Curated OER
Reference Resources: Being a Good Detective
Learners explore a variety of reference resources while seeking information. atlases, almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, and online search engines as well as library card catalogs are utilized in this instructional activity.
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Reference Materials
Students discuss reasons to use reference materials, identify correct reference material to use for specific information, find answers to specific questions by locating information in encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, almanac, glossary,...
Curated OER
Being a Good Detective
Students examine a variety of reference resources when seeking information. They discuss atlases, almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, online search engines for the Internet, and online library card catalogs. They complete a...
Curated OER
Where in the World is Mr. Fultz?
Students use maps and other geographic resources to learn about their world while problem solving. They read clues each day and use classroom resources to narrow down where the prize is located.
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Reference Materials
After a class discussion where kids share how they find answers to their questions, learners explore the world of reference materials such as, an atlas, an almanac, and an encyclopedia. The Internet is also discussed as a way to access...
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What's Your Reference
For this reference material worksheet, students choose the correct reference for each question given. Students discover the differences in the materials found in the dictionary, the almanac, the atlas, the newspaper, and the thesaurus.
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Cite Your Sites
What information would you find in an almanac that you would not find in an atlas? What is the difference between a dictionary and a thesaurus? Using a Cite Your Sites worksheet on which they record their observations, groups participate...
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Where to Look for the USA?
Fifth graders, in groups, explore the the type of reference sources are needed to answer a question. Each group identifies where the material was located, and the teacher records the guess.
Library Sparks
Reference Tools Vocabulary Challenge
Students love the opportunity of going to the library to jump into that one comfy chair in the whole room with a book, or be a lucky one to get to the computers before anyone else. But knowing how to locate books and other reference...
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Glossary, Index, and Table of Contents
Fourth graders use two separate sources to learn about index, glossary, and table of contents usage. In this library lesson plan, 4th graders use two books, Learning About Weather with Graphic Organizers, and The World Almanac for Kids,...
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Counties of Michigan
Fourth graders complete an atlas worksheet to become familiar with the types of information found in an atlas.
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New York City Delights: The Taxi Cab
You set the rate! Step into the shoes of a taxi driver in New York City, and also pretend to be a person who uses taxis to get around town. The class will conduct collaborative research to learn about the history of taxis. Then, they...
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Word Reference Materials
A class discussion on reference materials opens up a lesson on how to use these important resources. They discover that dictionaries, glossaries, and thesauruses are called word reference resources, and they practice using them. The...
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Design Explorations: Frieze Patterns
Students will explore frieze patterns. A frieze pattern is a mathematical concept to classify designs on two-dimensional surfaces, which are repetitive in one direction, based on the symmetries in the pattern. They will explore examples...
Ball State University
Dear Pen Pal
Keep your class in conversation with others across the country or across the sea by writing letters to pen pals. The activity calls for students to be pan pals with pupils in Africa; however, the listed steps could be used for any...
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Pen Pals
Fifth graders become pen pals from other countries and research their countries for information that help with their writing. This information is then sent to another student who is also portraying someone from another country.
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Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in the U.S.A.?
Students research the states, gathering information and creating questions and answers. They play a form of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? using the student-generated questions and answers.
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Collars, Curtains and Kings: Exploring the History of Lace
Students design to explore the world of objects as related to lace. Students will create a lace mural highlighting what they learn about the world of lace. Students brainstorm ideas via the internet websites.
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We Are One World
Learners access prior knowledge to choose a country and research the living conditions in that country. In this living conditions lesson, students recognize the differences and similarities of conditions of another country to ours....
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Research project
Eighth graders explore reference materials and then complete a research project. In this research project lesson, 8th graders choose the best reference source to use. Students learn to correctly site sources for their project. Students...
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Locating Information Quickly in a Variety of Resources
Here is a lesson which may be best suited for a library science teacher, or one that can be done by a regular teacher when in the library. In it, learners explore the best ways to use print and electronic resources to find information...
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European Elevation Sort
Given a prepared database of European countries, sixth graders sort the countries in ascending order by elevation and identify the five countries with the highest elevations. This cross-curricular lesson combines elements of computer...
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Organizing Info into Short Reports
The class brainstorms a list of prominent people from their knowledge of social studies. Groups of two pupils get together and select one of these people to research. They create five questions to research on their person and record them...
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Yours, Mine, and Ours
Young scholars explore the five themes of geography while they conduct Internet research to compare and contrast their city, region, or country with the city and region of Nagano, Japan.