Information Literacy Project IS551 November 21, 2006 Kathy Hipps and Lisa Johnson

Project Overview Target group - fourth grade class in Virginia. Three 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  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 1.3The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively and formulates questions based on information needs. 1.4The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively and identifies a variety of potential sources of information. 1.5The 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 5The 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 ? ? ?