TITLE: Research via multi media resource stations
AUTHOR: Becky Duffy, Daly Middle School, Lakeview, OR
GRADE LEVEL: 7 - 9; Global studies
OVERVIEW: Middle school students need to experience the
research process. If you can put them in pairs and give them
a computer program, then so much the better. This
particular activity was designed for social study students
to research and present information on Africa without
writing a paper.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will be able to
1) Follow a set of instructions
2) Extract information from various multi media resource
stations
3) Present information via note cards, graphs, a written
paper or maps
4) Note the bibliographic data
5) Compare and contrast data with fellow classmates.
6) Prepare a bibliography
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Bibliography of resources included.
Worksheet included.
Students will need 3 X 5 notecards, notebook paper, white
paper, a protractor, a compass, and colored pencils.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1) Each student is assigned a country in Africa.
2) Working in pairs they report to no less than six
stations to gather data.
3) At each station are instructions on how to gather
information from that resource. As a pair they learn
how to use the resource.
4) Each student extracts the station's data based on each
student's individual country. For example, student A
is assigned Kenya. At station one there is a computer
CD ROM program set to the main menu. From the menu,
the pair pull up Kenya; they find the percentage of
male and female AIDS cases, the male and female
literacy rate and the male and female calories
consumed. Student A notes the information on a 3 X 5
note card. They exit to the menu and pull up Student
B's country and answer the same questions. He notes
the information also. They exit to the main menu.
5) Each writes on note cards the bibliographic data from
the example and then move to the next available
station. Each station requires different skills.
The following are the stations:
Station 1 Indicate the percentage of male and female
AIDS cases, calories consumed and literacy
rate.
Station 2 List the 5 top natural resources.
Station 3 List 3 to 5 facts each about the climate
and the soil.
Station 4 Note the main and minority religions and
give the percentages for each.
Station 5 Trace a map of the country and label the
cities.
Station 6 Label the ethnic groups on the map.
Station 7 Draw a circle graph and represent the
labor force percentages.
Station 8 Find the current leader and tell how
he/she came to power.
Station 9 Give three to five sentences each about
three points of natural interests.
Station 10 Locate several current events in the
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature
and write a one page single space paper
updating the status of the country.
Station 11 Locate the current population and one fact
each about three different cities in the
country.
Station 12 Note the type of government and describe
in three to five sentences.
Station 13 Label by color on the map the population
density; don't forget a legend.
The assignment takes about four to five 40 minute periods in
the library and one in class to collate the information
gathered. Depending on the availability of stations, some
students may need to schedule to use the library at
alternative times. This causes a problem with pairs, but
students peer tutored when this problem arose. For the final
assignment the students are to include a
bibliography of resources used. At the final presentation
the students compare and contrast the information gathered.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: The students thoroughly enjoyed the
assignment. Most of the students ended up working for a B,
because the five computer programs were not all required.
STUDENT NAME: COUNTRY NAME:
_________________________________________________________
S Title of Date to be I D O I N C
t Resource extracted n a r n e i
a f t g f a t
t o e a o t a
i n n t
o F D i C e i
n o u z o s o
r e a n s n
m t t
a i e
t o n
* n t
_________________________________________________________
1 World Atlas Percentage N
M&F AIDS/
calories/
literacy
2 The New Top five N
Grolier natural
Electronic resources
Encyclopedia
3 Illustrated Climate/soil N
Encyclopedia
4 Compton's Religion - N
Multi-Media percentage -
Encyclopedia main and
minority
5 Maps on File Trace map of M
country/label
cities and
rivers
6 People of Label the N
the World ethnic
groups
on the map
7 The World Represent G
Almanac and labor force
Book of in a circle
Facts 1992 graph
8 The Current N
Statesman's leader/how
Year-Book did he/she
Statistical... come to power
9 World Nature 3 points of N
Encyclopedia natural
interest, ie
parks, rivers,
mountains, etc.
3-5 sentences
each
10 Reader's 1 page single P
Guide to spaced current
Periodical event update
Literature update
11 Lands and Population/1 N
People of fact about
Africa 3 cities
12 World Fact Type of N
File government/
3-5 sentence
brief
description
13 The Marshall Population M
Cavendish New density
Illustrated labeled by
Encyclopedia... color on map
**********
A = Ten stations to include stations 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13,
plus 4 of your choice.
B = Eight stations to include stations 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13
plus 2 of your choice.
C = Seven stations to include stations 3, 5, 7, 10, and 3
of your choice.
D = Six stations to include stations 2, 5, 7, 13, and 2 of
your choice.
# ALL research projects will include a bibliography.
# ALL information will be recorded along with
bibliographic data on note cards, maps, graphs, or a
sheet of paper.
# The library will be open during lunch and possibly
after school.
* Info format
N = note cards
M = map
G = graph
P = page of paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Name of Country,"
Lands and People of Africa, Vol 1 (1992), pp. of
country.
Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Name of Article,"
Name of Magazine, Vol. ? (Date of magazine), pp. of
article.
Beami, Laura, and Francesco Dessi. "Name of Country," World
Nature Encyclopedia The Africa Savanna. Milwaukee:
Raintree Publishers, 1989, pp. of country.
Catalisano, Adelaide, and Bruno Massa. "Name of Country,"
World Nature Encyclopedia The Sahara Desert. Milwaukee:
Raintree Publishers, 1989, pp. of country.
Daturi, Augusta, and Carol Violani. "Name of Country," World
Nature Encyclopedia Southern Africa. Milwaukee:
Raintree Publishers, 1989, pp. of country.
East, Roger, and the Staff of CIRCA Reference. "Name of
country ...Constitution and Government," World Fact
File. New York: Facts on File, 1990, pp. of country.
Fornasari, Lorenzo, and Anja Roese. "Name of Country," World
Nature Encyclopedia Waters of Africa. Milwaukee:
Raintree Publishers, 1989, pp. of country.
Hoffman, Mark S. (ed.). "Name of Country... Economy... Labor
Force," The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1992. New
York: World Almanac, 1991, pp. of country.
Jones, Emrys. (ed.). "Name of Country," The Marshall
Cavendish New Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World and
Its People. Vol ? (1986), pp. of country.
Moss, Joyce, and George Wilson. "Name of Country," People of
the World the Middle East and North Africa. Detroit:
Gale Research inc., 1991, pp. of country.
Moss, Joyce, and George Wilson. "Name of Country," People of
the World Africans South of the Sahara. Detroit: Gale
Research inc., 1991, pp. of country.
"Name of Country," Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia.
Britannica Software, 1991, CD ROM 81391.
"Name of Country," Maps on File. New York: Facts on File,
1991, p. 1.---.
"Name of Country," The New Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia.
USA: Grolier Incorporated, 1991, CD ROM.
Pandolfi, Massimo. "Name of Country," World Nature
Encyclopedia Equatorial Africa. Milwaukee: Raintree
Publishers, 1989, pp. of country.
Paxton, John. (ed.) "Name of Country," The Statesman's Year-
Book Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of
the World for the Year 1990-1991. New York: St.
Martin's Press, 1990, pp. of country.
Software Toolworks. "Name of Country," Illustrated
Encyclopedia. Novato: Software Toolworks, 1991, CD ROM.
Software Toolworks. "Name of Country," World Atlas. Novato:
Software Toolworks, 1991, CD ROM 1005800.
"Title of Article," Name of Magazine, Vol ? (Date of
magazine), pp. of article.
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