Wondering, Wiggling, & Weaving

Students don't just DO technology

A project-based learning environment involves
wondering about a topic
wiggling through information
weaving elements together

Each child moves through the information process in a unique way.

You'll find lots of sites that focus on Information Literacy. Some places to start are listed below:

Big Six; http://edweb.sdsu.edu/edfirst/bigsix/bigsix.html
: Washington Library Media Assocation; http://www.wlma.org/literacy/infoskil.htm
: Information Literacy; http://www.pacificrim.net/~mckenzie/oakharbor.html
: Info Zone; http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~mstimson/
: Information Skills; http://www.teleport.com/~janetm/oii/search.html

Observe the world around you. Seek action and change. Become in tune with the world.

CNN; http://cnn.com
: USA Today; http://www.usatoday.com
: Hometown Newspapers; http://emporium.turnpike.net/~walk/hometown/globe.htm; Papers Around the World; http://www.refdesk.com/paper.html; Africa American Papers; http://www.afroam.org/
: Russia Today; http://www.russiatoday.com/
: Japan Times; http://www.japantimes.co.jp/
: Boston Globe; http://www.globe.com/

Write, discuss, and share your experiences.

Journal Writing
http://www.spies.com/~diane/journals.html

Journal Writing; http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9993/
: Journal Writing; http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/journeywoman/

Exploring topics involves surprise, curiosity, doubt, brainstorming, discussing, and reflecting.

Brainstorm ideas for topics.

I wonder ...
I like ...
I dislike ...
I am in favor of ...
I am opposed to ...
I wish I could convince people that ...

Brainstorm ideas for topics.

Mindtools
http://www.demon.co.uk/mindtool/brainstm.html

Concept Mapping

http://arlo.wilsonhs.pps.k12.or.us/concept.html

Wondering: Metacognition

What I know
What I need to know
What I want to know
What I learned
What I still wonder about

Presidents; http://www.ipl.org/ref/POTUS/
: Biographies; http://www.biography.com/; History Net; http://www.TheHistoryNet.com/
: American Memories; http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/index.html

Wondering: 5 Ws & H

Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?

Wondering

http://www.worldvillage.com/kidz/wonder/

Wondering: Search Engines

NetSearch: Common Choices

All-In-One; http://www.albany.net/allinone/
: Web Crawler; HTTP://www.webcrawler.com/
: Kathy Schrock's; http://www.capecod.net/schrockguide
: Classroom Connect's GRADES; http://www.classroom.net/cgi/rofm/eduFind.html
: NWREL; http://www.nwrel.org/sky/
: Yahooligans; HTTP://www.yahooligans.com/
: Search; http://www.search.com/
: Internet Search; http://www.isleuth.com/
: Education World; http://www.education-world.com/
: Research Papers; http://www.researchpaper.com/directory.html
: Lycos Kids; http://a2z.lycos.com/Just_For_Kids/
: Research Help; http://www.nueva.pvt.k12.ca.us/~debbie/library/research/adviceengine.html

Begin locating information and connecting ideas. Organize ideas and develop threads of discussion.

Explore statistical information and build timelines, graphics, and charts.

Gallup Polls; http://www.gallup.com/
: CyberPages Poll; http://www.cyberpages.com/poll
: USA Today; http://www.usatoday.com/
: Data; http://www.datalib.ubc.ca/home.html
: Data Detective; http://www.pathfinder.com/twep/detective/index.html

Twist and turn information looking for clues, ideas, and perspectives.
Wigglers often think with their minds and bodies.

Wiggling: Evaluation

Authority: Who says?
Objectivity: Is the information biased?
Reliability: Is the information accurate?
Relevance: Is the information helpful?

Kathy Schock's Evaluation; http://www.capecod.net/schrockguide/eval.htm
: Carolyn's Criteria; http://duckdock.acic.com/carolyn/criteria.htm
: Critical Thinking; http://www.uwgb.edu/~auern/crithink.htm
: CyberBee; http://www.cyberbee.com/guides.html
: Web Evaluation; http://www.science.widener.edu/~withers/webeval.htm

Wiggling: Activities

Ask the experts
Share and collaborate

Ask the Expert; HTTP://njnie.dl.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/aska.html
: HealthWise; http://www.columbia.edu/cu/healthwise/
: KidLink Connections; http://www.kidlink.org/home-std.html
: Mad Scientist; http://medinfo.wustl.edu/~ysp/MSN/
: Ask an Earth Scientist; http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/ASK/askanerd.html
: KidLink; http://www.kidlink.org/home-std.html
: PenPals; http://www.reedbooks.com.au/heinemann/global/global1.html
: Pen Pals; http://www.epix.net/~ppplanet/page6.html

Online Student Connections

Contact made by student
CyberKids Interactive
http://www.cyberkids.com/cyberkids/Interactive/Interactive.html

Kid's Page - International Kids Space
http://plaza.interport.net/kids_space/

Contact made by teacher

Net Contacts
Intercultural Email Classroom Connect
KidLink
http://www.kidlink.org/home-std.html

Put out a "Call for Projects"

Topic of project
Overview
Objectives
Grade level
Level of participation requested
Timeline
Name, School, Email address

Email Project Ideas

Exchange pen pal messages
Make cross-generational connections
Collaborate on writing projects
Compare life in rural/urban areas
Conduct and compare science experiments
More Email Project Ideas
Compare local statistical information
Go on electronic expeditions
Practice foreign languages
Ask the Expert: astronomers, engineers, architects
Establish mentoring programs

Global Sharing Experiences

Open posting
Contests
Online magazines
Ongoing dialogs
Share Kidpix, Quicktake pictures
Collaborative writing
Chats

Apply and synthesize information. Originate new ideas, create models, form plans and products
Weaving requires the highest levels of thinking.

Weaving:
Emerging Questions

Can the problem be resolved? How?
Who would need to be involved?
Is it realistic?
What can I do?
Weaving: Information Evaluation
Compare: How are resources alike and different?
Select: What information is useful?
Organize: What's the best way to arrange ideas?
Express: How can my ideas be communicated to others?

Organize your thoughts through writing

Writery; http://www.missouri.edu/~writery/; Citations; http://www.wilpaterson.edu/wpcpages/library/citing.htm; MindMaps; http://world.std.com/~emagic/mindmap.html
: Online Outline; http://edweb.sdsu.edu/edfirst/Online_Outline/Online_Outline.html; InkSpot; http://www.inkspot.com/young/
: Writing; http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/writecenter/web/text/proseman.html; Homework Helper; http://tristate.pgh.net/~pinch13/
: Citing Sources; http://www.classroom.net/classroom/CitingNetResources.html; CyberBee Citations; http://www.cyberbee.com/citing.html

Package your ideas, solution, and communications.

Wrapping: Questions

Why is this issue important?
Who needs to know about it?
How can I effectively communicate my ideas to others?

Explore clip art

Clip art
http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/sjl/clipart.html

Wrapping: Products

action plan, advertisement, animation, board game, brochure, bumper sticker, chart, collage, debate, demonstration, diagram, diorama, display, documentary, essay, interview, invention, letter, magazine, map, mobile, model, multimedia projct, mural, musical composition, newscast, newsletter, newspaper, oral report, pamphlet, panel discussion, photo essary, play, poem, portfolio, poster, presentation, quilt, quiz bowl, radio show, research paper, role play, simulation, short story, skit, slide show, survey, transparencies, web page, video

InfoZone Projects; http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~mstimson/text/Producing.html
: Real Kids; http://www.realkids.com/club.htm
: Plugged In; http://www.pluggedin.org/
: Projects; http://www.mightymedia.com/login.htm
: NonProfit Prophets; http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/prophets/
: Envirolink; http://envirolink.org/arrs/
: CyberTrails; HTTP://www.wmht.org/trail/tender11.htm; EdWeb; http://edweb.gsn.org/

Share your ideas, try out new approaches, and ask for feedback.

Waving: Identifying an Audience

Who needs to hear, see, or read about your ideas?

Acting Locally; http://www.igc.apc.org/igc/act.locally.html
: Social Activism; http://www.excite.com/Subject/Personal_Home_Pages/Activism/Social_Activists/s-index.msn.html
: Earth Day; http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/earthday.html
: Switchboard; http://www.switchboard.com
: Four11; http://www.four11.com/

Waving: Publishing on the Web

Yahooligan's Newspaper/Publications
http://www.yahooligans.com/School_bell/Newspapers_and_Publications

EduPlace Links
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/links/kids_4.html

CyberKids
http://www.cyberkids.com/

CyberTeens
http://www.cyberteens.com/

KidNews; http://www.vsa.cape.com/~powens/Kidnews.html; Fishnet
http://www.jayi.com/jayi/Fishnet/Edge/

Newspapers
http://bvsd.k12.co.us/schools/cent/Newspaper/Newspaper.html

Hotlist
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/hotlists/kids.html

Young Composers; http://www.youngcomposers.com/
: KidPub; http://www.kidpub.org/kidpub
: MidLink; http://longwood.cs.ucf.edu/~MidLink/
: Writing Projects; http://www.writes.org/index.htm

Reflect on the project

Wishing: Reflection

Strengths of my project are ...
Weaknesses of my project are ...
I'd change ...
Next time I'll ...

Wishing: Shared Reflections

Teachers: art, music, English, social studies, science
Peers
Parents

Project Evaluation
http://www.pacificrim.net/~mckenzie/libskill.html

KidLink KidProj
http://www.kidlink.org:80/KIDPROJ/

Social Issues Topics & Internet

Cross-disciplinary
Timely
Relevant

Life Education Network
http://www.lec.org/

Family Violence Prevention
http://www.igc.apc.org/fund/

Administration on Aging
http://www.AoA.DHHS.GOV/aoa/pages/info.html

Center for Disease Control
http://www.cdcnac.org/

American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org

Bureau of Justice
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

Death and Dying
http://iul.com/raindrop

Diabetes
http://www.diabetes.org/

Eating Disorders
http://www.something-fishy.com/ed.htm

Marriage and Family
http://WWW.Trinity.Edu/~mkearl/family.html

Homelessness
http://www2.ari.net/home/nch/

Smoking
http://www.autonomy.com/smoke.htm

Alcohol Abuse
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/

Depression
http://www.save.org/

Planned Parenthood
http://www.ppca.org/

WomensNet
http://www.igc.apc.org/womensnet/

Wondering, Wiggling, Weaving

Become learner centered
Focus on process & product
Encourage collaboration

Remember: Wigglers wiggle for a reason...

Return to Lamb's Presentation Page.

Annette Lamb, c1996, 1997. The contents of this page are based on the book Surfin' the Internet. Users are free to link to this site. Users are also allowed to print and use the resources in their classroom.