William Allen White Book Presentation

Breanna Gutierrez
Fall 2010
Standards for the 21st –Century Learner Goals
Standard: 1: Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge
Benchmarks:
1.1.1 Follow and Inquiry based process in seeking knowledge in
curricular subjects and make real world connection for using this
Library Context process in own life.
Flexible 1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of
accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance and social
Multiple lessons and cultural context.
in a unit
Collaboration Dispositions:
Continuum 1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
1.2.7 Display persistence by continuing to pursue
Minimum information to gain a broad perspective.
Responsibilities:
Content Topic 1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly
Research process
Self-Assessment strategies:
over buffaloes 1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and
focusing on citing progress and adapt as necessary.
facts from a
reliable article on
the databases. Content standards for 5th Grade Reading:
Estimated KCK10R050134 Fact and Opinion: Distinguish between fact and opinion
Lesson Time:
KCK10R050128 Summarizing/Retelling: Summarize and retell main ideas
One Quarter: and events, using supporting details, facts and information in grade-level
-8 to 9 Library appropriate narrative passages.
periods, 50
minutes in length KCK10R050115 Reference Tools: Choose reference materials, such as
each dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, glossaries, thesauruses, and on-line
reference materials.

Overview: Students will engage in a research process based on buffaloes from the
William Allen White nominee, “Buffalo Song”. They will locate facts from the Gale database,
Kidsinfo Bits, and solidify their work by correctly citing their information to validate the reliability of
their sources. They will also create a summary of the book to entice their audience to read the
book.

Final Product: The student will create a final project using power point converted into a web tool,
animoto. The student will make sure their final project includes at least: two facts with source
information, a summary of the book, one opinion, and an overall rating/recommendation of the
book.

Library Lesson(s): Students will learn how to use the online databases, power point and a great
web tool, animoto.com. Students will also be introduced to several concepts of media literacy.
Students will explore the importance of respecting intellectual property by including citation with
each fact they locate in order to give credit to the works of others. Also, students will work on
evaluating the validity of websites and other information that they find on the internet. Students
will learn how to analyze websites and other sources for their validity and accuracy so that they
are using quality sources in their research.

Assessment: The final assignment will be graded using a rubric that gives points both for the
process and the product. Students will receive a grade based on both their process and their final
product. The quality of their final product, planning, and their citations will be assessed as well as
how they went about searching and what they found with these efforts. The students will also
have a chance to self-assess at the end of the unit.

Instructional Plan:
Resources the student will use:
 Online Subscription Databases
 Power point
 Microsoft Word
 Library website: www.mepearsonlibrary.com
 www.animoto.com
 the Book, “Buffalo Song”
Instruction/Activities:
Direct Instruction: I will begin by reading aloud the book, “Buffalo Song”. I will then
introduce students to online database searches, citing a work, and respect for intellectual
property. I will also review power point and animoto procedures with the students. I will
create direct links for students on our website www.mepearsonlibrary.com to make gathering
the data more efficient. I will also review facts and opinions with the students.

Modeling and guided practice: Students will follow along with me on their own laptops to
complete searches together and how to successfully cite a source. Once they have mastered
searching on the databases and citing, I will give the students some good options for finding
information on their subject and ask them to try them out to see if they like the information
they find. I will also model to students a quick review of power point and animoto on our
Smart Board to make sure the students are comfortable in their work.

Independent Practice: Once the students have tried some searches that the librarian
suggested the student can construct their own searches and start finding sources that they
can use for their final project. Once a source is found the student can use the template form
to cite their facts. Students will also independently create a brief power point and convert
their work into animoto.

Sharing and reflecting: Students’ final projects will be posted on the library website to share
with the school and community. We will also take time on the final day to review each others’
projects. As a final piece, students will reflect on their work through a quick write at the end
of the project.

Collaboration:
During a weekly team planning meeting with the 5th grade team of teachers, they mentioned an
interest in having their students work on databases for research and a need to have the students
reinforce fact and opinion. During brainstorming, we decided to create a lesson around the new
William Allen White nominee books. The teachers would frontload the students in the classroom
with lessons on fact and opinion and creating a summary, while I would implement the majority of
the lesson. Due to the fact that the library has a completely filled schedule and teacher planning
time, the teachers would not be able to actually team teach with me, but it was decided we would
keep in contact through email and our weekly meetings.
Tentative Schedule:
 Class One- I will read aloud the book, “Buffalo Song”, and lead a class discussion on a
great summary of the book.
 Class Two- I will guide students on the use of the databases and model how to create
searches, record a citation and discuss fair use/copyright. Today students will spend the
class period orientating themselves to the databases and guided practice with me.
 Class Three and Four- Students will begin their research on the databases
independently. They will record their facts and citations on a template form found on their
class page on the library website.
 Class Five, Six, Seven- Students will begin their power point using the facts and opinions
they have already recorded. I will review how to use power point, and guide students to
find copyright free pictures to include in their presentations. Students will also create
their summaries to be included in their final products.
 Class Eight- Students will convert their power point into an animoto video on the internet.
 Class Nine-Students will have a sharing party and discuss their classmate’s videos
respectfully.

Personal Reflection:
I really enjoyed this unit and after having the students provide feedback on the survey I believe
they did as well. Some of the strengths of this lesson were the integration of planning with the
fifth grade teachers, the use of technology as a tool, and the engagement of the plan.

However, I did run into a few unplanned “surprises” along the way. For example, the biggest
issue I ran into was finding a way to SAVE the students work on the school “STUDENTS DRIVE.”
If a student accidently moved a folder or erased a folder I had no way of knowing who had done
it. We had a few problems, that luckily after taking a moment I found a way to resolve it, but
saving and finding their work each class period proved to be very time consuming. The unit was
originally planned for 9 weeks, but ended up taking a few extra. In the future I would like to
create a donor’s choose project on www.donorschoose.org and hopefully receive flash drives.
That way I would know what happened to projects and if something was lost, if would not affect
the entire grade.

I also had to adapt the lesson for several students since the school is a very mobile school, and
students are continuously leaving and coming into the school. I had three students transfer
during the unit and had to restructure their assignment by having them locate fewer facts.

Our district uses the Fountas and Pinnell leveling for reading, however, with this unit I did not find
it necessary to really use the leveling while planning the unit.

Overall, I enjoyed teaching this unit, and hope to tweak it for the future and use it with future
classes.
 Student Work Samples

Student 1 Citation Page Example:

Name: N/A Teacher: Miss Gutierrez
Online Sources:

Fact 1.
Calves are born in spring, weighing from 30 to 65 pounds. Calves remain with their mothers for
about one year.

Article name: Oh, give them a home

Author’s name: n/a
Date published: April 2010
Date you read the article: 11-11-10
Website address: http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/KidsInfoBits?
subTopic=Mammals&locID=kans93560&failover=0&srchtp=topic&topic=Animals&c=2&s
earchTerm=Buffalo%2B%2528Bison
%2529&ste=8&tbst=tsrch&tab=2&docNum=A227944370&bConts=39

Fact 2.
Bison are herd animals. Herd animals live in large groups called herds. Huge herds of 60 to 100
million bison once lived in North America

Article name: Bison

Author’s name: n/a
Date published: 2010
Date you read the article: 11-11-10
Website address: http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/KidsInfoBits?
subTopic=Mammals&locID=kans93560&failover=0&srchtp=topic&topic=Animals&c=3&s
earchTerm=Buffalo%2B%2528Bison
%2529&ste=6&tbst=tsrch&tab=1&docNum=BX3201348141&bConts=39

Fact 3.
Buffalo were an important Native resource. They provided the materials for food, clothing, glue,
rope, drums, shields, baby rattles, fly swatters, and other items.

Article name: Living off the land

Author’s name: N/A
Date published:  March-April 2007 
Date you read the article:12-02-2010
Website address: http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/KidsInfoBits?
subTopic=Mammals&locID=kans44498&failover=0&srchtp=topic&topic=Animals&c=4&searc
hTerm=Buffalo%2B%2528Bison
%2529&ste=8&tbst=tsrch&tab=2&docNum=A161552281&bConts=39
Opinion 1.I think they should stop killing buffalo, before the extinct !

Student 2 Power Point Slides Example:

Title Slide

Fact 2

Summary

Opinions

Fact 1

Recommendation

Student 2’s Final Product:

Right CLICK HERE to see Student 2’s

complete Video Project on
www.animoto.com.
Student Checklist/Rubric:

Name: Teacher’s Name:

In order to receive all of your points you must include the following information in your
final product. This checklist will be a tool for you keep track of what you have
finished and will also be turned in at the end for your teacher to record your grade.

Slide Information Check It Points

Off Here Earned
Slide One: Creative Title and Your Name /1
Slide Two: Summary of the Book /1
Slide Three: One Fact and Citation Included /1
(One Point Each) /1
Slide Four: One Fact and Citation Included /1
(One Point Each) /1
Slide Six: Your opinion about the book or /1
buffalos in general.
Slide Seven: OPTIONAL extra opinion /1(extra)
Slide Eight: Rating and Recommendation /1
(One Point Each) /1
Effort: /2
TOTAL: /11

Reflection:
Please share with me how you felt about our unit. What are some things you liked?
What are some things you think I should change for the future? How do you think
you personally did on the project?