Brief Description

Prior to this lesson, students will have been learning about animals.  They have also chosen an animal to write a research paper about and have been given the research criteria.  This lesson will focus on using the Internet as a resource for accessing information and evaluating whether or not the information found is useful and reliable.  This lesson will take approximately 3 forty-five minute sessions.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 5T-F1. Recognize electronic information sources

• R-F4. Identify facts and the main idea, sequence events, define and differentiate characters, and determine an author’s purpose in a range of traditional and contemporary literature.
• VP-F3. Access, view and respond to visual forms such as computer programs, videos, artifacts, drawings, pictures and collages.

Academic

Given a web address, the student will identify relevant facts pertaining to the animal to be researched, listing at least 3 facts to be used in the research paper.

Technological

Given a topic, the student will locate and evaluate a website for appropriateness to the topic and rate it as a resource in at least 2 out of 3 categories.

Pre-Requisite Technology Skills

• Be able to use a mouse.
• Be able to get on the Internet.
• Be comfortable maneuvering around on the Internet.
• Be able to do a topic search on the Internet.

• Teacher Rubric
• Student Rubric
• Recording sheet

SEI (Sheltered English Immersion) and learning disabilities:  These students will be paired with a student buddy who is a strong reader and comfortable with peer tutoring.  The student buddy will be researching the same animal.  There will be picture clues included on the rubric in order to help students identify where they should rate the website.

ADHD/ADD:  For these students, the task will be broken down into smaller pieces.  They will evaluate the website one category at a time, re-reading each time.

Gifted Students:  These students will rate the website in all areas.  They will also be able to use higher-leveled websites, as they will have a better understanding.  If they have extra time, they may evaluate another website or assist another group.

Procedures

Day 1
In the regular classroom, the teacher and students will create a rubric to use in the lab.

• The students will break into groups to list the criteria they feel would make a useful and reliable website for their research project.  Allow approximately 5-7 minutes for this.
• Come together as a class and allow each group to share their criteria.  Highlight those items that are found on 3 or more group’s list.  If students have not brought up important criteria, guide them to it.  Items may include: ability to read and understand website, reliability of website, useful information pertaining to their research, and website is pleasing to the eye.
• Once the criteria is decided upon, the rating scale for the categories must be determined.  For example, 4, 3, 2, and 1 scale or excellent, good, satisfactory, and needs improvement.  Then each level must have descriptors decided upon.  Be sure these are student directed so they are able to understand and use the rubric later in the lab.
• After the criteria are determined, the teacher will create a student friendly rubric.  Create a questionnaire on which the students will explain their ratings.  It should include all of the same areas as the rubric.

• Locate the site for rating.
• Display the rubric and review it with your students, making sure to answer all questions and to explain all sections.
• As a group, discuss each section as it relates to the site.  Model how to rate each category and explain the reasoning for giving such a score.

• Pass out the rubric and review it with your students.
• Have the students get into pairs, making sure to work with someone who is researching the same animal.
• Have the students go to www.yahooligans.com/content/animals and type in the animal they are researching in the green search box.  You can also get this site by going to www.yahooligans.com and clicking on the animals category.  Students may also click on the animal group of their animal and look for it that way.
• Have students take approximately 5 minutes or so to determine the page they will evaluate.
• With their partners, have students peruse the site they have selected.  Using the rubric, they are to circle, underline, or highlight the descriptors that match their ratings.  They will then fill out the recording sheet where they will defend their ratings.  After they are finished rating the website, the students will locate three facts that may be used on their research report and write them on the recording sheet.  Once they have finished evaluating, have each pair print the page of the site they rated.  Attach this to their rubric and recording sheet.  To print, click on File at the top, then scroll down to Print.  Choose All, so that you will be able to review everything that they saw.
• Have each pair meet form a small group with another pair.  Have each small group present their information and discuss their ratings with the students in their group.

Review the questionnaire, student rubric, and the printed-out web page that each pair has completed.  Using the teacher rubric, look to see that they have completed the assignment.
 

Teacher Name: Monica Kroll
Site: Wilson K-8
Date Submitted: January 22, 2003