Grade Levels:  5 – 6

Subjects:  Language Arts, Computer Technology, and Social Studies

Learner Outcomes:
· The student will learn that almanacs are good places to look for lists and statistics.
· The student will learn that atlases contain maps of the United States and the world.
· The student will learn that biographical dictionaries contain information about famous people.
· The student will learn that dictionaries contain the meanings of words and a guide to their pronunciation.
· The student will learn that encyclopedias contain information about people, places, and events.
· The student will learn that the Guinness Book of World Records is used for information about world records and superlatives.

Duration of Lesson:  two 45 minute periods

Materials:  almanacs, atlases, biographical dictionaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and Guinness Book of World Records, reference handout, hard copy Test 1 and Test 2.

Technology Tools/Courseware:  Computer, Internet access, printer

Teacher Notes:
· Several copies of the above mentioned reference books should be available.
· The teacher will need to demonstrate how to locate reference materials on the Internet.

Procedures:
1. The teacher will give a handout summarizing the type of information found in the various reference books mentioned and discuss how to locate information.
2. Students will be placed in groups of 3 or 4.  Each student will be expected to complete Preference Test I and Preference Test II (which the teacher will provide copies of).
3. Students will be instructed to find the answers to the questions as well as tell where to find the answers.
4. At the end of the second class period, the teacher will lead a class discussion on the results of the class findings.
5. The teacher will collect the worksheets and grade.
 

Modifications:
· Peer tutoring
· Shortened assignments where needed (may do only either Test I or Test II)
· May only tell where to locate information and not answer questions

Enrichment Activities:
· Teacher may read aloud a story from The Mysteries of Research and ask students to solve the dilemmas through research techniques.
· Students may generate research questions and other students find the answers.

Evaluation/Assessment:
The teacher will collect and grade on a percentage basis the research worksheets.

West Virginia Standards:

Language Arts: 5.16, 5.17, 5.22 6.14, 6.20, 6.23, 6.35

Social Studies: 5.23, 5.32, 6.26

Computer Technology: 5.57, 5.58, 6.59, 6.60

National Standards

Language Arts:
Standard 1.  Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process.

Social Studies (Geography):
Standard 1: Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment.
Standard 4: Understands the physical and human characteristics of place.
Standard 6: Understands that culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.

Computer Technology:
Standard 1.  Knows the characteristics and uses of the computer hardware and operating system.

References:
Cohen, Sharron. The Mysteries of Research.  Fort Atkinson, WI: Alleyside Press, 1996.
Unit Resource Page