[LM_NET] Hit: 5th grade index lesson

[Susan Hanlon <hanlons@NWLEHIGHSD.ORG>]

Original Post:
For the first time, I'm teaching a lesson to 5th grade on using an index.  Any 
ideas to make it somewhat interesting?  I was thinking of using our set of 
Eyewitness books so that everyone was looking at the same general set up.  Maybe a 
scavenger hunt?  Can you help?  Thanks!
*****
I've gotten so many good ideas!  Just when I was ready to post a HIT, another idea 
would come in!  I think this is it now.  I've taken a few ideas from several 
different people to create something fit for my students!  Thanks everyone!!
 
Responses:
I read the book Wild Wombat by >>>> can't remember now, but the animals in the zoo 
all visualize this horrible animal that is coming... the WOMBAT, and when he 
arrives they are all surprised by how peaceful he is.  Then I give them a list of 
animals that they've probably never heard of and they pick one and have to draw 
what they think it looks like, the following week we look up what the animal really 
looks like in our animal encyclopedia, using the index of course. They then have to 
draw what it really DOES look like and give some facts about it. They put the two 
drawings together, with the first one on top, in a display on the way. lots of fun 
to lift up and see what the animal really looks like. I us the Amazing Animals of 
the World by Grolier, OLD set of books. I can send you the list of animals if you 
want. 
********
Do you have a series of nonfiction books - besides Eyewitness - maybe
all animals or something?  I use a set by Heinemann Library and what's
great is that they are all the same set up.  For my lesson for younger
students I give them a worksheet that asks them to id on what page the
table of contents are, glossary and index and then to write down three
subjects found in the index and the pages you'd find them on.  For
4th/5th graders I give them an almanac and see who can turn to the page
about the population of Turkey first.  They have to use the index and
figure out what page to turn to find the answer.  The winner gets a
tattoo or a pencil top eraser.
***********
Do you have time to tell/ask them to bring in their phonebooks from home before you 
teach the lesson, or could you round up enough phone books from around the school?  
If not, do you have time to scan some pages from the phone book and put them on 
your website or on your network?  

As far as I'm concerned, the best tool ever for teaching indexing is the phone 
book.  Not only can you look up individual items in the white pages -- and even 
some clustered items, but you can use the yellow pages to look up groups of things, 
cross references, see also's, as well as individual items, plus ... the yellow 
pages are the hands-down winner of the Look for Things by Any but Their Obvious 
Name Award.  

Try Taxidermist, Pest Control, Bubble Gum, Candy, Groceries, Sneakers, Cars (see 
Automobiles, Automobile Sales, Automobile Repairs, Automobile Dealers . . . ) 

The kids always had such fun with this, especially when we got to the point that 
they were the ones coming up with the "look for a place to . . . " or "look for 
someone who . . . " or "find a place to buy . . . " directions.  Plus, I always 
thought the lesson was extra good when their classroom teachers gave me things to 
look up that worked in with things they were studying in class, as in "see if 
anyone with the same name as the inventor of penicillin lives in this area," "does 
anyone whose last name is one of the tertiary colors live in this area," or "name 
three places you might buy NaCl in this area."  

I really hope you have time to get a phone book/kid, but it will work even if you 
have to use a series of scanned pages.  Good luck with your lesson! 

************

When I do any instruction on indexes, I usually use an almanac. 

Each student has a World Almanac for kids.  I then ask a question
and the students have to find the answer.  I tell the kids it is a race.  I say 
--"Who has the fastest index finger?"  I then make them exercise their index finger 
and explain why it is called the index finger.  They love the race.  
***********
I teach indexes using the World Almanac.  We end the unit playing a game.
Students are in teams and have to answer questions using the index.
**********
Do you have a SmartBoard? When I taught my index lesson to 3rd grade this year, I 
created a SmartBoard lesson that you could adjust to use for 5th graders. Each 
group (3-4 students) had an animal book with an index (I like the National 
Geographic "Face to Face with..." series). The SmartBoard file had an icon 
representing each animal on the right-hand side and then a couple empty columns 
with headings. There was a question at the top of each page. The question would say 
something like, "Where does your animal live?" and the columns would say, "In  
water" and "On land." The students would have to answer the question using the 
index and send one representative up to the SmartBoard. The representative from the 
group would drag the icon of that group's animal to the appropriate column. So the 
dolphin group would drag the picture of the dolphin into the "in water" column. I'm 
happy to send you the SmartBoard file if you'd like to see. 
*************
Each student gets an atlas, a plastic plate (one that you can write on and wipe 
off), a dry-erase marker and a paper towel (if you have a lot of students they can 
pair up)

I make a list of places (from the index) and their page #.  I write one place (at a 
time) on the dry-erase board.  The students (or pair) look the place up in the 
index, write the page number down, and hold up their plate.  The student (pair) 
that holds it up (correctly) first, gets a point.  Play to ten points (or fifteen, 
whatever).  

It goes over very well - I even did it as a demo lesson once and got the job :)

The only thing to worry about is the kids turning the page super fast, they may rip 
the pages, so I tell them to still turn the pages carefully.
************
What I used to do back when I had 5th grade (I'm Prek to 4 now) is divide the class 
into teams of 4 and give each team 4 questions to look up.  Each time they 
correctly answered a question (answer and page number), they got a puzzle piece.  
When they had all four pieces they put them together for their first clue.  I 
usually had two more clues to lead them to their prize.  It was a very popular 
activity.  I had clues like "Look to the library rodent" (computer mouse), "it's 
beneath you!" (under their chair) or "Look behind Ms Rudakewich" (That was the best 
one because they kept looking behind me.  The clue was hidden behind the sign with 
my name on it on my desk).
**********
I use World Almanac for Kids.  I order a classroom set of paperbacks and use
them for years.  The company used to make worksheets for kids but I think
that is gone now. But the almanacs are still published.  You can make your
own worksheets.  To start with, I make a transparency of an almanac page
(any good index will do, but WAK is really good for this) and put it on the
overhead.  We discuss the arrangement of headings, subtopics.  I ask them
questions like "How many subtopics does the subject of Florida have?", "On
what pages do we find information on football" and a student comes up and
points with the pointer.  I make sure to cover the meaning of a dash vs. a
comma in an entry, multiple pages, see also's.  They seem to enjoy this
lesson.  Then they get the worksheets, where I walk them through examples on
an individual basis as needed.  I teach use of headings, skimming for facts,
etc.  They are pretty good at it after several weeks. It is difficult for
some but they can partner and most enjoy the hunt. They really enjoy the
almanacs.
*************
 
Susan Hanlon
K-5 Librarian
Northwestern Elementary School
6493 Route 309
New Tripoli, PA  18066
hanlons@nwlehighsd.org
http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/nwelibrary/
 
<http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/SHanlon/>  
"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world.  Love of books is the 
best of all." ~ Jacqueline Kennedy
 
 

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