Works Cited/Evaluation Unit
Detailed Lesson Plans

 

Lesson Plan - Day 1 – Scavenger Hunt (84 Minutes –Library)

• Students are divided into teams for this activity called "Art & Nancy" from Power Tools, by Joyce Valenza. Prizes were fun size candy bars for every student who finishes the hunt and free ice cream certificates to the winning team.
   
• Teachers and assistants give “strategy hints” – but do not help students find the books needed to fill in the blanks.
  
  
• The classroom teacher and the library assistant are the judges.  The librarian provides “crowd control”
  
  
• Each student must fill out the activity sheet.  One sheet is the “master sheet” which is presented to the “judges”.
  
  
• The “master sheet” must be 100% accurate. Mistakes must be corrected.
  
  
• The first team to complete the activity with 100% accuracy is the winning team.

If there is time left over, students should be browsing the shelves, trying to decide what topic to research., OR, if they know what their topic is – they can start looking for information in reference books. 

Lesson Plan - Day 2 - Introduction (84 Minutes – Classroom & Library)

 

EMPHASIZE – ASK THE LIBRARIANS FOR HELP!!

Materials needed:  data projector, web evaluation poster display from www.sybasigns.com,   library worksheets for every student, mla guides (from Power Research Tools by Joyce Valenza) for every student, works cited rubrics for every student, wc blank forms (samples to show), cart of books with information about sample topic (Kurt Cobain)

• The teacher outlines the overall project requirements, including the required sources for the project, - books, reference books, & periodicals - not just web sites.

• The librarian stresses that the works cited lists will be graded based on the quality and variety of the resources, in addition to the correct use of MLA format. The librarian then presents a poster display or a PowerPoint slide show on Web Page Evaluation. NOTE: The evaluation posters were purchased from www.sybasigns.com.

• The librarian presents the Works Cited Rubric and discusses in detail what is required to achieve the highest score for each category.
  
  
• The librarian goes over the library worksheet that is required.

• To illustrate unacceptable web sites, the librarian uses the web page "REAL LIFE EXAMPLES OF "WORKS CITED" PROBLEMS or HOW TO GET A BAD GRADE ON YOUR WORKS CITED LIST".   This site uses web sources cited by students in previous years. The page shows examples of sites written by authors whose credentials are unidentifiable, sites that are actually papers written by other students, outdated sites, sites that do not fit the requirements of the paper, hoax sites, sites from advocacy organizations etc.

• Students brainstorm related keywords and subject words to create a "word bank" for the topic, “Was the death of Kurt Cobain a suicide or a murder?”  Write the possible key words on the board - Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Nirvana, Rock Music, Rock, Suicide, Drug Abuse, Murder, Homicide, Grunge, etc. This word bank is used to demonstrate effective searching, using our own OPAC, along with regional OPACS. The librarian encourages students to borrow books through interlibrary loan.

• Librarian shows books about the topics brainstormed above & goes over how to fill out the required MLA forms for these books and reference books.  These slips will be corrected by the librarian and returned to the students with suggestions for improvement.

• Students go to the library to begin their research, using books and reference books onlyonly.

Lesson Plan - Day 3 - Books Only (84 minutes - Classroom & Library)

EMPHASIZE – ASK THE LIBRARIANS FOR HELP!!

• Both the teacher and the librarian emphasize the ethical reasons for avoiding plagiarism and how a works cited list will help students avoid unintentional plagiarism.

• The librarian illustrates the consequences of plagiarizing, not only in their own school, but also in college and out in the "real world", using the web page "PLAGIARISM IS NO BIG DEAL - IS IT? THE IMPACT OF PLAGIARISM".

• Students go to the library and begin their research. Only book research is allowed today. Only one general encyclopedia may be used, and it does not count as a book.
  
  
• Librarian announces that Only 1 book may be checked out to be fair to other students.  Next week, if the books are still here – then students can sign them out
  
  
• To be on track, by the end of the period, you should have have the following: 

Citation form for 1 encyclopedia
Citation form for 1 reference book, and
Citation form for 1 regular book
At least one book signed out of the library

Lesson Plan - Day 4 - Research Databases Only (84 minutes – Computer Lab)

EMPHASIZE – ASK THE LIBRARIANS FOR HELP!!

Materials needed:  web evaluation poster display board, data projector, sample magazine articles about the demonstration topic – Kurt Cobain.

• Librarian teaches research database skills as needed. The emphasis is on the difference between these subscription databases and the "free web".

• Librarian shows real print magazines with cover stories about the topics she is using as examples. This helps students to understand that the articles they will be reading online actually started their "lives" in real hard-copy magazines.

• Librarian goes over how to fill out the required MLA forms for periodicals.

• Students are guided through a Boolean search activity.

• Students continue their research, using subscription databases such as EBSCOHost and Electric Library ONLY.
  
  
• Students are reminded that to be on track, by the end of the period they should have the following:

Citation form for 1 encyclopedia
Citation form for 1 reference book, and
Citation form for 1 regular book
Citation form for at least 1 periodical article

NOTE:  Students aiming for a superior grade you will need to find more than the basic 5 resources.

·         Remind students of evaluation criteria – use the poster as a reminder

• Use the MM projector to demonstrate searching for Kurt Cobain Information using EBSCOhost
  
  
• Remind them of Electric Library and Grolier

Lesson Plan - Day 5 – The Free Web (84 minutes – Computer Lab & Library)

EMPHASIZE – ASK THE LIBRARIANS FOR HELP!!

• Librarian goes over how to fill out the required MLA form for web pages.

• Librarian reminds students to use their "search word bank"

• Students are encouraged to continue using books and research databases, but are also allowed to search for information on the free web if they wish.

• Librarian reminds students to use their "search word bank" and to evaluate, evaluate, evaluate!!!

• Students are reminded that to be on track, by the end of the period they should have the following:

Citation form for 1 encyclopedia
Citation form for 1 reference book, and
Citation form for 1 regular book
Citation form for at least 1 periodical article
Citation form for at least 1 web article

NOTE:  Students aiming for a superior grade you will need to find more than the basic 5 resources.

• Students continue their research with the assistance of the teacher and the librarian. A few enterprising students will turn in their completed library assignment by the end of this period.

Lesson Plan - Day 6 – General Research (84 minutes – Computer Lab & Library)

 

EMPHASIZE – ASK THE LIBRARIANS FOR HELP!!

• Students use this day to complete their citation sheets and take notes on the materials that they have gathered.

• More students will turn in their completed library assignments today. All library assignments are due in 5 more school days.  

 

 

File: Works Cited Unit/works cited workshop/workshops