Sure, there’s a myriad of information at our students’ fingertips, but that doesn’t mean they can find it on their own. Just as we teach students to use text features and reading comprehension strategies when using print sources, we must also teach students how to use computer/online sources to locate and use information that meets their needs. Direct instruction and guided practice are the keys to helping our students become effective users of information.
“Let’s Search the Internet,” is an instructional activity that integrates information literacy skills with the MCPS 3rd grade science and writing curriculums. As part of the unit on plant growth and development, students learn about the interdependent relationship between flowering plants and bees. In fact, studying bees may be the students’ favorite part of this unit. Capitalizing on their interest, I developed a computer lab activity to introduce an important information literacy skill, using a key word search. Students are given step by step instructions on how to use an online encyclopedia to locate information about bees. The following day, students use the information they found, to write an informative paragraph about bees. Their work is then displayed on our “News About Bees” bulletin board.
This activity was a big hit with my students! Because of the guided support provided with each step of the process, every student was able to successfully locate information on their topic. Given a little extra help, even students with minimal computer experience were able to follow the directions and find the information they needed. It was a real treat to observe these particular students as they met with a sense of accomplishment they hadn’t thought possible. With the right activity and a little extra help as needed, my students proved that they are on the road to being effective users of information. And their bulletin board display met with rave reviews, too!
