Aren't you loving these books? The examples, strategies and lesson plan ideas are so detailed and user-friendly! Hopefully you see that you are already using many of these strategies with your students. This week we want you to begin thinking about the resources you have available in your collections and how you can guide student use of these resources. That all begins with creating tasks that encourage your students to explore topics that are relevent at a deeper level.
Ch. 7-9 (Needham) Big6 Steps 1-3
1. The students ability to reiterate what they are supposed do to and identify resources that will help them get the task done is essential to their success. What are some strategies you use to help students identify their task and the resources they need to help them?
Ch. 2-3 (Berger) Searching the Web
In the Standards for the 21st Century Learner, we are to encourage students to incorporate higher order thinking skills. Not only do they need to know how to develop a range of questions that will allow them to search for new understanding but they must be able to select and evaluate the sources in order to answer those questions and eventually master the use of those technological tools. That is a high order. Part of acquiring that expertise is the proper use of search engines.
On page 29(Berger) you will find a list of 5 facts students need to know about search engines.
2. How do we, as teacher-librarians, instruct our students to able to make distinctions between search engines and find the ones that best fit their needs?
Give some ideas as to how you might help your students learn to perform a thorough web search.
Please add you post by clicking on the comments link.
Please add you post by clicking on the comments link.
1. Some strategies I use to help students identify their tasks have changed since we now have projectors in all classrooms. I am able to accommodate more classroom teacher requests since I can now present in the classroom, rather than just the computer lab. In the computer lab having the students sit in front of computers was often a battle as they checked their email, surfed the net, etc..........instead of being tuned in...........Often help from the classroom teacher during this time is lacking which is frustrating.............Anyway, now I define the task with the class as I solicit feedback from them. I present the possibilities for resources on the big screen as they take notes. I love the fact that this requires students to take notes, which allows them to be independently responsible for the information they will need on their next visit to the library to begin their research. Notetaking and Cornell Notes is a skill we are working on here at the high school, so the presentations reinforce notetaking skills, as well as being accountable for the information presented. And this is just the pre project visit!!
ReplyDelete2. Finding the best search engines can be tricky. Often the classroom teacher has some suggestions for content specific search engines which is one of the benefits of collaboration. I try to take that first step with students and have them note the number of results so to limit information overload of irrelevant hits, utilizing keywords and boolean search terms, currency of information, and reliability of source. I know Diana does a fantastic job of teaching all of these skills at Congress; but honestly they don't retain it over the summer each year. Just basic information such as this must be taught yearly I believe. There's so much on every page of a database that kids don't even notice...............a pet peeve of mine! They just click, click, click all over the page rather than surveying the information with a critical eye! So much to do with them and so little time!
ReplyDeleteI apologize if this post is a repeat--I bumped a key and got tossed.
ReplyDelete1. Anyway, I totally agree with Needham about modeling, guiding and the providing opportunities for practice. At this point in the year, I am still reviewing the process and the vocabulary. Corliss's "freeze and discuss" moments provide authentic examples that are more meaningful. With my second graders today, I used the idea similar to Trojanette's--they were looking at pictures and captions and we recorded via the document camera their observations about Native American artifacts.
2. Search engines are a challenge that I share with our teachers and computer specialist (is that our lab folks are called now?) We all 3 need to be on the same page. Our instruction will lead to confusion for the students if we do not know what each other is doing. Since our computer specialist is meeting with teachers about their "tech lesson," I am trying to touch base with both to connect LMC instruction to classroom/computer lab endeavors.
1. We all know that modeling is critical to helping students learn any skill. Modeling not only shows our students "how", but helps them "think aloud" a process by using the freeze and discuss technique. While I don't use this specific terminology, we do use small group discussions and share out when learning new skills. My 4th graders have just begun planning a research project on famous Missourians. We are completing Needham's worksheet step by step using student ideas to define their task and selecting the best resources. Clearly they are more motivated because of their ownership of the project, and are becoming more confident in using the language. What they don't know is that their idea of the task has pretty much mirrored the teachers' expectations of this learning opportunity.
ReplyDelete2. My students frequently use search engines in their research, but we spend several weeks on website evaluation prior to jumping right into the world of search engines. I do use KidRex alot, and like what Google's filters do with the search results. Google Educator also has some ready-made lessons you can tap into. Like Helen, our tech specialist is providing more direct technology instruction as it relates to information literacy. This will allow us to work in tandum with students in learning a skill and how to apply it. Wikipedia is a whole other conversation, and after taking Lisa Way's PD presentation last week, my perspective has changed a little. We all know that no matter what resources our students use, we need to teach them how to analyze them for reliability, usefullness, and currency. Elementary students are truly "digital natives" and we need to provide them with the knowledge they will need to become good ditial citizens and information users.
Sorry I am running late on my posts friends. 1. One thing I do every day is write on the board exactly what each grade will do during library instruction. In the past I have worded it, "Today in the Media Center we will..." but after the reading, I think I will change it to "Your task today in the Media Center is to..." That phrasing will help transfer the ownership of that problem or task to the students and shift the learning goal to an actual task or problem. Recently, I had 3rd graders working on creating call numbers and placing them in order. My first two sections really struggled with just hearing my verbal directions even though I thought the task was quite straightforward. I decided to change my approach and started modeling the first two examples on each page of the worksheets. This really helped move the class along and get going with completing the assignments. I do need to work on Needham's caution of "solving" my students' problems for them. With only 30 minutes for instruction, I often feel rushed to get through my lesson and do not give students the time they need to learn those independent problem solving skills. I do this with behavior issues..."How could you work this out without me?" but I need to do it more consistently with problem solution skills. I often complain that students just want the easy answer and don't want to put the time in to find it on their own, but I need to teach them how to do that.
ReplyDelete2. If I'm being honest, I rarely use any search engines beside Google. Occasionally, if I am not having success on Google, I will switch over to Bing or Yahoo but I feel out of my comfort zone and miss the familiarity that I have with Google. I think I need to branch out more and learn about the many other options out there before I can really help my students in this area. I currently do a unit on reliability and bias of websites where students compare and contrast 3 different websites and a lesson on hoax web sites and I caution students about Google not always providing "good" information. I hit KidRex as an option, but beyond that, I need to do more. I think if I can introduce some of these other options to my 4th and 5th graders maybe they won't get stuck in a rut like me and always have just one go-to search engine in their bag of tricks. I think elementary age is the perfect time to show kids all the possibilities. These will stick with them as they move into middle and high school and hopefully they will pull them out when asked to solve problems. I thought Needham's point about instruction on personal use sources was very valid. Even if I caution kids about Google or Wikipedia or Facebook, they are going to use those sources and any instruction on them is going to be invaluable for the student. I often just avoid instruction on sites that I would prefer kids not use, but that is the wrong approach...I need to spend extra time discussing them and providing strategies for kids to use them most efficiently and safely.
As Vicki noted " What they don't know is that their idea of the task has pretty much mirrored the teachers' expectations of this learning opportunity." I believe this is the sign of a well thought out procedure! I find that "working backwards" is good planning tool that can help the planning process.
ReplyDeleteNicoles thought about changing the wording when posting daily objectives is a great one and reflects Vicki's technique of always relating the activity to the Big 6. That also helps me determine what the focus should be in our 30 time frame. Sometimes that means "chunking" the lesson over more days.
Every morning, I also write the classroom objectives on the board. Because so much of teaching in changing into small groups, students have a "To Do" list on which to work. It would be very easy to change this to Task list. I also encourage them to take care of their own problems during small group time, but need to reiterate with Big6 terminology. In our weekly reading assessment, I have had students write the questions beside the actual text page and draw a line connecting the text to where the answer or supporting details were found. This really puts their task right where they need it to be. I also have students rewrite their questions in their answers with complete sentences. When quetions pop up in class that we cannot answer, we do a whole class search on the internet, with me modeling how to phrase our "problem" and how to look it up.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am a product of the Google era. I just recently learned about Googledocs. After reading about all of the search options out there, I need to restructure the way students in my room search for information! I have had kids who have actually put google.com for their source citation! Aghhhh! Obviously, they need a bit more direction than I have given. Now I have some great new tools to use. I want them to experience, first-hand, some of these other search engines and how much they can help organize information. I really like the guide to compare information using different search engines. We all know that when students find out information for themselves, it sticks with them much better. I also think modeling a different search engine with each new unit of study might be an effective way to introduce them to students. At least I am now aware of how outdated it is to just "search" the internet on Google. There are a lot of possibilities out there!
Chasing my tail as always... sorry ladies... I am lovign these resources because they expand my ability to control my searches on the internet. I am a big fan of surfing the web... but really... the ocean of information is so vast that I end up totally overwhelmed. I like the rubric to check and measure websites. I created one to try with my kids to see if they can identify the differences between... google and google scholar.. the presentation on search-cube vs. askkids. Gotta rush now... lunch over...
ReplyDeleteOk, this is the 3rd time I have tried to post
ReplyDeleteEvery lesson, I post the goal or focus on the screen. I introduce it to the class and we discuss as a group before the lesson begins so they can focus on it during the lesson.
Needham was right; I do use task identification every day for a variety of reasons. If your students are like mine, they want to interrupt class and come tell me that they forgot their folder, or pencil or their pencil is broken. A few years ago, rather than get into a conversation with them or solve their problem for them, I would ask them to state the problem and then think of some solutions. I ask them to think of the one that will disturb the class the least and then to solve their problem. Works every time.
I really like the tip about using vocabulary associated with Task id so that the students are aware of it. I had not thought about how task identification needs to be used with schema. I think that this information could not have come at a better time because we are starting task id very soon. I cannot wait to try some of the techniques on page 59 and 63. Neat ideas, like Simon Says to add to my toolbox.
Task definition is huge at my level.. they want to do it by themselves... although they do not know what IT is...rubrics help-- as do tables and charts... to limit the span of information they are searching for... if the goal is too broad the task either seems pointless or too vast for explaination.
ReplyDelete#2 Oh my, I never thought about exploring so many search engines. Boy was this chapter enlightening. Maybe I was the only one who did not know there were so many out there. I particularly like the way that Berger sorts them out by category. This will be very helpful. I think that the five facts students need to know about Search Engines on page 29 of Berger are good to know and to teach to students. Even at the elementary level where they think that the only search engine is Google, we need to let them know those 5 facts:
ReplyDelete• One search engine does not do it all.
• There are parts of the web that search engines cannot reach and you have to use something else to access.
• Much as we would like, search engines cannot read our minds(search terms become even more important)
• You need to get used to using more than on search engine in order to do a thorough search.
Page 28 of Berger has a great list of some popular search engines and their special features. I have copied that and put it in my plan book.
If we can help them accept these as truths and then give them a good background in choosing search engines to explore for their task, we will help them become experience problem solvers. I have a tendency to think that our little ones would not be able to process these concepts but it works with the right approach. Get them while they are young.
Now, I worry that my nephew and niece are not getting the kind of training for their futures our students will benefit from.
I have our task posted on the whiteboard, we will review what we talked about last time. In most cases it will carry over. Then we do our lesson and I have been using technology for almost every lesson. Then before we check out our books I preform a Destiny search for the kids based on what we did in class. Whether it is a horse search for 1-2 from My Chincoteague Pony, or an Atlas search for my 4th and 5th graders. They love it, because I model how quick a search should be plus the kids love to say help me find that book (point to the book on the screen). I work through all the problems aloud for them, and I have already noticed they are helping with the search by telling me to narrow and go to the next page all of those books are checked out.
ReplyDeleteWeek Three Discussion Questions: 1. Each day grade level learning goals are written and on display for students and then discussed with the class before instruction begins. Students know expectations as well for completed work. Recently, a student described goals and expectations to a fellow student that came into class late--that is always a good feeling of instructional accomplishments. We recently did a lesson in grades 3-5 matching book titles to Dewey Decimal numbers and categories--students selected keywords from the titles to make appropriate decisions--another useful strategy to help students to identify tasks. With the same lesson discussion for sources for this particular lesson included schema, or the students prior knowledge to help complete the task--an invaluable source always when completing assignments.
ReplyDelete2. Careful guidance is required when selecting appropriate search engines; practicing using a test topic, working together as a class first using the same topic, and selecting keywords, would be a useful as well as a safe strategy. The class would use several search engines together, then compare and contrast amount and relevant information available using the different search engines.
Linda W.
I reviewed the Author Study lesson plan for K-2 on page 152. I like the way Big 6 was used to explore the author, his works and location in the library. It just goes to show you that big 6 is a great problem solving model. The only issue I had with the lesson is the task identification portion. I felt like what was listed under task identification was really anticipatory set. I have found, in using the big6,that task identification must be very exact. I instruct my students, after beginning discussion, to verbalize what they want (or I want them) to learn. We then write this statement: "My task is to..." I think if there is more than one task, the students should write more than one task statement. In the use of information, the lesson plan indicates that another task was mentioned about writing ideas. If that is going to researched, it should be identified in the task questions. Also, when I reviewed the evaluation, I felt that the information asked for and gathered was unrealistic to the time frame and age group I work with.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I do early in the year as we are reviewing Big6 is to have the students write down their task in their own words. I use is as a quick check for comprehension. Then I ask them to underline the important words such as explain, write, ...etc. This helps focus their attention on the final product. I usually have them write 5 essential questions that they will need to answer about their topic in order to complete the task. This also establishes the types of resources they will need so we are ready to complete Steps 2 and 3.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to encourage students to explore outside their comfort level is to create a lesson where they have a certain topic and must use a variety of Search Engines to locate information regarding the topic. Just as we learned about the differences between search engines we need to expose our students to alternative resources in authentic learning situations.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1. Well this is my second time around...for some reason my posts didn't post...oh I do love technology, I just wish it like me. I'll try to remember what I was thinking back then. I am in the same boat as several others. I did not realize there were so many search engines and about all the different special features which add specific values for the student. I am as others said a product of the "Google" generation and will now need to get out of my comfort zone and find what will help my students the best. I do agree with Corliss about how important students know about Berger's five facts about search engine. I think I would like to have a poster about those. But I know it will take proof to get them to change. I like Diana's suggestion about underlining their task words. I have always done something similar with my students even back in second grade...I would have them put a box around the important information, even in math story problems. I can also see the importance of teaching the correct vocabulary to go along with the process. I like the idea of providing the students with a scaffold for support and then slowing allowing them to become more and more independent with the processes, until you can become the coach or guide to help them solve their own problems.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2. I think that the best way to make our point is as several of you have stated with developing a lesson or lessons which allow them to explore and compare several search engines at a time. I really like Nicole's lesson on website evaluation and bias because that must be the foundation we use to help them select the most effective information out there. I am going to try to post this again. I sure hope it sticks this time.