Nonfiction Lessons
The following series of lessons are intended to be used early in the year in order to establish good "reading for information" skills. The lessons cover the difference between Nonfiction and fiction, text features, key words for searching, and finally validating websites for research.
Lesson 1 - Text Features
This lesson is a good starting point. The screen cast outlines the difference between fiction and nonfiction, then the students work collaboratively on a scavenger hunt through nonfiction sources to find and validate text features. They must then analyze the features and determine how they help the reader access information. Finally they must leverage their reasoning to create short written explanations for each feature.
Learning Targets:
1. Students will demonstrate understanding of the different between fiction and nonfiction.
2. Students find and validate nonfiction text features in a Scavenger Hunt.
3. Student will analyze text features and leverage the information to create short statements that explain the function of each feature.
Learning Targets:
1. Students will demonstrate understanding of the different between fiction and nonfiction.
2. Students find and validate nonfiction text features in a Scavenger Hunt.
3. Student will analyze text features and leverage the information to create short statements that explain the function of each feature.
Editable lesson file below:
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Lesson 2 - Key Words.
This lesson gives students background information to clarify what the Internet is and how it works. Students will watch videos, work interactively, and complete a Search task (Doggy Data) in order to learn about key words and use them more effectively.
Learning Targets:
1)Students will experiment with different keyword searches and compare their results.
2) Students evaluate and improve their searches by using multiple words, synonyms, and alternative words and phrases.
3) Student will analyze search products and draw inferences to explain their search results.
Learning Targets:
1)Students will experiment with different keyword searches and compare their results.
2) Students evaluate and improve their searches by using multiple words, synonyms, and alternative words and phrases.
3) Student will analyze search products and draw inferences to explain their search results.
Editable lesson file below:
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Lesson 3 - How to Validate Websites
This lesson introduces students to the need for criteria to validate websites. Students will look at known hoaxes from the Internet and discuss the concept of "trust" when looking at sites. Next the students will be introduced to CRAAP as criteria for evaluating sites. They will evaluate assigned sites with the CRAAP criteria.
Learning Targets:
1) Students will analyze and evaluate assigned sites.
2) Students will collaborate in pairs to leverage information, completing a Validating Websites worksheet
3) Student will apply CRAAP criteria to all sites as they move forward to Internet research.
Learning Targets:
1) Students will analyze and evaluate assigned sites.
2) Students will collaborate in pairs to leverage information, completing a Validating Websites worksheet
3) Student will apply CRAAP criteria to all sites as they move forward to Internet research.
Editable lesson file below:
* For validating sites |
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