The second step of my unit is to research the topic and gather information. A full week should be spent on this step.
The teacher should provide several activities that deal with using a card catalog. For example:
Each student chooses a special topic of interest. They check the card catalog to see how many books are available in the school library on the chosen topic and lists them alphabetically.
Or, in the Teacher’s Guide to your basal reader, there will probably be lists of book titles for further reading. Have some students take the list to the library. They are to check the card catalog to see which of the titles are available. They can check out one of the books for the class.
Or, when a student enjoys a book by a particular author, suggest that the student check the Author Index in the card catalog to see what other books may be available by that author.
The teacher can provide these and more practice activities to make the students familiar with using the card catalog. The teacher should also remind the children that reference books are a good source of finding information, and those should also be checked. The teacher shouldn’t find it necessary to review all the reference materials since a unit on reference materials should be taught previous to this unit.
When students have had enough practice on this, go back to Ted and his project on Brazil and do the following sample lesson:
Ted found these catalog cards under the subject heading “Brazil”. Which books have information for his report?
(figure available in print form)
Answer these questions using the catalog cards Ted found.
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1. Which book was written most recently?
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2. Which book is a fiction about Brazil?
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3. Which book has maps of Brazil?
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4. Which book title names the continent in which Brazil is located?
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5. Which book title names a river in Brazil?
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6. Will Ted find information about living in Brazil in 1977 in any of these books? Why or why not?
Once you have completed these activities, provide the students with enough library time to research their paper.
At this step the teacher should also inform the students that it would be a good idea to write away for information for their report. The librarian should provide the student with a directory that lists the names and addresses of places that will send the students information on almost any subject.
If necessary one class period should be spent going over the correct form of a business letter and actually writing a business letter to get information on a topic. Students love to receive things in the mail, and this would certainly make their project more motivating.
Where possible students should be encouraged to try and set up personal interviews with someone who knows a lot about the topic or a good way to get information for their report. If the teacher would like the class to do this than prepare the class for it. The teacher together with the class should set up a list of five to ten good rules to follow to have a good personal interview. For example: make an appointment to see the person, always be on time for an appointment, prepare questions in advance, dress appropriately, and thank the person for his or her time and information.