Does your school do a "guaranteed research experience"?

[Juliann Moskowitz]

I posted this question on LM_NET but have not recieved any responses. In case your school calls it something else, a GRE is a long term project that the teacher and librarian create together. During the project, the librarian teaches the students all the necessary library skills to do research. The point or the project is to "guarantee" that there is a point in the year when the kids will learn these skills.
We are thinking of doing something like this in my school and I wanted to see how others did it. Thanks!

[Marie Slim]

We do not. Wish we did. Please let me know if you receive any information on such a thing. Would be invaluable!

Marie Slim
LMT, Troy HS
Fullerton, CA

[Pam Huff]

This is something that I am trying to figure out as well. This is my second year at my school, and I am finding that the students are woefully lacking in information literacy skills and the teachers at this level seem to assume the students know what they are doing as far as research goes.

We are having articulation meetings this Friday between the high school and the junior high (small district, one of each level school) and I will let you know what if anything we are able to get started--even at the discussion stage. Good luck on your end as well.

[Juliann Moskowitz]

Thanks. I've received only one reply so far and it wasn't very detailed.

[Wendy]

Hi,

We have Friday's off after Christmas break. One English teacher didn't want to change his lesson pace before Christmas (5 days) Thus, he would have students visit the library and check out a book and learn something to do with research, every two to three weeks. Sometimes a specific lesson would be directly related to an activity the next week. Sometimes worksheets were given and students did webquests. For example, one week students did a web quest on Americana (you could use filamentality/4teachers.org) I introduced them to Son of Citation machine so they could cite their source. I think one of the first lessons was an introduction to the Son of Citation machine because he wanted to make sure students were citing their sources.

Another model - teacher used the National Geographic to assist students in finding a topic. Then each week students came in and researched the topic via Encyclopedias, books, Reader's Guide, databases, then Internet search with suggested sites. Sites would change - Library of Congress, PBS, History Channel, and eventually let them loose by explaining the difference between directories, search engines, metacrawlers. Project ended in a presentation via the creation of a powerpoint or a short film. Students were able to use scanners, digital cameras, etc and learned how to document. Project took about 6 weeks -emphasis on a lot of independent work done outside of classroom. Great for advanced classes - Not sure if this is what you meant.