Title of Unit

Surfing and Fishing on the World Wide Web

Grade Level

6th 8th grades

Standards: BCS-CMW-12. Students will demonstrate the ability to search for information and evaluate search results. a. Demonstrate basic searching techniques using Internet search engines. b. Use logic and set operators to refine a search. c. Evaluate search results with respect to relevance, reliability, and credibility. QCC-Technology Integration-16. Uses technology and telecommunications tools to locate, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, apply, and communicate information. Understandings: Students will understand that: 1. How to use a search engine? 2. What logic and set operators to use to get optimum results in searching? 3. The source they are using is reliable? Related Misconceptions: One search engine is better than another Using logic and set operators are useless Just because its on the Internet, it is true.

Essential Questions: 1. What search engine to use? 2. Is your source reliable? 3. Does using operators make a difference in your search?

Overarching Questions: 1. Which search engine should you use? 2. How do you know your source is reliable? 3. Why are operators used?

Topical Questions: 1. Is your source reliable? 2. Does using operators make a difference in your search? 3. Is there more than more than one reliable source for your topic?

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences

Week 1 1. Begin with an entry question (Is everything you read on the Internet true?) to get the students thinking about the information they read on the Internet. H 2. Introduce the Essential Questions and discuss the unit activities (Fact or Fiction and All About (topic of choice)!). W 3. Give a pretest about pre-existing knowledge of searching the Internet. (True/False) (See Appendix B) E 4. Key Vocabulary Terms are introduced as needed by the discussions, learning activities and performance task. E 5. Show a brief video podcast to introduce the information needed to complete the assignment. E 6. Introduce characteristics of reliable and unreliable resources on the Internet. E 7. Working in pairs, the students will complete the steps in the Sacramento States Internet Masters of Technology programs Searching for Reliable Resources activity. (See Appendix A) E2

Week 2

1. Begin the week, with a review of what was gone over and learned thus far in the unit. R, E2 2. Key Vocabulary Terms to introduce logic and set operators. E 3. Teacher models how to use logic and set operators when searching on the Internet. E

4. Explain more in detail Fact or Fiction performance task. W 5. Working independently, students will complete Fact or Fiction newspaper performance task. E

Week 3

1. 2. 3. 4.

Review what students have learned so far in the unit. R, E2 Go over more in detail All About (chosen subject)! brochure. W Students submit subject they would like to do their brochure on. H Students work independently on their brochure; searching the Internet using the techniques they have learned during the unit. E2, T 5. Students will each present their brochure to the class. T 6. Conclude the unit with a class discussion of what the students have learned. T

Notes to the Instructor See Appendix for pretest and sources.

Appendix A
Dodge, Bernie. Seven Steps to Better Searching. San Diego State University College of Education. July 8, 1999. 11 July 2011. <http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/searching/sevensteps. htm> Roys, Kristina, Samantha McLeod, and Koreen Gonzales. "Reliable Resources." WELCOME TO IMET. Sacremento State University, n.d. Web. 12 July 2011. <http://imet.csus.edu/imet5/koreen/284/index.htm>

Appendix B Unit Pretest True/False

1. A search engine is an application that searches for, and

2. 3. 4. 5.

retrieves, data based on some criteria, especially one that searches the Internet for documents containing specified words. All information on the Internet is true. When using a search engine, the best result is the first website listed. Google is the only search engine on the Internet. And and Or are logic operators.