This week our fourth graders began learning about animal adaptations (physical or behavioral traits that help them to survive). Each student selected an animal to research, and in the library we discussed resources we might use to learn about them. We spent a lot of time talking about websites and how important it is to consider where the information is coming from. Wikipedia, for example, is a site that has many contributors who may or may not be posting accurate information. It's a place to go to get an overview of a topic, but not the best source for taking notes.We visited a couple different websites that are terrific for research: Enchanted Learning and World Book Online. The students had time to visit each site and print any useful information that they found. We have a special project in mind for the students to share what they learned, but it's a surprise! (Thank you, Mrs. Steever, for sharing this idea with us!) I'll post some examples as soon as they're ready!
