books

books

Monday, April 22, 2013

Week 30

2nd Grade Research over Continents

Targeted Skills: Determining main idea; Skim and scan to answer questions; Review criteria for credible resources

Whew! April has been crazy-busy! It was wonderful to have a "normal" week back in the library without testing or a trip planned. I kicked off the week with 2nd grade research. Much of the prep work was done in the classroom. The teachers broke the kids into groups that each researched a continent. Mrs.LaRue found this AWESOME blog with links to lessons about research (check it out--it's a GREAT resource!) They made handy folders to help organize their research (these were detailed in the district curriculum). So when they came to the library, they understood where they were in the process and were ready to get on the computers to gather their information. When teachers and librarians work together on research, it's a beautiful thing!

We used the World Book Kids online database available through our district online resources page. Students looked up their continent and wrote one fact on a note card and then put it in the envelope that connected with the main idea of that card. This was our first time to use this folder system for note taking, and it ROCKED. It helped the kids organize their information in a very easy way. Each class spent an hour in the library getting started on the research, and then they finished in their classrooms on the laptops. Here are some pictures of the folders and the kids in action:

Front of folder 
Envelopes with specific topic written on each one

Chart that they made in the classroom to determine
background knowledge

Taking notes and putting a note card in the correct
envelope

Working hard 

They did a great job staying on-task 


Happy researchers! 

After the students gathered their information in the library, they then worked on a Power Point presentation in the computer lab. All credit goes to Mrs. LaRue for putting together an easy template for them to use. Here are some of the finished products from her class. They did a fabulous job! 





More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt
Read to Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th 
Targeted Skills: Making Inferences; Author's Purpose

The more that I read this book aloud, the more I fall in love with it. I purposely did not make a lesson frame for this because I told the kids that our goal for this book was to just have fun and enjoy it.

I had the kids chant "more bears!" when I pointed to them, but about 5 pages in, they got the pattern and could say it without my prompting. This is when I stopped and let the lesson set in. It went something like this:

Me: How did you know to say "More bears" before I even turned the page?
Them:  Because every time you turn the page, it says that, Mrs. Bailey. We made an inference. (Yes, they really said this.)
Me: Wait. You are making inferences? I thought we were just reading this for fun! I didn't tell you to make inferences!
Them: Well, good readers make inferences all the time. That's just what we do.

Lesson learned. And yes, my librarian heart did sing.

This book is also awesome for author's purpose (Why does the author add random bears? Why does the author talk to the reader? ) It would be excellent to use with a writing lesson for revision on the importance of adding details that matter rather than just adding details for the sake of details. We also touched on problem/solution.

This book is full of lessons and the kids LOVED it. One of my new faves!

No comments:

Post a Comment