Phillips


 * Denise Phillips**
 * MLI 5050**
 * Information Literacy Lesson Plan**
 * How to Use OPAC Effectively**
 * A Lesson Plan for 4th and 5th Grade**


 * Pre-Assessment:** An action research needs assessment was conducted prior to this lesson to evaluate student knowledge of how to use OPAC effectively to search for and locate materials appropriate for personal or research needs. From direct observations of students using OPAC, I determined that the majority of students know how to locate the search box in order to type in a search term. A majority of the students also knew how to select an appropriate search term, but some instruction on this would benefit all students in narrowing their search. Most students did not know how to choose the appropriate type of search (author, title, keyword, subject), did not know how to access bibliographic information to aid in selecting materials, could not locate availability data, and could not identify the call number as how to locate the materials.


 * Goals/Standards:**
 * Goal 1: Develop appropriate informational skills and study skills to facilitate learning**

community, encyclopedias, card/electronic catalogs, almanacs, magazines, and newspapers).
 * Reading Accomplishment 4.1.09a and 5.1.09a**: Use and discern appropriate reference sources in various formats (e.g. interviews with family and
 * Reading Accomplishment 4.1.09b and 5.1.09b**: Use media (e.g. photography, films, videos, the arts, on-line catalogs, nonfiction books, encyclopedias, CD-ROM references, Internet) to view, read, and represent information.


 * Objectives:**
 * Objective 1:** The learner will work with a partner to analyze 5 broad search terms and write examples of more specific search terms with at least 80 percent accuracy after a lesson on how to narrow search topics.
 * Objective 2:** The learner will work with a partner to conduct a practice OPAC search. Students will choose an appropriate type of search (author, title, keyword, or subject); access the bibliographic record for a book; identify availability; identify call number; and determine appropriateness of a book from the results list. Students will correctly identify at least 4 out of 5 of these criteria.

LCD projector; screen; teacher computer with OPAC installed; computer lab computers with OPAC installed; list of search terms for guided practice and a worksheet of search terms for students to practice narrowing; worksheet for students to fill out as they conduct their practice search; white board, markers. One computer per student in computer lab; pencils; worksheets provided by librarian
 * Materials, Media, and other Resources:**
 * Teacher:**
 * Student Materials**:

The librarian will set up a role play scenario where a student (selected ahead of time to act out the scenario making common mistakes) comes to the library looking for a book about sports. The class will observe as the student conducts the search and identify what they think the student should do or should not do based on what they already know about using OPAC. As we help the “student” locate an appropriate book, we will discuss how OPAC can help them find what they need in the library more quickly and efficiently. After the role play scenario a whole group activity will be introduced to walk students through the steps in conducting an effective OPAC search.
 * Set Induction**:

1. Whole group activity: All students will use OPAC on individual computers in the computer lab to conduct a keyword search of the term “space” while the librarian conducts and displays the same search using an LCD projector. The LCD projector will be used throughout the lesson to guide students through the various steps involved in using OPAC. 2. The librarian will guide the students to analyze the search results to see if the search needs to be revised. Students will be guided by the librarian to narrow the search term “space” to a more specific search term (such as asteroids or Mercury) and how to choose the appropriate type of search (keyword, subject, title or author). A revised search will be conducted by all students and the differences in the results will be analyzed. 3. Students will then choose a book from the results list and access the bibliographic record with guidance from the librarian. Students will read the bibliographic record and identify the book title, author, copyright date, and if available the summary of the book in order to determine if the book may be appropriate for the purpose of their report. 4. Students will then locate and identify the status of the book and the call number. They will also identify the book as fiction, nonfiction, or reference. Additional examples of searches will be done as a group, small groups, or individually if needed.
 * Instructional Sequence:**

1. Students will complete a worksheet with a partner on which they will take broad search terms and revise them into more specific search terms. 2. Students will then work with their partner to choose one of the search terms and conduct an OPAC search. They will complete a worksheet as they conduct their search noting the different steps in the search process and the results. Access this worksheet at this link: [|OPAC_Lesson_Sheet_2.doc] 3. The librarian and each pair of students will review the results of their search and discuss any problems the students had.
 * Closure**:

To meet the different learning styles of students a combination of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic activities were included in this lesson. Some students need more practice than others in mastering a skill, so I included extra practice for those who need it. Students were assigned partners in order to meet learning differences (Gifted students can peer tutor those who need extra help – ELL and learning disabled students). Extra help is also provided by the librarian to those who need assistance. Gifted students may also conduct an extra search as an extension of the lesson if desired.
 * Adaptation and Extensions**:

Mastery of skills will be determined by monitoring the students as they conduct their searches and reviewing the worksheets students filled out as they conducted their searches. The worksheet will be evaluated to determine if students met 4 out of 5 of the criteria listed in Objective 2. The goal for narrowing search terms is at least 80% accuracy.
 * Assessment:**

When I taught this lesson, I attempted to use the computer lab so each student could have a computer to do the lesson simultaneously. This did not work very well because the lab is used daily by students for reading and math practice. We attempted to split the time slot up so I could bring my students to the lab for half of a class period. This was not enough time. The next time I teach this lesson I would probably do a group OPAC search in the library, and for the next class period take the class to the computer lab to do independent searches. I would also address author and title searches in a separate lesson from keyword and subject searches as this was too much material to cover in the time allowed. Students truly enjoyed learning how to use the OPAC and were excited to use it after the lesson. They were all accessing the bibliographic record to read about the book after I showed them how it could help them determine what the book was about. I will definitely teach this lesson again but earlier in the year so that students can use the OPAC more effectively all year long.
 * Reflection**: