It’s the BIG ONE…… THE BIG 6

Well, What is it??? The BIG 6 is a problem solving, literacy process. It is useful for students in all academic settings, grade levels and even adults in the workforce For schools: it is useful and will align to any curriculum or state standards.

6 Phases/Stages There are 6 phases for successful implementation of the BIG 6 Theory: **It is not a requirement to follow the steps in order or to use all of the steps all of the time; tailor the process to meet what is needed** 1.Task DefinitionTask Definition 2.Information Seeking StrategiesInformation Seeking Strategies 3.Location and AccessLocation and Access 4.Use of InformationUse of Information 5.SynthesisSynthesis 6.EvaluationEvaluation

Task Definition The Problem: What do I need to do? Determine what needs to be done and what is the desired/required outcome The Information: What do I really want to find out? Figure out what resources are needed to find the necessary information to help solve the problem

Information Seeking Strategies The Sources: What is available for me to use? Find what reliable sources are available for use The Best Choices: Which sources are the best and offer the most information? Make educated choices about what is readily available for use

Location and Access Find the Sources: Where is the information that I need? Choose your sources and create a list of where each is located Find the information: What do I need from each source? Begin looking for necessary information. Focus on keywords and phrases

Use of Information Engage: Can I use the information? Decide if the information is “deep” enough The relevance: What is most important? Distinguish what will help to get the problem solved

Synthesis Organization: How can I make my information a meaningful presentation? Make sure there is enough time to create a presentation in steps (rough draft, editing, etc.) Presentation: Am I prepared to present my material? Make sure all information is effectively ordered and makes sense for presentation

Evaluation Critique the final product: Is it good? Make sure the work is of quality Critique the process: Did I accomplish the task? Review the assignment to make sure all of the requirements are fulfilled

The Big 6 Writing Process Organizer Lesson Overview: This lesson focuses on helping students to write effectively following the Big 6 skills. The creator of the lesson (Barbara Jansen) took the writing process and divided it into the relevant steps of the Big 6. Each step is accompanied by applicable questions that students can answer and walks the students through steps to successfully complete an essay/paper. My thoughts: This lesson is one that is thoroughly written and is definitely geared toward helping students to successfully complete a paper. I like the way the author integrated the writing steps with the Big 6 steps. Each step prompts the student to thoroughly complete the important information that helps them to make a smooth transition to the next phase. Perhaps, one of the most important steps is #5 (Synthesis). During this stage, the students are required to complete the steps of the writing process. This fits perfectly into the steps of the Big 6 Theory. The last step (evaluation) allows the students to focus on evaluating their finished product. It also helps them to focus on making sure their work is properly formatted and completed as stated in their instructions. The last question asks if the student understands the Big 6 process and their thoughts about it. This question is pertinent because it is important that the students evaluate and understand the Big 6 process.

So…what do I think about the Big 6? I think that the Big 6 is a great strategy to add to my “teacher’s toolbox”. There are a variety of reasons why I like and will try to use this strategy, because it is: Universal- it can be incorporated into any subject area User friendly- I can word the questioning to fit the comprehension level of any student Useful- the steps will help my students to remain focused and on task I am an advocate of any strategy that helps students with organization and helps them to be responsible for their outcome and to achieve what is desired. The strategy is also helpful for students to become peer helpers as well. They can assist their classmates with checking to make sure that tasks are complete and the strategy empowers them to easily explain what may be missing or what areas may require extra attention. If I incorporate this strategy, I will follow the steps in sequence (from 1-6). I like the flow of the steps in the presented order.

My Sources process-organizer.php process-organizer.php

Thanks for watching!! I hope you enjoyed this “BIG” Presentation