You will choose or be assigned one of the following roles:
**Large chart paper will be needed.
Explore the following resources and use your journal to keep track of what you learn. Pay close attention to details about your specific role, but also record important information that will be helpful to your whole group. Make note of any areas where sources give different information or make different claims. Use this checklist as you work on your journal.
**If students have little previous experience with analyzing a source for viewpoint or intent of the author, this would be a good opportunity to collaborate with your media specialist on a mini-lesson.
**During this section, students will need to have a significant block of time (around five one-hour sessions) during which to explore the provided electronic resources and take notes. If you have access to a large computer lab where all students can work simultaneously, this would be ideal. (The use of headphones is recommended, since some of the websites have audio features.) You may also want to provide opportunities for follow-up work, since some students may not have access to computers outside the school.
**The resource sections ask students to search the Grolier Online Encyclopedias available through the Monroe County Public Library's website at http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/databases/researchtools.html. A library card number is necessary for access. Use of these encyclopedias is not required, but would provide a useful comparison to the website sources, since encyclopedias are usually assumed to be "neutral" and authoritative sources of information. If one computer terminal could be logged into the Grolier Online encyclopedias using the teacher's library card, students could take turns using it. Print encyclopedias could easily be used instead if this arrangement is not feasible.
**If Kidspiration or a similar drawing program is not available, students could easily create a web on paper.
Meet with your group to share what you have learned.
**Students may need more time at this point to return to the Internet sources for clarification or more information.
**The questions from the two resource pages are intended to help guide the discussion, but are certainly not the only ones that could be used. Allow the students on the panel to pose questions to one another and involve the audience as well.
**A videocamera will be required. If one is unavailable, other students could be invited to watch the "talk show" in person.
Discussion Rules
Extensions
Present these activities to precocious students: