create a computer presentation.

-include computer-created graphs or scanned pictorial sources in computer presentations and learn how to import and resize graphs and pictures in presentations.

-present to classmates the results of his or her research, using a traditional creative product such as a skit, poem, radio show, interview, or some similar illustration that will 'teach' the class about the chosen topic.

CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES:

-This project may be contained within the language arts class as a 'writing across curriculum' unit or may be expanded into a joint project in both language arts and social studies.
The student will:

-use skills in researching, organizing facts, writing, and speaking.
-draw upon skills learned in science (modeling), art (sketching), music (singing or dancing), or math (charting) to create illustrations that enliven the findings.

-identify themes in history of the 1920s and define subtopics within a chosen theme.

-research and organize information about a chosen theme.

-coordinate with other team member's efforts in writing and presentation.

-rehearse and use a computer presentation, along with prepared script, to describe findings to classmates.

-augment the computer presentation with live team presentations in the form of a poster, skit, or interview.

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.

INSTRUCTIONAL ROLES:
-Both the classroom instructor and library media specialist guide the selection of topics, which will be chosen from a list created by the library media specialist. The library media specialist instructs students in how to search the library catalog for resources, locate books, find graphic resources, and use indexes, tables of contents, and appendices. The library media specialist expands the scope of resource locating, where appropriate, by helping students to borrow books through interlibrary loan or use online searching for information.

-Students create two types of presentations in this project. A computer presentation includings charts or scanned graphics. Each screen, or page of the computer presentation serves as the outline for a script, or paper, written by the student. The student reads the script to the class as the computer presentation is shown. The presentation is activiated by operating the keyborad or mouse, which can be manipulated by the student, a fellow, student, or the instructor.

-Next, the team illustrates their chosen topic and/or subtopics with a live presentation incorporationg student-created advertisements, collages, diagrams, demonstrations, or similar articles.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES FOR COMPLETION:

-This integrated unit can be used either in language arts or social studies or both. It was developed for use in Mattoon Schools, Mattoon, Illinois. Because of the variety of media resources available for such a project, we chose to focus on the twentieth centrury, We selected three decades as being especially interesting for social history: The decade of the twenties was selected for this article as a sample. The procedures, however, can be used for any period in American history. The teacher and library media specialist, planning together, will choose a period for which there are sufficient and varied resources, both print and graphic.

-In social studies, students prepare for the unit by background reading on the selected time frame. Students need to discover major political events, economic and business trends, social problems, crimes, disasters, scandals, fashions, literary and artistic contributions, popular culture, entertainment, and home and school themes of the period they are researching.

-To help teams select topics, students may consider such questions as:

What were important medical discoveries of the decade?
What political events shaped the period?
What were the most notorious crimes and/or scandals?
What social problems worried people the most?
What was a kid's life like in this time?
What major inventions were developed?
What was home and family life like?
What kinds of art, architecture, fashions, or housing styles were popular?
What did Americans do for entertainment in this time?

-The language arts teacher explains specific criteria for the formats of the two kinds of products: a computer product and a traditional demonstration product, or prop. The language arts class sets up the structure of the written script to be read along withthe computer presentation. The teacher reviews all products in draft form making suggestions for revision as necessary.

-The supervising instructor determines the members of the student teams. (Prior to setting up teams, each student will provide a confidential 3x5 card providing the name of one or two persons preferred as teammates and the name of one person with who the student would not like to work. Based on this information, teams of 2-4 compatible students can be set up.)

-The project includes a number of steps, during which the library media specialist and the instructor(s) assist students in teams or as individuals and determine a time frame in which each of the following steps is to be completed:
Teams will:

-select a main topic from the menu provided.

-do preliminary research to determine subtopics. (Each team member is responsible for researching and writing the script for a single subtopic.)

-locate print information, pictures, and interviews or other sources.

-write scripts that explain their subtopics to the rest of the class.

-select graphics or create charts to be included in their computer files.

-create computer presentation files and screens. (There will be at least one introductory screen showing the main topic, subtopics, and team members' names and/or photos. Each team member has a separate screen or screens showing the subtopic as a heading and the main points as subheadings, plus any graphic material.)

-create posters, skits, demonstrations, dances, songs, etc. either as a group (preferable) or as individuals. (These products are used to explain or illustrate their findings and are presented to the rest of the class.)

-present their computer presentations.

FOLLOW-UP:

-The students may provide original drawings or additional graphics to illustrate the presentation theme. The presentations may be videotaped.