Grades 4 & 5 – Gathering/Sifting & Sorting

How do I answer my question?

Library skills – locating resources in the library to answer a question.

Questioning

How do I find the best library resource for my question?

Planning

You must locate a resource that will help you answer a research question. Read your question and think of some keywords to use in your search. Be careful – keywords must be spelled correctly. (Link to list of research questions)

Gathering

Begin your search with Library Search.

Sifting/Sorting

Using Library Search and browsing the shelves, how will you determine which is the best resource?

Synthesizing

Evaluating

Reporting

Think back, what were the steps you took to locate your resource? Make a list of your steps, and share with your classmates.

Notes

• Sharing the steps that they took helps students learn from one another. The focus could be on search skills (using Library Search appropriately), or on nonfiction text features, or on evaluating resources. This lesson could be redone to focus in on any one of those skills.
• This lesson could also be done to locate resources online – World Book or NetTrekker. Focus on selecting appropriate key words.