Busy outlook and look who I’m up against
Dec 5th, 2008 by Cathy Jo Nelson
I’ve been asked to work with several classes on a variety of topics–research (an intro type class for 6th grade), evaluating websites, and copyright. I’ve enjoyed doing the evaluating websites lessons and copyright lessons, but teaching the research can be let’s face it–DRY.
A personal goal this year is to make my instruction more inquiry based and to include interactivity and engagement. I’ve got some pretty definite ideas for the copyright and web evaluation, but drawing a blank on intro to research. Doing this type of lesson–”intro” to research–has a tendency to fall on deaf ears because it is unrelated to any assignment or quest for information. The teacher just wants kids exposed to our state provided and district purchased databases. I don’t know–maybe I am the one with the problem, but I’m bored just imagining the instruction.
So this weekend I am looking for innovative ways to teach the databases. And I don’t think I am really interested in a scavenger hunt. So don’t suggest one. I know, I know. My problem is the problem–I am really having difficulty getting excited about the topic for instruction. Oh did I mention a colleague wants to observe it?
Man oh man I need a fresh way to teach a single-unrelated-unimportant in the grand scheme of their school day-lesson. What can I do? Especially when I KNOW who the competition is….
Attribution:
www.flickr.com/photos/16441028@N00/2226178289
Hi Cathy,
One of the things I see as a barrier to meaningful research is that the assignments are often to big and often irrelevant. I’d take a look at an Everyday Problem-solving-like approach:
http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/every-day-problem-solving.html
Just an idea.
All the best,
Doug
At the risk of tipping into the “shameless self-promotion” category, some colleagues and I ran into a very similar problem a few years ago and put together this website: http://www.allaboutexplorers.com. There is a teacher section with links to the lessons we put together on these topics. It may not be as inquiry-based as you’re looking for, but maybe it will spark some ideas you can use.
Even more than sharing this as a resource for you, though, I’m going to follow the discussion on this topic here because the site has needed updating for a while and I’m definitely interested to hear what ideas other people have that will help me make the site deeper and more relevant for current needs.