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Elementary Activity

Recognizing the need for information, knowing where to find the information, and knowing how to make use of that information are information literacy skills. With the overwhelming amount of information available today, students need a process to use when seeking and applying information. These process skills when taught in a K-12 scope and sequence will foster information literate students. Information literacy skills replace the traditional "library skills" with a generic problem solving approach rather than a location and access approach. The process approaches real-world problems that the student may recognize, ranging from selecting a movie to attend on Friday night to researching and writing a thesis paper. Information literacy reflects the ability to recognize when one needs information, where to find the information, how to evaluate the information, and how to use the information.
Big6©

The Big6©, developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz at Syracuse University, offers a problem-solving approach to teaching information literacy skills. The Big6© skills to be mastered are

1. Task definition

Define the problem
Identify the information needed

2. Information seeking strategies

Brainstorm all possible sources
Select the best sources

3. Location and access

Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
Find information within sources

4. Use of information

Engage (read, hear, view)
Extract relevant information

5. Synthesis

Organize information from various sources
Present the result

6. Evaluation

Judge the result (effectiveness)
Judge the process (efficiency)

These skills are most effective when integrated into the curriculum and relevant to the real-world problems of students. The skills can be taught and applied in a variety of curriculum areas - this is not only an English skill. Recognizing that not every skill will be taught in every lesson, with careful attention to a continuum and with careful monitoring of assignments, students will receive instruction in all information literacy skills.

The Resourceful Researchers project was designed to implement information literacy skills on such a continuum for grades 4, 6, and 9.

BIG6Ó CHECKLIST for Resourceful Researchers

	Task definition	Information seeking strategies	Location and access	Use of information	Synthesis	Evaluation
Grade 4	T	T, S	S	S	S	T, S
Grade 6	T, L	L	S	S	S	T, L
Grade 9	L, S	L	S	S	S	L, S

T= Teacher L = Librarian S = Student

The PUSD librarians met in June 1997 to identify the information literacy skills that had been included in the Language Arts Academic Standards. These along with the Big6Ó model were used in the Resourceful Researchers project. The Year One evaluation will reflect a developmental change as, for example, these fourth graders receive additional instruction and practice in information literacy.

RESOURCEFUL RESEARCHERS TOOLS CONTINUUM

	Grade 4	Grade 6	Grade 9
CatalogPlus	B	D	P
Encyclopedia, atlas, almanac	B	D
Electronic encyclopedia	B
CD-ROM			B
Course specific software
Internet search	B - D	B	D - P
Internet site evaluation		B
Citing sources	B	B	D
Full-text magazine database: E-Library Wilson Reader's Guide			B
SIRS			B
Textbook	B

B = Beginning D = Developing P = Proficient

RESOURCES

BIG6 http://www.big6.com/

ERIC http://ericir.syr.edu/

PATHWAYS TO KNOWLEDGE http://www.pathwaysmodel.com

THORNBERG CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CENTER
http://www.schoolibrary.org/dhs/sevenlay/