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 * NetTrekker Lesson Plan**

A. Pre-Assessment or Pre-Skills Required

- Students will need to have a long-in and password for the school computer systems. - Pre-Assessment will consist of a small questionnaire about the difference between Google and the program NetTrekker, focusing on why sites from NetTrekker are to be trusted.

B. Standards and Goals

Tennessee State Standards for 8th grade Reading and Writing – 8.2.13 Locate and analyze information to prepare written presentations or reports. C. Instructional Objectives
 * 1) Continue to use dictionaries, thesauruses and other word referenced materials.
 * 2) Continue to utilize resources available in the media center.
 * 3) Use interviews, surveys, polls, graphs, and illustrations in writing and presenting as support for research.
 * 4) Continue to use computer technology to find information, to create reports and presentations, and to support research.
 * 5) Continue to use examples and details collected from all available and reliable resources.
 * 6) Give credit for both quoted and paraphrased information in a bibliography.
 * 7) **//Evaluate Website sources for reliability.//**  (Emphasis added.)

- TLW complete the Registration and log-in process for NetTrekker. - TLW establish familiarity with the features of NetTrekker through guided practice and free practice, using all of the features discussed.

D. Materials

- Laptop with LCD Projector - Projection Screen - COWs (Computers on Wheels), 1 Class Set - Library Research Desktop Computers - Microsoft Power Point - Internet Explorer -

E. Set Induction

Question: How many of you have done a search on Google? Next: By raising your hands so that I can call on you, how many hits do you think would come back if we searched for the phrase “Civil War” on Google? Answer: Google brings up over 140 million hits with the phrase “Civil War.”

F. Instructional Sequence

1. Students will log into the computers and open an Internet Explorer Web Browser. 2. Teacher will guide the students through the Registration process for NetTrekker and give a lesson on the features of NetTrekker. 3. Students will follow on their own computers, using the instructor’s screen as a guide for where they should be. 4. Students will be given a set amount of time to explore NetTrekker on their own, being encouraged to dig deeper into the features and find something that the instructor did not specifically cover.

G. Guided Practice

1. Students will follow the instructor through the following NetTrekker features, using the phrase “Civil War” as the example keyword: Search, Image Search, Famous Person Search, Timeline, Saved Searches, Dictionary Mode, and OPEN Read Aloud.

H. Closure/Lesson Summary

1. “So, we have seen many of the surface features of NetTrekker. We have seen that the websites are reliable and the features are useful for the expansion and development of research materials.” 2. Students will then log off of the computers after questions have been answered and any features not mentioned have been discussed. 3. Assessment questionnaire will be handed out for completion.

I. Adaptations and Extensions

1. The librarian will allow students to work in pairs if needed and will provide Over-the-Shoulder Assistance (OTSA) to students in need, giving extra time. Students with needs can come back later to finish the assignment.

J. Assessment

1. The students will complete a questionnaire that will focus on answering the following questions:

- Why do we check for website reliability? - Is Google or NetTrekker better for reliable websites? - How many results will NetTrekker give you to look through? - Google? - Name one feature of NetTrekker that will increase your ability to create a good project.

K. Reflection

- What kinds of questions did the students have after the assignment was done? - Were there any problems with the process of logging in or registering? - Were students on an IEP given enough time to complete the assignment? - Overall, how did the students respond to the Post-Assessment, and how could this be used to affect further NetTrekker training?