Biography Research Unit

Transcription

1 Grade 6/English and Reading Biography Research Unit Library Media Skills Objectives Goal 2: The student will demonstrate the ability to select and evaluate media. Selection of media b. Select the media most appropriate to purpose. Evaluation of Media a. Identify the accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness of various media. b. Check the copyright date to establish timeliness. Goal 3: The student will demonstrate the ability to organize, manage, and comprehend information Organization of Information b. Apply appropriate skills to collect, organize, and interpret data Information Management a. Use appropriate retrieval strategies to find information in a variety of sources. b. Select the appropriate information. c. Assess the value of selected information. English Objectives Unit III: Biography and Autobiography Goal 3. The student will demonstrate the ability to compose an oral or written report based on a full-length biography or autobiography about the life of a well-known historical or contemporary person. (Exposition) a. Select and read independently a full-length biography or autobiography about a wellknown person. b. Record notes, either during or after reading, about the information for a report. c. Organize information chronologically into categories such as early influences, education, career milestones, and major contributions. g. Include information from several sources. (G/T) Reading Objectives Unit III: Research - Searching Sources Goal 1: The student will demonstrate the ability to evaluate potential primary and secondary sources related to particular research topics and subtopics. b. Identify primary and secondary sources related to particular research questions. c. Choose primary and secondary sources that are most likely to answer research questions through strategic reading and interviews. Goal 2: The student will demonstrate the ability ot collect appropriate data from primary and secondary sources to answer a research question. a. Locate information from selected primary and secondary sources by applying appropriate reading strategies such as scanning, skimming, and careful reading. b. Record relevant information from pertinent sources to answer a research question.

2 Goal 4: The student will demonstrate the ability fo assess the process of working with sources to locate, prioritize, and organize data. a. List possible specific sources and types of sources that can be used to investigate given research topics. Educational Technologies Objectives Goal 5: The student will use application programs. Electronic Publishing and Graphic Arts a. Use a word processor during all phases of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Goal 6: The student will access and store information. Information Processing c. Determine the optimal tools for accessing information. d. Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information obtained from technology-based sources. Networks a. Operate within a Local Area Network (LAN) consisting of computer connected in some way to a file server, to a printer, to other computers, etc. Performance Objectives The student will listen to biography booktalks, select a biography from the library media collection, read the biography, use appropriate retrieval sources to locate additional information about the subject of the biography, and prepare a videotaped presentation of the subject s life for class viewing. Materials Books to illustrate booktalks Category signs for booktalks Call Numbers for Biography transparency Biography search worksheets and answer keys Guidelines for Biographical Research transparency Video Production Evaluation forms Procedures/Activities Lesson 1 l. Gather a collection of interesting biographies representing various career fields. 2. Write brief booktalks for each title. 3. Prepare displays of biographies organized by career field, using separate tables in the library media center for each display, each labeled with a career field sign. (See sample signs.) 4. As students enter the media center, invite them to a join a living adventure as you talk about the books you have selected. (Note: Since students will choose to read some of the books about which you ve talked, it s helpful to prepare several talks ready for each category.)

3 5. When booktalks are completed, use the Call Numbers for Biography transparency to review that part of the Dewey Decimal System. 6. Instruct students to select a biography to read, either from the display tables or from the biographical section of the media center. Lesson 2, day one 1. Schedule class time for students to return to the media center after completing the reading of their biographies. 2. Gather a collection of biographical tools representing various fields of work. 3. Write and duplicate questions requiring the use of each tool. (See sample Biography Search attached.) 4. Present the Biography Search activity to the class. (See sample attached.) 5. Allow time for groups to complete the search. This may require from one to two days. Lesson 2, day two 1. On the second day of Lesson 2, present the Guidelines for Biographical Research transparency, reviewing the location of each source with the class. 2. As students complete the Biography Search activity, encourage them to begin locating resources to answer the questions they have formulated about the famous person they have chosen. Lesson 3 (later) 1. When students have completed their research and have completed the writing of their presentations about the people they have investigated, schedule videotaping of their presentations. 2. Before the presentations are prepared, review characteristics of an outstanding videotape presentation. Make arrangements for videotaping. 3. Prepare evaluation sheets for each student to use in judging their classmates presentations. 4. Allow students to share their presentations with their classes as they are being videotaped. 5. (For students who are interested) Prepare an edited composite videotape of the most outstanding presentations, using a computer software application to add titles and credits. This tape may be shared with the entire grade or school. Evaluation Each student will listen to biography booktalks, select a biography from the library media collection, read the biography, use appropriate retrieval sources to locate additional information about the subject of the biography, write a presentation about the individual they have chosen, and prepare a videotaped presentation of the subject s life for class viewing.

4 Biography Search Name... Person You re Researching CO Compton s Encyclopedia, Volume 18 Question: What prize did Linus Pauling win? CO Concise Dictionary of American Biography Question: Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton started a school for girls in In what city was it located? Answer: CU Current Biography Yearbook, 1989 volume Question: Who nominated Dr. Louis Sullivan to be head of the Department of Health and Human Services for our federal government? GA Encyclopedia of American Biography Question: Would you be able to find famous Chinese people in this book? How do you know? Fe The Encyclopedia of Jazz Question: What was Elvis Presley s second release for Victor (Record Co.) McGThe Encyclopedia of World Biography, Volume 10 Question: What was Sitting Bear in addition to chief? FA The Facts on File Encyclopedia of the 20th Century Question: How many years did Katherine Anne Porter live?

5 CH Famous Artists of the Past Question: When Leonardo Da Vinci did his Self- Portrait, was he young or old? D Fourth Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators Question: What did Judy Blume plan to be when she was in college at New York University? GR Great Athletes, Volume 16 Question: What did O.J. Simpson win in 1968 as the country s outstanding college football player? MA Macmillan Encyclopedia of Science, Volume 1 Question: In what country did the scientist Georg Simon Ohm work? BI Notable American Women Question: What career did Constance Fenimore Woolson have? WE Webster s American Biographies Question: Are the people in this source living or dead? (Note: See inside the book jacket!) Answer: WE Webster s New Biographical Dictionary Question: What did Samuel Crisp bring from Italy to England? (It was the first one in England!) WOWorld Explorers and Discoverers Question: Who threw Marco Polo into prison?...

6 16. World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (on CD-ROM) Question: How many years did M World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (on CD-ROM) Question: What did the British soldiers call Florence Nightingale? Answer: World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (on CD-ROM) Question: What was the name of Geronimo s Indian tribe? Answer: World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (on CD-ROM) Question: What organization did Clara Barton found? World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (on CD-ROM) Question: Fidel Castro is the ruler of what country?... Congratulations! You re done. Please have your teacher check your work

7 Answer Sheet for Teacher Teacher s name Nobel Peace Prize 2. Baltimore 3. (George) Bush 4. No (It s the Ency. of American Biography.) 5. Heartbreak Hotel 6. medicine man and political leader old 9. a second grade teacher (or just teacher) 10. the Heisman Trophy 11. Germany 12. Author 13. Both living and dead (or just both) 14. piano 15. the Genoese Lady with the Lamp 18. (Chiricahua) Apache 19. The American Red Cross 20. Cuba