Online Public Access
Catalog
Suggested
Activities
Added
Resources
*** Use this document with the suggested Skill
and Level Matrix to assist in planning activities for
students. |
|
Grade
1 |
Grade
2 |
Grade
3 |
Grade
4 |
Grade
5 |
Grade
6 |
Grade
7 |
Grade
8 |
|
|
Grade 1
choose
a grade |
| A |
Grade
1 - Activities - OPAC Purpose |
| (Skill # 1, 2 -
Introduce) |
| *
Introduction includes telling individuals while assisting them to
find books about the purposes and showing them information on the screen
by pointing to it. They can
learn to call this tool, the OPAC,
and know that readers can use it to find out where books are on the
shelf. |
| B |
Grade 1 - Activities - Locate Book on
Shelf |
| (Skill # 2, 3, 4 - Introduce) |
| * Students learn the meaning of
author, title and subject through read-aloud time with the LMS. These
three terms should be included in all story-time session. |
| * Read-alouds, physical displays for
check-out arranged by subject increase awareness of term "subject" |
| * Author studies increase awareness
of term "author" |
| D |
Grade 1 - Activities - Special Features |
| (Skill # 1 - Introduce) |
| * Events such as author birthdays or
important dates in book making can be entered by the LMS. The LMS can introduce the "Events"
feature by sharing the information. |
| E |
Grade 1 - Activities - Information about a
Book |
| (Skill # 1 - Introduce) |
| * As LMS assists
students with using OPAC, students are taught to look for "in" or "out" as
information on availability. |
|
|
|
Grade 2
choose
a grade |
| A |
Grade
2 - Activities - OPAC Purpose |
| (Skill # 1, 2 - Introduce) |
|
| *
See grade 1, A. |
|
B |
Grade 2 - Activities - Locate Book
on Shelf |
| (Skill # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - Introduce) |
|
| * See grade 1, B
for suggestions Continue reinforcing the meanings of Subject, Title, and
Author. Suggested group
activity: over several weeks time where students have the benefit of a
Computer presentation tool.
Each week, 2 students will search by Subject, Title, Author of
their choice for class to see.
LMS might structure these lessons around of the alphabet. Upon finding the book, students
tell the call number (maybe even point to shelf location with a laser
pointer). They can be taught
to put in only the first 4 letters of the search term. At the end of student display, LMS
can ask a child to search for the LMS's choice. LMS can then go to shelf and pull
book and read it to the class. |
| * Introduce new concept of
keyword. Read a book aloud
and ask them to come to consensus on the subject or tell them the subject
but allow them to name important words (keywords). Record keywords for all to
see. Show that keywords all
relate to the subject. |
| * Introduce new concept of
series. In fiction books use
read-alouds to show that main characters are the same. Use read-aloud times to comment on setting and story
action (plot) "Arthur" "Boxcar Children". In non fiction books, use
read-alouds to show similar format of the books "New True". |
| * While still in
the introductory phase of this skill, students connect that they are able
to locate a book on the shelf if they can identify a keyword or series as
well as subject, title, author.
They should be able to identify the icon in the OPAC which will
enable the search. They
should also be able to tell the difference in a title, subject or keyword,
author, and series.
Activities which strengthen this skill should be designed by the
LMS. |
|
D |
Grade 2 - Activities - Special
Features |
| (Skill # 1 - Develop) |
|
| * See grade1,
D. |
|
E |
Grade 2 - Activities - Information
about a Book |
| (Skill # 1 - Develop) (Skill # 2, 3, 5, 6
Introduce) |
| * See
grade 1, E to continue introducing/developing skill 1. |
| * Students are able
to find the author, illustrator, summary note, and publisher/copyright
date. Students need to have
clear understanding of what a publisher does and what a copyright date
means. LMS might prepare an
activity that helps students understand this. It should be noted that students
can find this information in the book as well as the OPAC. It should be made meaningful to
the students as to why this information is given about a book. |
| * Students could work in groups or
individually to write or orally answer questions given by LMS after
showing an OPAC book record.
Questions are designed to name the author, illustrator, summary,
publisher, and publication/copyright date. A computer projection device is
helpful as a teaching tool. |
|
|
|
Grade 3
choose
a grade
|
|
A |
Grade 3 - Activities - OPAC
Purpose |
| (Skill # 1, 2 - Develop) |
| * See grade 1, A. Continue to develop these skills
associated with the purpose(s) of the OPAC as students search for books or
information by finding "teachable moments". |
|
B |
Grade 3 - Activities - Locate Book
on Shelf |
| (Skill # 1,2,3,4,5 -
Develop) |
|
| *Suggested activity:
Divide students into groups during scheduled library time. Give each group a keyword,
subject, title, author, and/or series. Group of individual is to find the
book location in the OPAC and record it AND perhaps go to the shelf and
get the book while the next person or pair locates call number in the
OPAC. Possibly, as further
reinforcement, ask groups to rotate and check another groups work. Sometimes a student might learn
just as much being the writer who stays at the computer while another
searches. |
|
C |
Grade 3 - Activities - Boolean
Searching |
| (Skill # 1,2,3 - Introduce) |
| * At the introductory level,
students need only to understand that they may use two keywords at a time
to do a more powerful search.
They could learn the team "Boolean searching" and the terms "and",
"or", "but not". LMS could
introduce this by asking groups to respond with a sign if they are wearing
"black shoes", "black shoes and all white sock" "black shoes but not
shoelaces" Allow them to look
around the room at the number of responses for each. Guide them to understand that
adding the Boolean operator narrows the number of responses. Activities like this could be done
after the students were lined up to leave. |
|
D |
Grade 3 - Activities - Special
Features |
| (Skill # 1 - Master) (Skill # 2,3,4 -
Introduce) |
| * see grade 1, A
for mastery of skill 1 |
| * Introduce the Bookbag by modeling
putting in 3 books. Allow a
student to do guided modeling.
Assess comprehension of this concept by allowing groups, pairs, or
individuals to pull a subject or author name from a "hat", put 3 books
into the bookbag and have another student or pair check that they
successfully accomplished the task. |
|
E |
Grade 3 - Activities - Information
about a Book |
| (Skill # 1 - Master) (Skill # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - Develop)
(Skill # 4,8,9,10,11,12 - Introduce) |
| * By 3rd grade,
identifying the availability of any book should be mastered |
| * See grade 2,
E. |
| * Introduced are the added entries
for subject and series, descriptive notes about the book including paging
and illustrations, and added notes such as Accelerated Reader. Whenever possible, assist
individuals using the OPAC to make selection based on OPAC
information. Model using the
hyperlink of the subject and author entries to increase selection
choices. |
|
|
|
Grade 4
choose
a grade |
|
A |
Grade 4 - Activities - OPAC
Purpose |
| (Skill # 1 - Master) (Skill # 2 -
Develop) |
| * Continue to
provide opportunities for students to use OPAC. |
|
B |
Grade 4 - Activities - Locate Book
on Shelf |
| (Skill # 1, 5 - Develop) (Skill # 2, 3, 4, 5 -
Master) |
| * By 4th grade,
students master selecting the correct search icon of subject, author,
title, keyword and successfully find a book on the shelf. Students are still developing
skills in finding a book by keyword and series. A practice activity might be to
group children in 4-5 groups.
Rotate groups and individuals by asking a question that is a real
question answered by the OPAC, such as "I liked Charlotte's Web and want another book
by that author." Students
answer would be title
because that is the correct icon to choose. Points are scored for teams by
individuals answering correctly. Other tasks that would score a point
might be to use the OPAC and return with the correct call number or book
from the shelf. |
| *
Continue developing searches by keyword and series. Especially difficult for students
is when to use a subject search and when to use a keyword search. Suggest using a keyword only when
the subject renders no book titles. |
|
C |
Grade 4 - Activities - Boolean
Searching |
| (Skill # 1, 2, 3, 4 - Introduce) |
| * Students learn
that a power search is a search with more than one keyword. In conjunction with a reading
motivation unit model this search.
Use Venn Diagrams as presearching activities (Venn Diagrams, Critical Thinking & Informational
Literacy (from Follett's Professional Development
Series) by M. Ellen Jay, Ph.D.)
Activities of this nature will help identify keywords and build a
background for narrowing/broadening searches that will also crossover to
internet searching. |
|
|
D |
Grade 4 - Activities - Special
Features |
| (Skill # 2, 3, 4 - Develop) |
| * Introduce the use
of the Bookbag, Search History, Shelf Browse, and Limiters as a means to
quickly finding the resource they need for whatever informational or
enjoyment purpose they have.
Depending on your library policies, the Bookbag may be used only by
teachers and you may or may not allow printing/saving as an option. Students will need to have a clear
understanding of what media types are before using Limiters options. Search history and shelf browse
allow students to more quickly and accurately find books and they need to
be shown this tool in large group, small group and individual setting as
the need warrants. |
|
|
E |
Grade 4 - Activities - Information
about a Book |
| (Skill # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - Master) (Skill # 8, 9, 10,
11, 12 -Develop) |
| * After reviewing author, subject,
title, keyword search options, use a handout you develop to direct
individuals, pairs, or groups to search for the answers to specific
information questions about a title found in the local OPAC. Searches for a book can be done by
any search options that the student has mastered. |
|
|
|
Grade 5
choose
a grade |
|
A |
Grade 5 - Activities - OPAC
Purpose |
| (Skill # 2 - Master) |
| * By 5th grade
students should know that they can find out information about book by ONLY using the OPAC |
|
B |
Grade 5 - Activities - Locate Book
on Shelf |
| (Skill # 2 Master) |
| * By
5th grade students should master finding a book in the library when
searching by keyword.
Students should also know how a keyword and a subject search
differ. |
|
C |
Grade 5 - Activities - Boolean
Searching |
| (Skill # 1, 2, 3, 4 - Develop) |
| *Students
in grades 5 can begin to use
Venn diagrams to help them visualize search results of keywords. Venn's also can help the
students understand how the Boolean operators of "and", "or", and "but
not" work in connecting the keywords. Presearching activities can be
structured when students have assignments from teachers where they must
obtain information. Entering
keywords on the Venn's; interpreting the phraseology of the filled in Venn
diagram or creating a Venn diagram from a search questions are activities
that can help students develop the power search in the OPAC as well as
carry over to searching any electronic information source. |
|
D |
Grade 5 - Activities - Special
Features |
| (Skill # 3, 4 - Master) |
| * Students should
readily use the search history option and the shelf browse option. Individuals who would benefit from
these tools can be shown them as they need to know them. |
|
E |
Grade 5 - Activities - Information
about a Book |
| (Skill # 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 - Master) |
| * Mastering the skill of knowing
about the added entries and notes, series, subjects, and descriptive
information are a matter of directing students attention to them
especially where they are hyperlinked. If written assessments are given, be sure to
include questions that help students to look at this book
information. |
|
|
|
Grade 6
choose
a grade |
|
A |
Grade 6 - Activities - OPAC
Purpose |
| (Reinforce all skills) |
|
B |
Grade 6 - Activities - Locate Book
on Shelf |
| (Reinforce all skills) |
|
C |
Grade 6 - Activities - Boolean
Searching |
| (Skill # 1, 2, 3, 4 - Develop) |
| * Use the POWER search to display a
window. Review terminologies:
Boolean search, and all the limiting terms listed below. Demonstrate the uses of the
Boolean searching window with examples. Show the drop down boxes and how
they can refine a search by limiting the keyword or phrase to title,
author, notes, subject or series. |
| * Use Venn diagram
handout and ask students to 1.) label circles. 2.)shade area that applies. 3)
Write one subject that search will find. Demonstrate the proper
search and put in the suggestions as well as say them orally. Suggested few: Dogs and Cats; Dogs
or Cats; Cats but not kitten; Pets but not Cats but not Dogs; History and
Fiction but not United States. |
|
D |
Grade 6 - Activities - Special
Features |
| (Reinforce all skills) |
|
E |
Grade 6 - Activities - Information
about a Book |
| (Reinforce all skills) |
|
|
|
Grade 7
choose
a grade |
|
C |
Grade 7 - Activities - Boolean
Searching |
| (Skill # 1, 2, 3, 4 - Master) |
| * By grade 7
students need to understand broadening and narrowing searches when using
more than one keyword.
Included is use of Boolean operators; truncation using the *, the
wildcard, ?, and how the limiters narrow a search. Activities for searching can be
extended to the internet when information is needed beyond the books in
the library. |
|
|
|
Grade 8
choose
a grade |
|
C |
Grade 8 - Activities - Boolean
Searching |
| (Reinforce all skills) |
|
|
|
Skill and Level
Matrix
ADDED
RESOURCES
Suggested
Activities |
|
- Pathways to Knowledge Model - Follett's Information
Skills Model designed to help educators transform library media
programs into centers for authentic learning. Designed to lay the
groundwork for effectively implementing the new AASL/AECT Information Literacy
Standards. It is a
holistic, non-linear approach involving the section of Appreciation, Presearch, Search, Interpretation,
Communication, Evaluation.
- Follett Software offers a series of
professional development articles designed to support the continued
growth of library industry experts. And, they are free of charge* to
you. Articles include: Applying the Information
Literacy Standards to the Pathways Model - Kramer;
Assessment of Information Processes and
Products - Donham;
Library Media
Specialists’ Challenges For an Information Age - Pappas; Transforming Library Media Centers For an Information
Age - Pappas; A Guide for the Library Media Specialist: In-servicing Teachers on
Integrating Information Skills into the Curriculum
- Palmer; Venn Diagrams, Critical Thinking & Information
Literacy - Jay
- Teaching Electronic Information Skills Resource Guides available from Follett Software Company. Each unit from the
three binders ( A Resource Guide for Grades
1-5; A Resource Guide
for Grade 6-8) ties closely to the Pathways
Model.
- Electronic
Information Access Tools-What Students Need to Know for Effective
Use (Best Practices- School Improvement in
Maryland) Findings show
that Teachers who identify students’ problems in using electronic
information resources (in particular, problems generating search terms,
constructing search strategies, understanding how information is
organized in databases, and evaluating/selecting information) will
promote student learning through the effective use of electronic
information access tools by planning instruction to address these
problems.
top |
USING THE OPAC