Finding+and+Evaluating+Resources-2nd

=Finding and Evaluating Resources-2nd grade= To view or use MIMIO LESSONS click the link below to download the software for free. [] (windows) [] (MAC) [] (LINUX)

Student demographics:
The 3 second grade classes have 81 students total. This was the first grade level at our school to participate in full day kindergarten and has less students below grade level than any other. Students in second grade are like the kindergarten students in that most live below the poverty level. There is one inclusion classroom and one high ability cluster class. The majority of the second graders are very mature, have good technology skills, and are reading above level. Some even have their own social networking pages. With this grade level, there will be less guidance in the unit as a whole. But lots of support for the mini-lessons so that students can build information fluency while working on their projects.

Objectives
Students will identify and classify resources as primary or secondary. Students will evaluate resources on the basis of credibility,appropriatness in answering the question.

Materials
different types of resources (newspapers, interview transcripts, books, magazines, websites, visual images-photographs, drawings, maps,etc.) Make sure to have easy to identify primary, secondary, and and tougher ones chart paper markers media cart (optional) graphic organizer

Time
2, 2 day mini-lessons lasting 10 minutes for direct instruction 10-20 minutes of guided/independent practice

Movtivation
Same as in Kindergarten lesson

Introduction (Primary and Secondary Resources)
Begin by having students whole group of students gather around either, Mimio or chart paper. Ask them if they remeber the kinds of things we go to to look for information. (i.e. books, people, internet, etc) Now tell them that resources can be broken down into different kinds, PRIMARY and SECONDARY. Define primary resources and show examples, discussing why it fits in that category. Define Secondary, show examples, and discuss. Discuss what kinds of primary and secondary resource help us find out about how different peoples and cultures celebrate. (ex.- cards with descriptions, interviews with people from different backgrounds, photographs of celebrations, memoirs, newspaper/magazine articles, books, websites, videos, diaries)

Gudied Practice
Break students into 5 groups of 5, with some having 6. Give each groups post-it notes and stack of 5 or 6 different resources. Have them discuss and write the name of the resource on one post-it with either an **P** or **S.** When groups have finished have them come up and place post-its on a T chart (mimio or chart paper) labeled with Primary and Secondary. As they place their post-its, have each student give a brief reasoning of why they classified the resource as they did. After the T chart has been completed remind students of the kinds of primary and secondary resources that will help them find information for their holiday/country. Observe groups and discussions of resources, take note of struggling students to conference with later.

Independent Practice
Have students continue with the searching phase of their inquiry, trying to find primary and secondary resources. Have them fill out a table by writing the name of the resource, checking the Primary, Secondary, or I'm Not Sure box. When finished have students turn in pages to you so you can check if anyone has checked the "I'm Not Sure" box. Meet with those students later. OR Use a mimio or smart board lesson MIMIO LESSON Have students chose a primary and secondary sources and put into a VENN Diagram to compare/contrast the information found in each. Then answer the question, What does the primary source tell me that the secondary could not? (feelings of people, specific traditions, etc.)

Introduction (Evaluating Resources)
Have students gather around mimio or chart paper. Ask students if they remember the different kinds of resources. Discuss. Ask students if they think all of the information in books is correct. Repeat the question with newspapers/magazines, internet, people you talk to. (Hopefully, all of the answers to these questions will be no.) Tell students that when we find a resource it is part of our job to figure out if the information presented is accurate, credible, and helpful in answering our question. (May need small vocab lesson for these words depending on the class. H.A. may not need it) Ask students if they know how to tell if a resource is all of those things. If no response, begin showing examples of resources and pointing out things like: author, date, the end of url address, purpose, and audience. Create a chart titled: Is It Good? Look for- (make list)

Guided Practice:
Take students into computer lab have them go to Read, Write, Think. [] Walk students through the first site and complete form together. Then, have students complete the activities, either in a group or individually. Debrief how they decided what sites were useful and why and how they answered the questions.

Independent Practice
Have students use the same form when finding and selecting resources for their individual inquiry projects.(even books) [] The only change I make to it is that I have them print out the forms, and highlight the end of the url address, so they can tell what kind of website it is. Have students turn in at least 3 of these evaluation sheets until you can see they have a handle on evaluation. Have students use the sheets they create to select resources, primary and secondary to use in their final product.

Informal Assessment
Use the forms in Read,Write,Think as a way to check understandings.

Culminating Product
Have students use the sources found to be good to create greeting cards for their holiday and/or country. Have them write it from the perspective of a native person writing to a freind/family member that missed the celebration. OR as a visitor sending a card to someone back home describing the celebration. Have students include two important aspects of the holiday/celebration, one interesting fact, and similarities/differences in celebrations. (if writing as visitor) Graphics are a must. Use as part of Family Night displays/presentations. Use rubric to allow kids to self-assess before turning it over to media specialist/teacher for assessment.