The Big6 Goes Primary!: Teaching Information and Communications Technology Skills in Grades K-3 »

Learn all you need to know in this powerhouse book about teaching and implementing The Big6 in grades K - 3!

Find developmentally appropriate lessons and methods for teaching the Big6 process to young learners in grades K-3

Use the Cool Tools for implementing the Big6-like graphic organizers, note taking methods, bookmarks and posters in English and Spanish

Divided into 3 helpful parts, this resource includes guiding questions, state and national standards, evaluation guides and advice for using puppets to engage students.

Written by a world-renowned Big6 trainer, this thoughtful yet practical guide is for educators who want to use the tried-and-true Big6 method with young students. It includes both information about Big6 and its effectiveness in teaching information literacy and communications technology skills, plus the added bonus of actual tools that are ready to use in the library or classroom. This is a seminal work on using the Big6 with young learners.

Table of Figures vii

About the Author viii

Introduction ix

Learning to Read x

Academic Standards for Information and Communications Technology Skills x

The Big6 xi

What Is Included xii

Works Cited xiv

Part 1 The Big6 and Early Learners 1

Chapter 1 Overview of the Big6 3

Guiding Questions 3

The Big6 Process and Skills 4

The Levels of the Big6 4

Level 1 The Conceptual Level 4

Level 2 The Big6 4

Level 3 The Big6 Component Skills-The Little 12 5

Understanding Process 7

The Big6 Primary Version 8

Other Uses of the Primary Version of the Big6 8

Comparing the Versions of the Big6 Skills 10

Translating to the Regular Version of the Big6 10

The Big6 Skills Explained for Early Learners 10

1 Task Definition-What Do We Need to Do? 13

Define the Problem and Identify the Information Needed 13

2 Information Seeking Strategies-What Can We Use to Find What We Need? 15

Determine All Possible Sources and Select the Best Ones 15

3 Location and Access-Where Can We Find What We Need? 16

Locate Sources and Find Information within Sources 16

4 Use of Information-What Information Can We Use? 18

Engage (e.g., Read, Hear, View, Touch) and Take Out Needed Information 18

5 Synthesis-How Can We Show What We Learned? 20

Organize Information and Present Results 20

6 Evaluation-How Will We Know If We Did Well? 21

Judge the Result and Process 21

Using the Big6 23

The Big6 and Super3 23

Works Cited 23

Chapter 2 Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Information and Communications Technology Skills for Early Learners 25

Guiding Questions 25

Developmentally Appropriate Practices with the Big6 26

Accomplishments of Early Learners26

Kindergarten Accomplishments 27

First Grade Accomplishments 28

Second Grade Accomplishments 30

Third Grade Accomplishments 31

Movement and Playacting 32

Technology and Young Learners 32

Scope and Sequence of Information and Communications Strategy Technology (ICT) Skills 33

Assessing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Skills 37

Works Cited 37

Chapter 3 Meeting the Needs of All Students 39

Guiding Questions 39

Collaboration Among Educators 40

Differentiating Instruction 43

Interactive Writing/Sharing the Pen 46

Developing Culturally Responsive Big6 Activities 47

Works Cited 47

Part 2 The Big6 For Early Learners Explained and Implemented 49

Activities for Introducing the Big6 Concept 50

Chapter 4 Big6 #1 What Do We Need to Do? 51

Guiding Questions 51

Introducing Strategies for Big6 #1 What Do We Need to Do? 52

Getting Started: Planning 52

1 Identifying the Content Objectives in Which Students Will Engage 52

2 Creating an Information Problem and Overarching Question Based on the Content Objectives 52

Delivering Instruction 54

1 Helping Students Determine the Task and Information Needed 54

2 Determining Information Needed to Do the Task 55

3 Reviewing the Task 56

Additional Strategies for Big6 #1 56

Teaching Young Learners about the Concept of Information 56

Teaching Primary Students How to Brainstorm 57

Showing the Importance of the Task 58

Works Cited 58

Chapter 5 Big6 #2 What Can We Use to Find What We Need? 59

Guiding Questions 59

Introducing Strategies for Big6 #2 What Can We Use to Find What We Need? 59

Getting Started: Planning 59

Nonreaders, Emerging Readers, or Whole Class Activities 60

New Readers 60

Delivering Instruction 60

Additional Strategies for Big6 #2 61

Choosing between a Book and an Encyclopedia 61

Using the Process of Exclusion to Teach Second and Third Graders How to Develop a List of Sources 62

Awareness of Web Evaluation 63

Works Cited 63

Chapter 6 Big6 #3 Where Can We Find What We Need? 65

Guiding Questions 65

Introducing Strategies for Big6 #3 Where Can We Find What We Need? 66

Getting Started: Planning 66

Delivering Instruction 66

Additional Strategies for Big6 #3 66

Locating Sources for Nonreaders and Emerging Readers 66

Information Stations 66

Using Children's Subscription Databases 68

Locating Sites on the Free Web 68

More Ideas for Locating Sources 69

Accessing an Article within an Encyclopedia Volume 69

Identifying Keywords and Related Words 71

Using the Structure of Expository Texts (Essential Points of Access) to Find Information within a Source 71

Navigating a Web Page 72

Work Cited 72

Chapter 7 Big6 #4 What Information Can We Use? 73

Guiding Questions 73

Introducing Strategies for Big6 #4 What Information Can We Use? 74

Getting Started: Planning 74

Delivering Instruction 74

Additional Strategies for Big6 #4 74

Teaching Observation Skills for Recording Notes from Objects 74

Listening with a Purpose: Reading Aloud to Young Children from Books and Online Sources Using the Collaborative Note Taking Method 77

Viewing and Listening with a Purpose: Using Video and Audio Recordings 78

Taking Notes with Big6 Buddies 78

Learning from Guest Speakers 79

Taking Notes the Trash and Treasure Way 79

Note Taking Organizers 80

Word Wall 80

Data Chart 81

Note Taking Boxes 83

Note Taking Folder 84

Note Taking Using Kidspiration 84

Citing Sources at Point of Use 85

Works Cited 85

Chapter 8 Big6 #5 How Can We Show What We Learned? 87

Guiding Questions 87

Introducing Strategies for Big6 #5 How Can We Show What We Learned? 87

Getting Started: Planning 87

Delivering Instruction 88

Additional Strategies and Considerations for Big6 #5 88

Simple Ideas for Showing Results 88

Individual Booklet 88

Class Book 89

Oral Presentations 89

Showing Results While Learning Transferable Skills 89

Going Beyond Information Found in Sources 90

Understanding Copyright and Plagiarism 91

Giving Credit to Sources 91

Providing an Audience for Student Efforts 92

Works Cited 92

Chapter 9 Big6 #6 How Will We Know If We Did Well? 93

Guiding Questions 93

Introducing Strategies for Big6 #6 How Will We Know If We Did Well? 94

Getting Started: Planning 94

Delivering Instruction 95

Examples of Evaluation Guides 96

Part 3 Strategies for Implementation 101

Individual, Small Group, and Whole Class Instruction 101

Big6 Buddies 102

Chapter 10 Integrating the Big6 across the K-3 Curriculum 107

Guiding Questions 107

The Big6 and State Academic Standards for Grades K-3 107

Using Puppets, the Big6 Song, and the Big6 Poem to Engage Young Learners 114

Getting Started with Puppets 114

More Puppet Tips 117

Using the Big6 Song and the Big6 Poem 117

The Big6 Song 118

The Big6 Poem 119

Integrating the Big6 in Content Areas: Lesson Plans 120

Lesson Plan: Going Batty 121

Lesson Plan: Old MacDonald's Farm 124

Lesson Plan: Life in Columbus's Day 131

Lesson Plan: Promotional Campaign 136

Chapter 11 Literature Appreciation, Storytelling, and the Big6 141

Guiding Questions 141

Literature Studies through Read Aloud 142

Biographies 142

Animal Stories 145

Author Studies 145

Award Winners 146

The Randolph Caldecott Medal 146

Coretta Scott King Author Award and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 149

Oral Storytelling 151

Considerations for Choosing Appropriate Stories 155

Strategies for Implementation 155

Using the Big6 to Develop an Oral Story 157

Sharing Stories 158

Chapter 12 Using the Big6 to Learn about the School Library 159

Guiding Questions 159

Caring for Books and the Big6 160

Arrangement of the School Library 161

Finding Picture Books by the First Letter of the Author's Name 162

Shelf Arrangement for Dewey Decimal Classification 163

Appendix A Primary Poster 166

Appendix B Primary Poster in Spanish 167

Appendix C Bookmarks 168

Appendix D Spanish Bookmarks 169

Appendix E Primary Big6 Research Journal 170

Appendix F Writing Process Organizer for Grades 2-3 180

Appendix G Instructional Unit Planning Guide for Primary Grades 183

Appendix H Evaluating Units of Instruction 187

Index 191