H. Use reference materials

Examples: encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, almanac, telephone book, thesaurus, Internet, subject related text, newspaper

Bear Facts Unit
Students research bears and keep a bear journal.

Adventures In Nonfiction: A Guided Inquiry Journey
Students are guided through an informal exploration of nonfiction texts and child-oriented Web sites, learning browsing and skimming techniques for the purpose of gathering interesting information.  

Grandfather's Journey
This unit is designed as an extension of the 1994 Caldecott Award winner Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say. It is organized to be used over two to three weeks by individual or pairs of children. Some content may need the reading assistance of a teacher, aide, cross-age, or peer tutor. The reading of Grandfather's Journey is necessary for background information.  Students will use the Internet through this cyberguide.

Dearest Ant
This module can be used as a culminating activity after reading the book Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg and the article contained in the module called Worker Ants.

In Other Words: Using a Thesaurus
This lesson is a learning center activity to reinforce lessons on using a thesaurus and on synonyms.
 

Net's Best for Research:  Websites for getting started on research.

Reference Resources Online:  A list of sites that include online dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs, telephone directories, and Internet searches to locate information. Also learn about primary sources and where to find them.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: Free online dictionary and thesaurus

Brush Up Those Study Skills: An On-Line Scavenger Hunt:  Almanac Skills with printable worksheet.  Select Teacher Master 1.

Digging Into the Dictionary:  Use alphabetical order to locate information in a dictionary, glossary, encyclopedia, and automated/card catalog. This is a 2nd grade lesson plan.

Online Student Dictionary:  Also Daily Buzzword- a Great Vocabulary Builder from Merriam-Webster

Reference materials activities page:  Activities to help students learn to select and use a variety of reference materials.

Suggestions for English Language Learners (ELLs):
(E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding)

E/B: Identify title pages, chapter headings, and illustrations with gestures (i.e. pointing) or simple spoken words or phrases.
E/B: Identify characters and setting nonverbally (i.e.gestures, pictures, charts, graphic organizers) or with simple spoken words or phrases.
E/B: Follow one-step written instructions with some assistance and one-to-two-step oral instructions.

E/B: Create a pictorial main idea diagram as you verbalize the parts. Draw the diagram both ways, with the details "adding up" to the main idea and vice versa. Have students point to the main idea in both diagrams; D, E: Have small groups review a topic they've learned in class (i.e. Community workers). Model creating a main idea diagram for one of the workers. Then have students make a main idea diagram about another worker. Invite groups to share their diagrams with the class.
E/B: Identify title pages, chapter headings, and illustrations with gestures (i.e. pointing) or simple spoken words, phrases or sentences; D: Use features of text, including table of contents, chapter headings, and index, to locate most information in text; E: Use features of text, including table of contents, chapter headings, glossary, and index, to locate information in text.
E/B: Identify the main events and some details in an informational text and express with simple spoken or written sentences; D: Identify the main events and some details in an informational text and express with simple spoken and written sentences; E: Identify the main idea and most of its supporting details in an informational text.
E/B: Use prior knowledge of given topic to enhance understanding of reading material that is illustratively supported and express with simple spoken or written sentences; D: Use prior knowledge of given topic to enhance understanding of reading material and express with simple spoken and written sentences.
E/B: Identify setting and main characters from simple, illustratively supported literature and express with simple spoken or written sentences; D: Identify setting, main characters, main events, and conflicts and express with simple spoken and written sentences; E: Understand significant information in text that includes setting, characters, main events, and conflicts.
E/B: Follow one-to-two-step oral or written instructions; D: Follow two-to-three-step written instructions; E: Follow most multi-step oral and written instructions with minimal assistance.
E: Make and confirm predictions about content presented in a text.
 

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