The responses I received are below. I hope they help! I agree with a lot of the
points mentioned below (students need to learn/practice finding book in OPAC and
then on the shelf, students should orient themselves to library). Since I asked
for help I came up with another idea. I'm thinking of doing an intro to evaluating
sources. Maybe break the class into groups and each group could do a different
resource type...one would do a book, a reference book, an internet site, an online
database, etc. If the class is doing a project or research you could tie the
subject to that. We could discuss evaluation criteria beforehand and agree to a
list. I'm thinking readability, usability, organization, authorship, currency, etc
etc.The students would be responsible for reporting to the class where they found
the resource, basics of how it is used, and then if it's good or not based on their
evaluations. I'm thinking of maybe 2 internet site groups..one could be good and
one maybe not. Or include a few older NF/Ref books that are not current. We could
then develop a list and maybe post in the library. What do you guys think? The
other option is to require them to all evaluate each type of resource and then
discuss at the end. Either way would obviously take 2-3 visits. I would eventually
build on this (for example with evaluating web sites) in other lessons but I'm
thinking this may tie it all together for them in the beginning...differences
between sources and how we need to evaluate them all! I'm still working on it
(obviously!) so any input would be greatly appreciated. I really want to make their
library visits more meaningful to them and the teachers and involve more critical
thinking.
Leah Donley, Librarian
Malverne High School, Malverne, NY
lruderma@malverne.k12.ny.us
The responses:
I have discovered that kids (9th graders) seem to have a disconnect between
the database and finding the actual book. I give each student 3 index
cards, one card is a book title, the next is an author and the last is a
subject. They are to use the "card catalog" (database) to find the call
number of the book, (when there is more than one, pick one) once they have
the call number they are to go to the shelves and actually put their hands
on that book or if the book if not there, find where it should be. They
have a work sheet where they write the title, author, subject and call
number and where exactly they found the book. We put numbers up over each
section of books (temp ones just for this exercise)---so a book about frogs
might be found in Section 15, shelf 4 and it is the fourth book from the
right...or whatever it is. You will be amazed at how many of them have
never actually found a book for themselves
I did Freshmen Orientation 2 times last year. I'm still learning how
to keep them busy and achieve my lesson.(This is just my second year
here.) I too did an OPAC exercise and fill in the blank worksheet
after an overview lesson. I also have them do an exercise at each of
our online databases, maybe the databases won't be strange when they
research them. I had them print one page from the print icons from
EBSCO and Gale, mainly because they waste so much paper printing the
whole article and it gets cut off hopefully they learn to format the
article for printing which should save me paper. I hope to do a map
this year and minimize my talk!
I am not sure if this is what you are looking for, but we play a game with
our freshman high school English students. You could use that for part of
your instruction period.
It is called the "Shark Hunt" and the students do seem to enjoy playing this
game. The game covers not only the Internet and the databases but also the
entire library. (This could be altered to cover only what you want to
teach.) Some background on the game in order to play it.
You need at least four or five days to play for students to get the hang of
it. Each student receives a packet of questions which is labeled with a
letter of the alphabet and a picture of a type of shark. (Leapord, Tiger,
Great White, etc.) This first card is a non-question cover card. Each
student's packet has 10 questions in it. (The questions in the packet are
also labeled on the back with the letter of the alphabet on the cover
card.)
The questions are arranged in order of how they appear on the student
instruction sheet. For example, questions 1, 11, 21, 31 etc. would be
encyclopedia questions, 5, 15, 25, 35, etc. would be catalog questions, 10,
20, 30, are database questions . Only the Teachers, assistants and
Librarian know this trick and I have never had a student figure it out in
five years of doing this. This is done to help the teachers help the
students figure out where they should be looking.
The students are divided into groups with shark names. (Great White, Blue,
Sand, Hammerhead, Tiger, Leopard) They answer all the questions in their
individual packet, bring it up front for the teacher, librarian and/or
assistant to grade. Then they are given a new packet and they answer those
questions.
If you would like more information, I will send you pictures of what our
cards look like and more detailed information when we start school next
week.
If you are interested in receiving more information let me know. And if you
need more instruction let me know. This can be a hard game to figure out
initially, but the students do enjoy playing it and it gives them a great
overview of the library.
I'm starting my first year in a HS library. I want to do a real kick-butt
orientation but was floundering about how to approach it since I don't know the
school/kids/library. Being new is the pits! While I was reflecting on my woes, I
realized that my freshmen will be new also. Okay, its a small town, so they are
probably more familiar with the HS than I am.
From there I started thinking that THEY should be orienting me to the library. Then
I realized they could. We could do a KWL format. They can tell me what they know
about the library. What do they expect to find based on what they know about
libraries in general? What do they want to explore in the library? We'll troop off
to find what they identify. (do we need more/better signs?) Then we'll recap up
what we learn. I can use this as a needs assessment for my second lesson. Plus I
will be getting to know them by asking them what THEY think rather than telling
them what I think.
I realize this was not really what you are asking for, and I look forward to seeing
your hit!
<mailto:lruderma@malverne.k12.ny.us>
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