Johnny Morris

Lesson Plan: Procedures

Concept under investigation: The sixth grade students will be introduced to the media center at their new middle school. After reviewing the purposes of the media center, each student will have a visitation to further investigate it.

Context: The students have made a transition to a new school and it is important for them to know where the media center is located, the resources available there, it’s many purposes, and the rules of the media center.

Competencies and Skills:

Competency Goal 1

1.03 listening intently.

Competency Goal 2

2.01 generating questions.
restating and summarizing information.
2.02 exploring a variety of sources from which information may be attained (e.g., books, Internet, electronic databases, CD-ROM).
distinguishing between primary and secondary sources.

Other goals/ objectives: Students will gain an understanding of the school’s computerized card catalog system by using a computer located in the media center.

Materials needed:

Student I.D. card
Pen/ pencil
Paper
Media center discovery handout
Media center
Computers in media center

Procedures with script:

Initiating activity/warm-up mini-lesson: Class begins with a warm-up exercise. A sentence will be on the overhead and the students will have approximately two minutes to correct the grammatical errors. Once completed, one student will be called upon to read the corrections to the class and make the proper adjustments to the sentence on the overhead. The warm-up exercise will last for the first five minutes of class.

Review: We will discuss how the students used the media center in their elementary school and the services that their center had for them.

Purpose setting: The purpose of this particular class will be to introduce the students to the media center.

Introduction for today’s lesson: A discovery handout will be given to the students so they can become acquainted with the media center and learn where everything is located. As a class, we will go over the handout and have a discussion on why the media center is important, what types of technology are available there, why it is important to follow the rules, and answer all questions that may be asked about the media center. The introduction to the day’s lesson will last for ten minutes. At this time the students will gather the necessary materials and get lined up to leave the classroom. We will walk quietly as a group to the media center and have a brief introduction/welcoming from the media center’s director. The students will then meet the rest of the staff and become acquainted with them. Our walking time and the welcoming will take five minutes.

Guided practice: Guided practice will begin as we move around the media center as a class and see where everything is located. Next, students will get into groups of two or three and get on a computer. The media center director will instruct the students on how to pull up the card catalog system on the computer. Each student will demonstrate how to look up a book by using the card catalog system on the computer and by using the card catalog. Then, there will be a demonstration on how to check out books and return them. Guided practice will last for ten minutes.

Independent practice: Students will then have independent practice. Each student will get out their media center discovery worksheet and complete it. The discovery worksheet allows each student to answer questions pertaining to the media center. For example, they will learn what call numbers align with what genres, how fiction and non-fiction are labeled, and how periodicals, videos, and reference materials are categorized. Also, students will be allowed to check out materials for the first time in their middle school experience. Independent practice will last for fifteen minutes. Once students have all their materials we will go back to the classroom.

Closure/expectations: The closure/expectations of the class will take the remaining five minutes of the class period. We will discuss what we learned during this class period and answer any questions that students may have. I will use the Socratic Method to ensure that students know the various policies of the media center. The Socratic Method teaches students to reason through discussion and by using the Socratic Method students can learn to think for themselves. Finally, I will introduce tomorrow’s lesson on reading strategies and the importance of them. The students’ homework is for them to get reading their new books!

SPED modifications: One student moved to the front of the class due to problems with his eyesight and being able to see the board. If need be, handouts could be a bigger font so the student could see the words easier. An autistic student has a one-to-one assistant present at all times in case of an emergency. The one-to-one assistant will help by telling where the book is located but, it will be up to the student to try and find the book. This particular student may use the card catalog or the computer to find a book with the assistance of the one-to-one assistant.

Assessment:

Formative- The students’ ticket out the door will be their media center discovery worksheet. As they file out of the room I will check their planners to ensure that they know what is up and coming in our Language Arts class. I will grade the media center handout and return them to the students the next day. We will discuss the missed questions so I will know if I made it too hard or if there was some other problem.

Summative: With this lesson the students learned how to use the media center and all of the various elements of reference materials that are available to them. During the school year they will get their A.R. books from the media center, research projects, read magazines, and use a computer. Through the students school work, I will be able to assess how well they are able to use the computer to research their materials and document their sources. I will learn a lot about what the students are interested in by watching what type of magazines they read and the type of books they check out. This will show me what their interests are and I will be able to incorporate them into our classroom.

Next lesson: The students’ next lesson will be on reading strategies and how important it is to recognize and know them.

NETS-T Indicators addressed in this lesson:

II. Planning And Designing Learning Environments And Experiences.

B. Identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.

D. Plan strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment.

Computers are located in the media center for student use. The computers are suitable for the students because they will be able to do a plethora of things on them. For example, students will be able to look up books on the card catalog system or research materials for projects. Students will use programs such as Microsoft Word and power-point to further their technological experience. The strategies I planned are for students to have guided practice and independent practice on the computers. The media center handout will ensure that the students know where everything is located in the media center. The students will have the freedom of getting acquainted with the computer while being monitored for accuracy.

Name: _____________________

Discover Your Media Center

Directions: Answer the following questions by using the media center.

1. In what section of the media center may I find where a word is spelled?

2. Where can I find out if the media center has a book on the Vietnam War?

3. Where would I go to learn which team won the Superbowl in 2000?

4. Where can I find information about what dogs like to eat?

5. What section is the Harry Potter series located in?

6. What section has information on biographies?

7. Where can I find out how to pronounce a word?

8. Where may I find out the weather forecast for the rest of the week?

9. What is the call number for The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton?

10. Can I check out magazines and newspaper from the media center?