Information Literacy Project

IS551

November 21, 2006

Kathy Hipps and Lisa Johnson

Project Overview

• Target group - fourth grade class in Virginia.

• Three 10-15 minute teaching sessions focusing on basic database searching skills using Kids InfoBits and …

• One longer culminating session to be coordinated with classroom teacher.

Available in Virginia via www.finditva.com

Available in Tennessee via Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) .

Kids InfoBits

Required Teaching Resources

• Computer with internet access connected to an LCD projector for instructor (Lesson 1)

• Six-eight computers with internet access for small groups (Lessons 2-4)

• At least one clerk/volunteer to work with remainder of class during small group work (Lessons 2-4)

• Activity sheet (Lesson 2)

• Paper and pencils (Lessons 3 & 4)

• List of famous Virginians (Lesson 4)

Teaching Strategies

• Lesson 1 – Introduction to database via teacher demonstration.

• Lesson 2- Guided hands-on practice using an assigned search term and specific questions.

• Lesson 3- Independent practice using topics and questions of the student’s choice.

• Lesson 4- Students will use searching skills to locate information on famous Virginians. This information will be used to compose a paragraph for a game of “Who Am I?”

Lesson Two Activity Sheet

• Open the Kids InfoBits database.

• Enter the term “tornadoes” in the search box and click search.

• View results.

• Under the “reference” tab choose a source with an easy reading level to answer the following questions.

• What are tornadoes created from?

• What months are tornadoes most likely to form?

• Under the “images” tab choose one image to show the librarian. Raise your hand after you open the image and it is on your screen.

National Literacy Standards Addressed

• 1.3 The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively and

formulates questions based on information needs.

• 1.4 The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively and

identifies a variety of potential sources of information.

• 1.5 The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively, develops

and uses successful strategies for locating information.

Virginia Standards of Learning

• Library/Information Use

Core 4 The student will use appropriate questioning skills to retrieve information.

Core 5 The student will recognize the availability of information from a variety of community resources.

Virginia Standards of Learning-continued

• English

4.6 The student will demonstrate comprehension of information resources to research a topic.

a. Construct questions about a topic.

b. Collect information, using the resources of the media center, including online print, and media resources.

c. Evaluate and synthesize information.

Additional Standards Addressed

• Lesson 2

Science 4.6 The student will navigate and understand how weather conditions and phenomena occur and can be predicted. Key concepts include

b) weather phenomena (fronts, clouds, and storms).

• Lesson 4

Addresses several Virginia Studies Standards

Lesson Evaluation

• Observing student participation and search results…

Were students successful in accessing database?

Did students use feasible search terms?

Did students obtain usable information?

Did students successful navigate database sections?

Did students formulate appropriate questions for the final assignment?

Follow Up Activities…

• Students needing extra practice to master basic database skills could be offered variations of lessons two and three.

• As an extension on these lessons, students could be introduced to the advanced search feature and the use of Boolean operators.

Questions For Discussion

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