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About this Kit | Using the Resources in this Kit | Creating Units

How to integrate Resource Kit activities into exisiting lessons

About this Kit

The first attempt at finding information is seldom sufficient. It usually takes a number of queries or clicks to obtain the right information. We describe this as Homing In: taking a series of steps that moves a search successively closer to its target.

Homing In involves a fairly complex process. A fluent searcher scans and skims snippets and text, paying close attention to clues in the search results. The objective is to build a stronger query or to choose more relevant links. The meaning of words found must constantly be compared to the words in the search challenge. This is especially hard because the searcher often cannot think of the right words to use--they have to be discovered.

This Kit describes how to improve homing in abilities. Topics include:

• Scanning snippets and text effectively

• Methods for locating keywords efficiently

• Finding better keywords in snippets

• Characteristics of words that make them powerful keywords

Using the Resources in this Kit

Resources suited for stand-alone applications

• Timed Search Challenges (While there are no timed search challenges just for this competency, any of the following may be used to reinforce the concept of homing in)

• • Action Zone: 2007 Pump Price Challenge (Self-guided) -- Retrieve a table with the specified data.

  • Action Zone: 2005 Pump Price Challenge (Self-guided) -- Retrieve an older table.

  • The Buffalo Challenge (Self-guided) -- Find the number of buffalo living in North America today.

  • Action Zone: Piranhas (Self-guided) -- Find a fish other than piranhas that is a threat to humans in the Amazon.

  • Action Zone: Earthquake Toy (Self-guided) -- Find a toy that models construction principles that can reduce damage from earthquakes.

  • Action Zone: Blue Diamond (Self-guided) -- Find the name of a famous diamond that glows red when exposed to UV rays.

  • Action Zone: Lego Builder's Challenge (Self-guided) -- Find the names of the winners in a master builder competition.




• Tutorials

• • QuickPick: Better Keywords (Teacher-facilitated) -- A quick guide to understanding and identifying hyponyms and hypernyms.

  • QuickPick: The Find Command (Teacher-facilitated) -- How to use this browser tool to scan for keywords.

  • Synonyms (Self-guided) -- This MicroModule explains how synonyms are essential for searching.

  • Hyper- and Hypo- Nyms (Self-guided) -- This MicroModule explains how these types of synonyms are useful for searching.

  • Nyms: How Lesser Known Nyms Help You Improve a Search (Self-guided) -- This MicroModule extends the discussion begun in Hyper- and Hypo-Nyms.

• Action Zone Learning Games

• • Gold Rush (Self-guided) -- Four interactive tutorial games that provide graded scanning challenges with snippets and paragraphs. Timed and untimed versions are available; reading levels grades 5 through 12.

  • Snowsport II: finding nyms in snippets (Self-guided) -- Identifying better keywords in two snippets.

  • Snowsport III: choosing nyms carefully (Self-guided) -- An advanced level game to build optimal queries based on characteristics of words (specificity, redundancy, numeracy, frequency of occurrence).

  • Soccer II: finding effective search words (Self-guided) -- Using a thesaurus to find better search words.

  • Soccer III: finding nyms in snippets (Self-guided) -- Identifying better keywords in two snippets.

  • Soccer IV: hypernyms, synonyms and hyponyms (Self-guided) -- This game tests for understanding of word meanings in context, i.e., which words are more general or more specific.

  • Snippet Sleuth: Great Wall (Self-guided) -- This game provides practice reading snippets to find keywords that aid in Homing In.

  • Snippet Sleuth: Funny Girl (Self-guided) -- This game provides practice reading snippets to find keywords that aid in Homing In.

  • Snippet Sleuth: Action Figure (Self-guided) -- This game provides practice reading snippets to find keywords that aid in Homing In.

• Assessment

• • Using Search Logs (Teacher-facilitated) -- Refer to the user's guide for ideas on creating manual search logs for reflection on the search process.
  

Resources suited for sequences

When time permits more than one activity, combine activities into sequences for more powerful effects.

The Internet Challenge Model I (Challenge - Tutorial - Challenge)

1. Start with the Buffalo Challenge to encourage awareness of the need to refine a search.	2. Follow this with either the QuickPick: Better Keywords and one or more of the following: Snowsports II, Soccer II or III or any Snippet Sleuth.	3. Conclude with the Earthquake Toy Challenge to allow students an opportunity to find better keywords in search results. Compare timed search challenge experiences.

The Internet Challenge Model II (Challenge - Tutorial Game - Challenge)

1. Start with theBuffalo Challenge to encourage awareness of the need to refine a search.	2. If students have difficulty scanning snippets or paragraphs, provide an opportunity to play one or more of the Gold Rush games.	3. Conclude with the Earthquake Toy Challenge to allow students an opportunity to find better keywords in search results. Compare timed search challenge experiences.

A shorter option includes using one of the tutorials either preceded or followed by a timed Search Challenge or the Assessment.

Longer options include using more of the tutorials or sequencing activities following this pattern: Challenge - Tutorial - Challenge - Tutorial - Challenge.

Creating Units

For information on creating larger units in which materials from this Kit are embedded, see Creating Units.