Finding and Using Internet Information

By Sonja Brooks

- Inquiry 1 -

CEP 806 – Fall 2010

The Idea

• To investigate what first grade students look for in a website resource.

• Investigate how first grade students evaluate and use information found online.

• Utilize our science unit, weather, to conduct the inquiry.

Predictions

• The students wouldn’t have much of an idea of what a good internet resource would look like.

• Primary Grade students wouldn’t be interested in evaluating websites.

• Primary Grade students don’t have experience researching online.

The PlanPart 1

• Interview the students as a class to see what they Know or Want to Know about weather.

• Chart student responses.

• Introduce the idea of using the internet as a resource for discovering scientific information.

• Interview the students as a class to see what they think they might look for in a website that is a useful resource to learn about weather.

• Chart student responses.

The PlanPart 2

• Utilizing the SmartBoard, bring up 3 different weather websites that have been prescreened.

• Have the students review the websites using their ideas that have been charted.

• Rate the websites for their resourcefulness.

The PlanPart 3

• Revisit the charted ideas about what students would look for in a good website resource.

• What might they change about their thinking and ideas?

• What might they add to the list?

• Are some websites more valuable to them at their level than others?

DataThe Students

• 19 first grade students

• Male and Female

• Various Socio Economic Statuses.

• 15 have internet access at home

• 4 do not have internet access at home. – Those same 4 did say they do access online at friends houses,

school, and the library.

Data

This discussion got the children thinking about the topic and the vast world of information that lay before them.

Data

I asked the students what they would look for in a good online resource to find scientific information. One student mentioned a Weather Toy.

As we looked at the sites later she said that a website couldn’t have a toy, but they might have a place to order

a toy to experiment with.

Data

Using the SmartBoard we began to look at prescreened websites.

We explored the sites and the children made notes.

They rated the websites with 1 being their favorite for finding information and 3 being their least favorite.

The results were as follows:

Data

1 – Weather Channel for Kids: Fun, Interesting, Games, Videos, Pictures, Kid Friendly

2 – Weather Channel: The kids had heard of it before, it was like the channel on TV, but they thought their parents might like it better. It was too hard to read.

3 – Accu Weather: The radar was cool but the site seemed too adult. Lots of reading, no games, not enough pictures. The reading is too hard.

Data

The children said they would learn a lot from Weather Channel for Kids by using the interactive

features. They admitted that they would just click around on the other sites not reading anything.

“The other sites were just too grown-up.” “It needs to be interesting and fun to learn something!”

Data

After we explored and evaluated the websites I asked the students some follow up questions.

• Is there anything you would add to your thinking? • What might you add to the list you made? • Are some websites more valuable to you as a learner?

Why?

Patterns in Data• The primary children found websites with interactive

features to be the most useful.

• Even the “grown-up” websites had features such as radar and weather forecasting that made them useful for the children.

• The Weather Channel and the Weather Channel for Kids were most appealing to the children not only for their features and appearance, but also because of the familiar name. Many children brought up the fact that they are used to watching the weather channel on TV.

Patterns in DataIn Comparison to Other Group Member’s Inquiry Results

• Both age groups found a way to gather and use the information even though the text was too difficult.– Trish Carlson’s 6th Graders used the pictures along with the captions on

sites that appeared to be too difficult.– My 1st Graders used the radar and pictures from the “grown-Up”

weather sites.• Personalization

– After finishing my initial inquiry I introduced checking the weather at their chosen #1 site daily and keeping track of temperature and types of weather. The children are excited to use the information to make a personal connection to their lives.

– William Cain, High School Teacher, also talked of personalizing his inquiry on Water Usage to make it more meaningful to his students.It seems that no matter the age group, a strong Purpose/Connection is a big factor in internalizing information.

Insights and Ideas• Primary Students have a good understanding of what

can be done on the internet.

• The first graders hadn’t thought about some websites being better than others for them as learners.

• They were already aware that an adult should prescreen sites for safety, so the idea of screening a site for quality information made a lot sense to them.

• How might the children evaluate 2 different websites that contained the same informational text, but had different appearances?

Reflecting on Predictions

Thoughts Prior to the inquiry:

• The students wouldn’t have much of an idea of what a good internet resource would look like.

• Primary Grade students wouldn’t be interested in evaluating websites.

Reflecting on Predictions

Critical Observations:

• The children were extremely interested and excited to explore websites.

• Children took the lead from me and sustained conversation with each other as they talked about what they saw.

• I was able to listen in for a while as they discovered and explored together.

• The students had a lot to say about each of the websites. They were extremely critical and opinionated.

• The students leaned toward the 2 websites with the familiar names. (The Weather Channel)

Reflecting on Predictions

New Ideas:

• Children are often underestimated a lot even when it comes to technology.

• My students were able to have a meaningful conversation about using internet resources.

• When we do our animal unit the children must write a non-fiction text about an animal of their choice. I won’t be skeptical of using internet for research with the young students.

• The students have an opinion about good resources and are able to navigate kids friendly sites to gather information.