Through instruction and the use of a word from their classroom word wall, the purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the dictionary and its uses. Students will be instructed though the use of a BuILder lesson (link included). Following instruction, collectively the class will be given a new word, one letter at a time. In pairs, they must look UP this word in the dictionary.   

Instructional Goals:

Students will

• 
  

  further enhance their understanding of the alphabet

  
  


• learn about the dictionary 

Learning Objectives: 

Students will

• 
  

  be able to use their knowledge of the order of the alphabet in order to participate in learning activities (such as informal classroom games) and complete 3 assessment worksheets in which students must identify or place groups of words in alphabetical order  

  
  


• 
  

  apply learned knowledge of the alphabet and the organization of the dictionary in order to locate 10 pre-selected terms and record their page numbers

  
  

• buILder lesson http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/builder.php?primaryid=225


• computer connected to the Internet


• projector, laser pointer, projector screen
  
  


• scrap paper, pencils
  
  


• children’s dictionaries
  
  


• edHelper.com
  
  


• Alphabetical Order worksheets


• visual aids and handouts


• LMS-generated word wall handout

Introduction: 

• 
  
  The classroom teacher will accompany students to the
  
  
  Library
  
  Media
  
  Center.
  
  


• 
  
  He/she will have grouped the students based on their learning styles. Each group will be assigned to a workstation. Each workstation will contain scrap paper and pencils.
  
  


• 
  
  The LMS will outline for the students the events of the 2-class lesson: alphabet workshop, a buILder lesson and a word wall activity.
  
  

 Body of Class 1 (20 minutes)

• The LMS will present an alphabet workshop. The workshop will begin by looking at large, colorful poster board visual aids of the alphabet and playing interactive alphabet games. Games will include a round-robin activity where each student has to mention an object to take on a picnic that begins with the successive letter in the alphabet. “I’m going on a picnic and will take an apple, banana, carrot…” The LMS will keep track of each word on the board while providing an alphabet visual aid.


• The LMS will then provide handouts of the alphabet along with worksheets that test the students’ abilities to arrange words in alphabetical order, such as the following worksheets provided by edHelper.com at: http://www.edhelper.com/language/alphabetical_order4142.html)


• The LMS will assist individual students when needed. At the conclusion of class, the LMS will collect the worksheets and assess each student’s success, providing informational and motivational feedback when required and appropriate.  

Body of Class 2 (30 Minutes)

• The classroom teacher will accompany students to the
  
  
  Library
  
  Media
  
  Center .


• Using the same groups created for Class 1, each group will be assigned to a workstation. Each workstation will contain scrap paper, pencils and a children’s dictionary.


• The LMS will hand back the worksheets from the previous class and review the alphabet workshop.


• Students will be given free-time to look at, touch, play with and talk about their individual dictionaries before instruction begins.


• The LMS will project the buILder lesson, Let’s Look It UP! (http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/builder.php?primaryid=225&content=HomePage) on a screen. While navigating through the lesson, he/she will lecture and walk around to each workstation interacting with the students. During the “Process” section, the LMS will pause from lecturing to check student work when they raise their hand.


• The LMS will hand out the worksheet that accompanies the buILder lesson when students are ready. When completed, the LMS will collect the worksheet and check student progress. 

 Conclusion (10 minutes): Word wall activity  

• The LMS will select a few words from the classroom word wall. Displaying one letter at a time, the LMS will instruct the students to look UP the word. If the student can identify the word before all of the letters are revealed, they will be instructed to raise their hand.


• The LMS will discuss and review the uses of the dictionary.


• Students will complete assessment handout. 

 

 

The LMS will assess individual understanding and progress of alphabetical order after the first and during the second class. For the final assessment activity, groups will be given a list of 10 words from the word wall to look UP and record the dictionary page number on which the word is found. The accuracy of the page number will allow the instructor to assess the students’ understanding of how the dictionary works.

American Association of School Librarians. Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Chicago: American Library Association, 1998.


Small, R.V. Designing Digital Literacy Programs with IM-PACT. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2005.