Using Databases to Study Africa Jan 24 - Mar 9

The first lesson explains database vocabulary and sorting.

Using Databases to Study Africa
Students will learn how to manipulate a database with African content.

NCSCOS Objectives:

Technology Proficiency 4: Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations (e.g., environmental probes, graphing calculators, exploratory environments, Web tools) to support learning and research

The student demonstrates proficiency in using databases and why they are used in North Carolina (e.g. schools, government, business, and science) to collect and organize information.
Students will learn how to manipulate a database with African content.

Social Studies SCOS: 1.03 Use tools such as maps, globes, graphs, charts, databases, models, and artifacts to compare data on different countries of Africa, Asia, and Australia and to identify patterns as well as similarities and differences.


Dates/Duration of Unit:

• Jan-Feb / Two to Three lessons

Teacher/Student Technology:
• Smartboard- to view presentation
• Smartboard- students will use to show process

Resources:
NCDesk software

Methods:

A. Bell Ringer- Citation Awareness - After students sign in, they will work in small groups and complete a worksheet titled “Citations”. The purpose of the exercise is to build upon their citation knowledge and to have them realize citations are needed in databases as well as pictures when they are used from the Internet.

B. Scaffolding Previous Knowledge- Will present the database concepts drawing on previous conceptual knowledge by exploring real world examples, creating a class database and using a physical exercise to explain “sorting” and “filtering”

C. Guided Practice and then Independent Practice

D. Enrichment Activities- for students who finish early there will be and online Africa geography activity

Assessments:

Formative: Using the Smartboard students are asked questions
Bellringer worksheets
Online quizzes

Summative: Database worksheet

At the end of this unit students will be able to say “I can…”
• I can use a database.


Unit Reflection:
.

Snow days and Benchmarking

Because of the snow days (we missed a week) and the upcoming benchmark testing for English and math the previous lessons will continue this week Science is still working on Spreadsheets and Hurricanes. Social Studies is still working on the Cyberbullying Safety unit. Please see December posts for further lesson details.