From the sparse replies, I gather I should scale back my teaching on index use and
not expect so much until mid-third grade. Here's the collective wisdom:
>>>>>I introduce the index when I am teaching about NF books. Usually I read a
>book such as The Day Jimmy's Boa ate the Wash to 1st grade and The Grizzly
>Sisters to second grade. The second week I ask them how much they learned about
>Boas (or Bears) from the previous book. Then I ask them ? about the
>creature--where live, food, how big, etc. It becomes apparent that we did not
>learn much from the fiction books. I introduce several NF books on the animal.
>This is where I show the features of the NF book. Table of contents, index,
>glossary. Through this I show how each can be used and how NF books don't have
>to be read from cover to cover if you use the TOOLS. (Sometimes they think it
>funny that I say there are tools in the books-- no hammer?, saw? ) I explain
>how tools help a worker and that tools in the books help them to use the book
>properly.
So, I do mention index and use it as we look for answers to questions about the
animals we are looking for info about. I especially point out that though all the
books we are using are short, when they get older the books will be much longer and
using index and TOC will be necessary to efficiently find information. (It is
like looking for a book in the library without using the OPAC---it would take
forever to just browse through the shelves hoping to find the correct book with the
correct information.)
I do not do worksheets or go over it to any great extent. I do remind them often
of ways they can find answers in books---by using the tools. --------------Judy
>>>>>>>>>I introduce the index and the table of contents to my second-graders about
>two-thirds of the way through the year, just before we begin their big
>second-grade research unit. Some of them remain clueless but at least a few of
>them can find habitat, etc. when they need to. -------------Becky
>>>>>>>>>I am, right now, in the middle of my index lesson. I do it at the end of
>third grade because I figure that, by that time, all kids will be able to read for
>content. Just my opinion. I do know that this year I have included the 2/3 class
>in the lessons, and the second graders are having more trouble, so I think, at
>least at my school, end of third grade is about right.
The first lesson I do is actually a table of contents worksheet. I explain what a
table of contents is, and isn't. The work sheet asks for what chapters would have
info about permanent teeth, getting along with siblings, etc. I encourage the kids
to think of all the chapter titles that seem like they MIGHT have info. For
instance, the teeth one, chapters are labeled How we grow, Staying Safe, Five
Senses, Healthy Foods, etc. Staying Safe-we have to keep our teeth safe, healthy
foods need good food to keep teeth, etc. I try to get them to "think outside the
box" about where stuff is "hidden." It's something we librarians do all the time
to find stuff for patrons. When I am teaching any skills unit I always tell the
kids that they need to learn the skill so they can go play outside. For index,
they have to write a report they don't want to, so they need to be able to find the
info as quick as they can.
After the table of contents lesson, I start the index lessons. The first week I
spend the whole time on what an index looks like, and how to use what they find
there. I have a worksheet that asks what pages have info on certain topics listed
in the index at the top of the page. I work a lot on the difference between what
31, 34, 37 means as opposed to 31-37, as far as page numbers.
I do a week where I've actually copied an index out of a book that has some
indentations of pages and work with how to read that.
Then I use the Rookie Read About Science series to actually work with real indexes.
I pull the ones that only have one line per entry for this exercise. I have the
kids go to the index of their book and find a topic, then go to the pages listed
and find the info.
The final thing I do is to give the kids a worksheet with actual questions from the
RRS books that kids did several years ago that ask question the kids have to use
the index to find the answers.
I think the hardest thing is to get the kids to transfer the knowledge of how to
find the page into what that means when they get to the page. Unfortunately, the
index unit is my worst unit. I always wait until the end of the year, and then it
seems like I'm always running out of time. I keep tweaking it, but I'm not done.
----------Janet
and some more thoughts from me
.......A few years ago someone on the listserv responded to someone's Q:"what to
teach 5th graders" with A: "research all year long. practice looking things up"
I've pretty much adopted that as my 5th grade curric. Lots and lots and lots of
situations where we go looking for info and cite our sources. Perhaps I need to do
index, index, index "all year long" with 3rd grade.........
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Marcia Dressel, K-5 Librarian @ the
Elementary and Intermediate Schools
Osceola, WI
dressel@osceola.k12.wi.us <mailto:dressel@osceola.k12.wi.us>
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