This activity will categorize basic sources for currency and usefulness.
1. Students will be divided into groups and will brainstorm a list of available resources from the K-12 primary databases where they will conduct research on a topic of interest to the group.
2. Groups will share their list and the instructor will compile them into one class list on a chart or blackboard. Students will formulate well-defined questions for their topic and then practice their searching skills using the databases provided.
3. The teacher may deliberately sort the resources into groups as students read them. Students will analyze the information gathered and the teacher will provide examples of what an opinion consists of versus a fact and provide Web site examples that demonstrate that not everything on the Internet is factual.
4. The teacher will question students about the resources in relation to their chosen topics For example -What source(s) might they use to find current information? -Which source(s) would provide historical or background information? -Where could they find a fact quickly? -Where would they find a map?
5. Students will organize the information by categories the teacher has sorted the resources into. Students will provide labels for each group such as current info, quick facts, historical, maps, pictures. Some may fit more than one category. Students will learn to bookmark specific pages and use graphic organizers to organize their information.
6. The teacher will continue with a discussion of evaluation criteria such as date of publication, relevance to topic, accuracy of information, ease of access. Students will evaluate database used by filling out the evlaution form. Students will also document where the information was found.
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