Running Head: INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH

Information Problem Solving Research

Towson University

Tracy Howse

December 8, 2016
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 2

Name of the Instructor(s):

Tracy Howse, Library Media Specialist
Content Area
Library Media and Social Studies
Grade Level (if available, include preassessment data on the students)
Grade 7
Title of Lesson
The 50 States
Objectives & Standards
Objective:
Students will use the Big 6 research model to gather information (through reference sources)
and give a five minute presentation on their assigned U.S. state.

Maryland State Curriculum:

Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students
 Standard 3.0 Technology for Learning and Collaboration: Grade 7
o A:1 Select and use technology tools to enhance learning
 a) use technology tools, including software and hardware, to learn new
content or reinforce skills
 b) Defend the selection of a specific technology tool to complete a
learning task
 Standard 3.0 Technology for Learning and Collaboration: Grade 7
o C:1 Select and use technology tools to increase productivity
 a) Defend the selected technology tools to complete tasks efficiently
 Standard 4.0 Technology for Communication and Expression: Grade 7
o A:1 Select and use technology for communication
 c) Evaluate the appropriateness of media formats for various purposes
 Standard 5.0 Technology for Information Use and Management: Grade 7
o A:1 Select and use information resources available through technology
 Standard 6.0 Technology for Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
o [Big 6]

Common Core: Social Studies

 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7
o Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or
maps) with other information in print and digital texts
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 3

AASL Standards for 21st Century Learners (for Library Media Candidates to complete only)
Standards for 21st Century Learners
 Standard 1.1 Skills
o 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular
subjects and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.
o 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
 Standard 1.4 Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge - Self-Assessment Strategies
o 1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and
progress, and adapt as necessary.
 Standard 2.1 Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new
situations, and create new knowledge - Skills
o 2.1.1 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
o 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize
information
 Standard 3.1 Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members
of our democratic society - Skills
o 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display
knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and access.
 Standard 3.2 Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members
of our democratic society - Disposition in Action
o Demonstrate leadership and confidence by presenting ideas to others in both
formal and informal situations.
 Standard 4.3 Pursue personal and aesthetic growth - Responsibilities
o 4.3.2 Recognize that resources are created for a variety of purposes.

Teacher Preparation/ Equipment & Materials

Subscription:
EBSCO Industries (2016). Explora. Retrieved from
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/web/src_ic/home?preview=false&usrNo=-14931567

Subscription to National Geographic Kids:

National Geographic Society (2008). National geographic kids United States atlas.
Washington, DC: National Geographic Society. Retrieved from
http://natgeo.galegroup.com/natgeo/archive/?p=NGMK&u=howard_main

Williams, Rachel (2015). Atlas of adventures: A collection of natural wonders, exciting

experiences and fun festivities from the four corners of the globe. New York, NY:
Wide Eyed Editions.

Lonely Planet Kids (2014). Amazing world atlas: Bringing the world to life. Victoria,
Australia: Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd.

Lonely Planet Publications (2014). Amazing world atlas game (1.4) [Mobile application
software]. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazing-world-atlas-by-
lonely/id916745147?mt=8
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 4

Technology Integration/ Resources (Specific description of how hardware, software and online resources
will be used. Include all directions given to the students)
National Geographic Kids United States Atlas is the students’ initial technology
resource. They will use this to receive basic information about their state. This source also
gives visuals which they can use for their presentation and an explanation about the state’s
national and global influence.

Explora for Secondary Schools is an online database for middle schoolers which gives
them full-text journal articles, magazines, and documents. The students will use this source to
research their designated state. They will begin by typing the state into the basic search and
will select the “Topic Overview” at the top of their results list. This will give them the
reference entry about their state and thorough information about the economy, cities,
population, government, and history.

If the library has devices and funding available, the students can also use the “Amazing World
Atlas Game” application. It corresponds with the teacher’s text and has interactive memory
games. This would be an excellent warm-up or break during these classes.

Directions given to students: Appendix I and II

Instructional Procedures (This should be a very detailed description of the chosen research model)
For this lesson plan, the students will use the Big6 Skills research model to collect,
compile, and analyze information and then create a five minute presentation on their assigned
state. As the teacher, I will guide them through the initial steps of the Big6 since, according to
Maryland Technology Literacy Standards, students in 7th grade are past intermediate computer
literacy skills and working towards becoming proficient (MDK12, 2016b). Students also were
required to learn geography in social studies in 5th grade, according to Maryland State
Curriculum (United States Government, 2016). Therefore, this lesson is a combination of
refreshing geographic knowledge as well as improving research skills. As the geographic
refresher, I will begin the Big6 research standards with guiding them through atlases, and
complete this lesson with them researching and presenting their assigned state. If the school
system has 1:1 devices and funding for the “Amazing World Atlas Game,” I would begin the
unit with an atlas warm up of games to get the students going. Then, I would begin their Big6
Skills research model.

The first stage of the Big6 Skills is Task Definition, which includes defining the
problem and identifying information needed. I will begin the class handing out the assignment
and rubric, which will show them their “problem” or task is completing a presentation and
they must identify the information which the rubric requires. This includes basic geographic
explanation of their state, population, brief timeline, and fun facts (as seen in the rubric
below).
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 5

The second stage of the Big6 Skills is Information Seeking Strategies, which includes
determining all possible sources and selecting the best source. This is where we will refresh
their geography skills. I will use the Atlas of Adventures by Rachel Williams to remind them
about the atlas and show various ways they could format their presentations. I will then use
Lonely Planet Kids Amazing World Atlas to show the basic information they can find in an
atlas. After we have reviewed these resources, I will teach them how to use National
Geographic Kids United States Atlas for initial information about their individual states. Using
this source will allow them to transfer the refresher information to their specific projects. I will
next explain Explora for Secondary Schools, especially how to find the overview of their
specific state. At this point, the students will be able to determine possible sources and select
which sources are best for their individual presentation.

The third stage is Location and Access, in which they will locate the sources I have
taught and will find their information within. The students will be required to fill out a “Basic
Information” worksheet to ensure they have the key points prepared for their presentation. The
students will use the online database and online atlas to find their information for the
worksheet and, once they have found it, they will move to stage four: Use of Information. The
students will read, view, and possibly hear information about their state and extract what they
would like to present upon. The “Fun Fact” section in their presentation is especially
important, because this is where students get to extract information they find interesting, rather
than simply searching for information they were told to find.

The fifth stage is synthesis, in which students will organize their information into some
sort of presentation. The students are allowed to do a technology or non-technology based
presentation, as long as they are able to present it to the class. This includes poster-boards,
PowerPoints, and oral presentations. The final stage is the evaluation. This stage will occur
through their exit ticket in which they will answer questions judging their own results and
processes. Part of their grade is going to be a fair analysis of their own effectiveness and
efficiency in working on their presentation.
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 6

Formative Assessment/ Plans for Differentiation (Describes how you will be assessing the progression of
the lesson as it is being delivered)
I will assess the progression of the first two stages of Big6 research model through the
students understanding of the resources. Since I am working with the class and these are
review stages, the students should progress together. If there are individuals who are not
progressing as the lesson is being delivered, I will be able to work with them individually
through the next three stages.
Throughout stages three and four of the Big6, I will assess the progression through
their “Basic Information” worksheet. They will be working on locating, accessing, and using
information through this research and worksheet. I will also be able to monitor their
“Synthesis of Information” as they work on their presentations. The final assessment of the
information they are collecting will be on their presentation days, in which the students will
share the information they have collected about their state.
Finally, I will assess students’ personal evaluation through their exit tickets. This will
allow me to not only analyze the information they were able to collect, but also their
evaluation of their work.

Summary and Lesson Closure (Describe how you will close and summarize the activities)
The students will give their five minute presentations on their individual state. I will
then give them an exit ticket at the end of the last presentation day which will be as follows:

1) Was your presentation effective and did you teach the students the basic information about
your states?

2) Was your research productive and well-organized?

3) Did starting with broad information (basic atlases) and narrowing down to more specific
facts (explora database) give you a better understanding of the information?

4) What would you do differently next time?

INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 7

Assessment Plan (Rubrics, quizzes, student produced work and other methods that will be used to
determine the degree to which the learning objectives were achieved)
The assessment for this lesson will be the worksheet, final presentation, and evaluation
exit ticket. The worksheet will be graded for accuracy and the evaluation exit ticket will be
graded for effort and participation. The rubric for the final presentation is as follows:

4 Points 3-2 Points 1-0 Point

Content The student’s facts The student had a The students’

were accurate and few factual errors, or information was
the “Fun Fact(s)” was less engaging. incorrect and did not
were engaging. have engaging facts.
Organization The presentation is The presentation was The organization
organized and flows. a little difficult to distracted from the
follow, but still information.
conveyed the
information.
Visuals The student included The student had The student had no
visuals throughout some presentations relevant visuals.
the presentation or the presentations
which added to the did not necessarily
information. add.
Presentation Skills: The student The student’s The student’s
Time management, presented for five presentation was too presentation was too
eye-contact, clear minutes and was short or was difficult short and did not
voice. easy to hear and to understand. convey the
understand. information.

The presentation will be worth 16 points, the worksheet will be worth 10, and the exit ticket
will be worth 4. The total grade for this lesson will be 30 points.
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 8

References

American Association of School Librarians (2016). Standards for the 21st century learner.

Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningsta

ndards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf

EBSCO Industries (2016). Explora. Retrieved from

http://web.b.ebscohost.com/web/src_ic/home?preview=false&usrNo=-14931567

Lonely Planet Kids (2014). Amazing world atlas: Bringing the world to life. Victoria, Australia:

Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd.

Lonely Planet Publications (2014). Amazing world atlas game (1.4) [Mobile application

software]. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazing-world-atlas-by-

lonely/id916745147?mt=8

MDK12 (2016). Maryland technology literacy standards for students. Retrieved from

http://mdk12.msde.maryland.gov/instruction/curriculum/technology_literacy/vsc_technol

ogy_literacy_standards.pdf

MDK12 (2016b). Maryland state curriculum: Computer literacy skills. Retrieved from

http://mdk12.msde.maryland.gov/instruction/curriculum/technology_literacy/ComputerLi

teracySkills.pdf

National Geographic Society (2008). National geographic kids United States atlas. Washington,

DC: National Geographic Society. Retrieved from

http://natgeo.galegroup.com/natgeo/archive/?p=NGMK&u=howard_main
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 9

United States Government (2016). Common core state standards. Retrieved from

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/

Williams, Rachel (2015). Atlas of adventures: A collection of natural wonders, exciting

experiences and fun festivities from the four corners of the globe. New York, NY: Wide

Eyed Editions.
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 10

Appendix I

National Geographic Kids United States Atlas

This resource is a starting point for your research. It will give you basic information about your
state and the role it plays in the larger scope of the United States and world.

The following features will help you navigate the page.

 Turning the page

 Go to a specific page

 Zoom in and out

 Fit width or height to page

 Adjust contrast, brightness, and color

 Make full screen

 Listen to the pages.

o Listen, play, stop, start time, volume, and additional settings.
o Additional settings includes text highlighting, enhanced visibility, speed,
scrolling, and pop-ups.

 Searching the document

 Table of Contents

Find your state within the atlas and look at the overview.
INFORMATION PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH 11

Appendix II

Explora
This resource will give you more information about your specific state. First, you should look at
an overview of your state. Then, you may research further “Fun Facts” if you are interested.

1. To find the overview, first type your state into the basic search bar:

2. Once you hit ‘Search,” a list of results will pop up. You should click “Topic Overview”
with the name of your state above the results list.

3. After you have compiled your basic information complete, please “Explora” more to see
what else you would like to add to the presentation.