This presentation shows a first grade research project that could be used as an information literacy unit.

1. Super 3: Animal Research
An Information Literacy
Unit for 1st grade
By Kim Rieley

2. Standards
Information Literacy/Library Media
Standard 1 - Identify the task and locate the needed resources. (ILM.1)^
Standard 2 - Locate sources and use information to present findings. (ILM.2)^
Reading - Informational Text
Standard 5 - Know and use various text features to locate key facts or information in a text. (RI1.5)^
Writing
Standard 2 - Write informative/explanatory text in which they name a topic, provide some facts
about the topic, and provide some sense of closure. (W1.2)^
IEFA Essential Understandings
Essential Understanding 3 - The ideologies of Native traditional beliefs and spirituality persist into
modern day life as tribal cultures, traditions, and languages are still practiced by many American
Indian people [...] Additionally, each tribe has its own oral histories, which are as valid as written
histories. [...]
^Standards are referenced throughout the document to show how the resources, strategies, & process accomplish these standards.
(OPI, 2011)
(Elser, 2010)

3. Super 3
1. PLAN
Task Definition
Information Seeking Strategies
● What am
supposed to do?
● What will it look
like if I do a
really good job?
● What do I need
to find out to do
the job?
2. DO
Location & Access
Use of Information
Synthesis
● Where can I find
my sources?
● What information
from the source is
useful?
● How will I organize
and present the
information?
3. REVEIW
Evaluation
● Did I do what I
was supposed
to?
● Am I proud of
what I finished?
● Will others
enjoy my
project?
(Eisenberg & Shoemaker, 1987)

4. Assessments of Student Learning
Students will complete:
● Nonfiction Text Features book (RI1.5)
● My research about _______ book (RI1.5) (ILM.2)
Nonfiction Text
Features book
My research
about _____ book
All About Sea Turtles
by Will
(a finished example of
a nonfiction book)

5. 1. PLAN
Task Definition
Information Seeking Strategies
● What am supposed
to do?
● What will it look like
if I do a really good
job?
● What do I need to
find out to do the
job?
Instructional Strategies
Students will learn about and find
examples for various nonfiction text
features. They will complete the
Nonfiction Text Features book to
summarize their learning. (RI1.5)
Students will choose an animal they
would like to research and write their
own nonfiction book about. (ILM.1)
Students will use books and websites to
research their animal. (ILM.2)
Nonfiction Text
Features book

6. 2. DO
Location & Access
Use of Information
Synthesis
● Where can I find
my sources?
● What information
from the source is
useful?
● How will I organize
and present the
information?
Instructional Strategies
Students will find and check out a book about their animal
from the library.
Students will use two websites to gather information
about their animal. (ILM.2)
Websites: A-Z Animals https://a-z-animals.com/animals/pictures/ (Bond, 2018)
Animals Town https://www.animalstown.com/index.php (n.d)
Students will take dash notes on their animal using the My
research about ____ book. (ILM.2)
Students will use their notes to write a nonfiction book
about their animal. Student books will feature various
nonfiction text features. (W1.2)
My research
about _____ book
All About Sea Turtles by Will
(a finished example of a
nonfiction book)

7. 3. REVIEW
Evaluation
● Did I do what I was
supposed to?
● Am I proud of what
I finished?
● Will others enjoy
my project?
Instructional Strategies
Students will fill out a checklist for the
nonfiction books they write.
Students will share books and
checklists with other students, a
teacher of their choice, and their
families at a first grade literacy
celebration.
Nonfiction
Text
Features
checklist

8. Rationale
Super 3 is the information skills process for this project because it guides student learning and
keeps the focus on their understanding of the information gathering process while they learn about
nonfiction books.
In the PLAN stage, students will read several nonfiction books to learn about nonfiction text
features, which will help define the task of writing their own nonfiction book. Students will have a
clear idea of the purpose of the project right from the start.
In the DO stage, students will find and use books to research the animal they are going to write a
book on. Our library has a large selection of nonfiction books about animals that are written for
early readers. Students will be able to find these books in the nonfiction section of the library, and
then once books have been selected, most students will be able to read the books on their own.
Students will also use two preselected websites as part of their research. The websites are
preselected so students can focus on finding information within the site, rather than using their time
to search for an appropriate site on their own. The websites are easily navigated and students are
able to search for animal by the first letter in the animals’ name as well as by picture. Since both the
books and the websites are age appropriate for 6-7 years olds, students will be able to feel
ownership over the research poriton of the project.

9. Rationale (cont.)
Students will take dash notes for relevant information. Students will know what information is
relevant because the My research about ____ book outlines what should be included when they are
writing a book about their animal. In the book, there is a page to take notes on what they animal
looks like, another page for what the animal eats, and so on. This keeps the first graders focused on
finding relevant information and guides their understanding for the use of information stage of the
information skills process.
The final part of the DO stage will be to write and illustrate a nonfiction book about an animal.
Students will use their dash notes to write about their animal; they will use their Nonfiction Text
Features book to correctly include various nonfiction text features. Students will use a combination
of drawings and magazine cutouts to illustrate their nonfiction book.
For the REVIEW stage of this project, students will use a checklist to evaluate the nonfiction book
they wrote. They will also share their project and their checklist with family members that attend
the first grade literacy celebration.

10. IEFA Connections
❖ Read a variety of Native American legends about animals, and have kids
write their own legend for their animal. Planet ZKids has a long list of
legends. A couple that would work really well to connect to this project
are Why Owls Stare and How the Bear Lost His Tail.
http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends.htm (PlanetZ Kids, n.d)
❖ Use the Animal Adaptations lesson plan provided by the Indian Education
Division through Montana OPI. This is a 3rd grade Science lesson, but
with appropriate scaffolding could work well for first graders.
http://opi.mt.gov/Portals/182/Page%20Files/Indian%20Education/Science/Ani
mal_Adaptations%20-%20G3.pdf (OPI, n.d.)

11. References
Animals Town. (n.d). Welcome to Animals Town. Retrieved on April 15, 2018 from
https://www.animalstown.com/index.php
Bond, E. (2018). A-Z Animals: Pictures of Animals. Retrieved on April 15, 2018 from https://a-z-
animals.com/animals/pictures/
Eisenberg, M. & Shoemaker B. (1987). Big 6 Handouts: The Big6 Skills. Retrieved on April 12, 2018 from
http://big6.com/media/freestuff/Big6Handouts.pdf
Elser, T. (2010). The Framework: A Practical Guide for Montana Teachers and Administrators Implementing Indian Ed for All.
Retrieved on April 26, 2018 from
http://opi.mt.gov/Portals/182/Page%20Files/Indian%20Education/Indian%20Education%20101/Framework.pdf
OPI. (n.d). Animal Adaptations. Retrieved on April 12, 2018 from
http://opi.mt.gov/Portals/182/Page%20Files/Indian%20Education/Science/Animal_Adaptations%20-%20G3.pdf
OPI. (2011) Montana Content Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy. Retreived on April 12, 2018 from
http://montanateach.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MCS-ELA-1st.pdf

12. References (cont.)
OPI (2011). Montana Content Standards for Library/Information Literacy. Retrieved on April 12, 2018 from
http://montanateach.org/resources/montana-content-standards-for-library-mediainformation-literacy/
Plantet Z Kids. (n.d). Animal Myths & Legends: Oban’s Myths, Legends, and Fables. Retrieved on April 15, 2018 from
http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends.htm