You want me to WHAT?

The word research strikes fear in the hearts of many students, but if the end product is an interesting technology production, they will research anything!

I currently teach research as the library media specialist at North Side Elementary School, (previously I taught high school English--10 years). Teachers in grades Pre-K through 5th grade bring their students to the library for integrated lessons. I work with the topic they are already studying. For example, when second grade studies dinosaurs, I set up a research plan for them. I might have them come to the library, show them how and where to find information on their topic. With dinosaurs, I could assign each student a specific dinosaur to research. They will be required to find information on a fact sheet. A dinosaur fact sheet would include: dinosaur's name, what the name means, who discovered it (paleontologist), dinosaur's size, how it walks, what it eats (carnivore/herbivore/omnivore), and is it a predator, prey, or both. Students would then take the information to create a podcast of their dinosaur facts. Of course a script would be written first (the actual research report), and pod casts would be published on their class web page.

All students have my class once a week and also have computer class once a week. The computer teacher and I will collaborate on this project so they will research in my class and have time in her class to complete the project. This lesson plan concept is easily adapted to all classes in all grade levels, but the technology is the key! Students need to be eased into research as it is a difficult task, but I'd much rather they learn it early. Having taught the upper grades, I know that it is defeating to them when they are at the high school level and have no idea how to find something in a library. It's even hard for adults, but with practice comes confidence!

Since I teach every class in the school, I would want a variety of options for research productions. Younger students could learn the pod casting and slide show programs to produce their projects. Older students could learn to produce films and web pages. Ideally, when they leave our school, they will have acquired the skills to produce all of the technology projects: pod casts, slide shows, films, and web pages. But more importantly, I hope they will have acquired the skills needed to walk in any library and find the information they need, and they will not see reports and research in the same light. They will see it as an opportunity to learn something new.