• Jumpstart Lessons

    Jumpstart lessons are taught in grades 3-5 to help prepare students for the Capstone Project. These lessons are taught in the library and computer labs during the year and through the grades in authentic research settings. In each school, classes will be scheduled in the lab, library or collaboratively when possible to reinforce the idea that the research process multiple venues and sources. Since technology is always changing, these lessons will be continually revised.

    An Excerpt from a Jumpstart Lesson

    The Big Idea: Users of the Internet must critically evaluate a site for reliability, accuracy and point of view.

    Reliability -Model the markers that affect reliability such as:
    What is the purpose of the site?

    • Is it a commercial site?


    Does it have advertising?

    • Is the site trying to sell something?


    Who created the information at the site?

    • Is it a professor, scientist, librarian, a teacher, a kid?


    Why did this person or group put this information on the Internet?

    • To teach? To sell? To share research? To complain?


    Look critically at text.

    • Are there numerous typos? Does the information make sense?

    Accuracy -Investigate MULTIPLE sources to compare and contrast the information. Emphasize that students should question why the information is not the same on different Websites.

    Point of View:

    • Identify, evaluate and recognize all sites have an agenda.
    • Show different sites on the same topic that have different perspectives and points of view.
    • Model a site with clear stance: Ex: Iditarod articles vs. the treatment of dogs.
    • Have the students flesh out opinions from facts and develop their own views.