Finding the Center of the Maze

Teaching Pre K-8, Nov/Dec 2004 by Swartz, Elizabeth

Discovering the answer to a research question requires clever navigation through many types of source materials

I like to think of research as finding my way through a maze where the question lies along the outside edge and the unknown "nugget" of information I seek is nestled in the center. Reference materials might send me on a left turn, a right turn or even down a dead end!

Before our students are ready to begin conducting research on their own, they need solid instruction in how to use the reference materials in your school library. If your students need this background, I find it helpful to do large group work followed by learning station activities that provide fun practice with almanacs, atlases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc. It's important to provide practice both with print and online resources. Students also need to be well-versed in your school library's catalog system. Once you've covered the basics, you're ready to take your class into the wonderful world of research where new discoveries will fascinate them.

Start with the basics. It's a good idea to provide a structure for students to follow. I have my students begin with the dictionary. I find it vital for students to understand exactly what they are researching. Another day I encourage the kids to look for facts in atlases, and another, facts in almanacs, then details in encyclopedias and information online.

I find the most difficult part of teaching research to elementary students is the "re-" part. They want to find their answer in the first book they pick up. So we talk about that prefix "re-," which means they'll have to search again and again to find the answer! That fact is stressed by my requirement that each reference type on the reproducible checklist needs to be searched.

Using the reproducible. I have students write their research question outside the maze, near the entrance arrow. Then I check off each reference material as it is used, requiring them to search all the sources even if they think they found the answer in the first source. After all have been searched, the students color-code the best reference by highlighting the question, the answer "nugget" and the best reference in the same color.

In these beginning stages, I don't require bibliographic information because we're all using the same sources spread out on library tables. While teaching process, the ongoing assessment deals only with that process. After the basic skills have been taught and practiced, then it's time to move across the curriculum and allow the children to use these new skills to complete a science, history or English report.

IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts: #7

Students conduct research on issues and interests. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources.

Elizabeth Swartz is librarian at Watsontown Elementary School and Turbotuille Elementary School in PA.