LIBRARY MEDIA SKILLS OBJECTIVES The students will use print and nonprint materials as sources of information.The emphasis of the activity is on using sources to answer questions about what tools and equipment a fire fighter needs to work as a community helper.

CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES: This activity may be incorporated into a social studies unit on community helpers or a career awareness unit on community service professions.

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 -After the teacher introduces the topic of fire fighters to the students, he/she divides the children into small working groups to go to the library media center for research. The library media specialist greets students and introduces them to use of materials as 'researchers.' The materials should be set up for students at tables or learning center areas.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES FOR COMPLETION -The activity may be introduced in a number of ways. For example, the teacher might incorporate a field trip to a fire station or visit from a fire fighter into a unit. One part of the activity includes learning about the tools and equipment that are important to the job. As a review of the visit or introduction, the teacher might show one of the videotapes about fire fighters. "The Busiest Firefighters Ever" is a Richard Scarry presentation of firefighting, while "Sound the Alarm: Firefighters at Work" is more realistic for older students. As an advance organizer, the teacher suggests that there are different kinds of tools and equipment required for the job of fighting fires. Students should watch for these. Review the meaning of 'tool' and 'equipment' and give concrete examples from school or home. If videotapes are unavailable, pictures from encyclopedias or a read-aloud of one of the stories would be useful.

-After the introduction, the teacher explains that children will be visiting the library media center to research fire fighting equipment. They will go on their own in small groups to work with the library media specialist.

-The library media specialist should pull materials and set them up for students ahead of time. Supplies should also be ready for the small groups when they come at flexibly scheduled times. The library media specialist explains that the students will look at materials to identify some of the tools and equipment that fire fighters need for their jobs while fighting different kinds of fires. The library media specialist may show students how she would use books and videotapes to locate information. Review the table of contents or show students how to use electronic media to find pictures or word clues to what they need. Show students how to skim and read picture captions. Allow time for students to look at materials. After students have reviewed the materials, ask them to record notes about what they found. Notes may consist of a word or picture list of the tools and equipment that the students found while looking at the books and nonprint materials.

-When the students have completed their list, hand out the worksheet of the fire fighter and sample tools. The library media specialist explains that the students now have a chance to use the information that they located in order to make their own fire fighting illustration. Students imagine and draw a scene in which their fire fighter will be working. They may color and cut out the fire fighter on the worksheet and paste him or her in the scene. Students should consider the kinds of tools that would be necessary and cut those out of the sheet. They may also draw any that are not included.

-The students take the completed drawings to class and share their research with the teacher. The discussion should include what kinds of sources or titles they used to find the information . The students may also discuss how they recorded their notes or information before preparing the scene.

FOLLOW-UP -The students may use the same 'research' technique with other community helpers or professions.