This week has flown by, but I'm not complaining that Thursday is already coming to a close. :) 5th grade science classes have consumed much of my time this week, as I introduced them to plagiarism, citations, and research in general. Try explaining what a databases is to a 5th grader after recess...it's interesting. Everyone has to start somewhere, though, and the earlier the better. Ms. Stephan and Mrs. Van Wart set up the science in a bag project when we were still out for the summer, so they definitely live by this standard. The basis of the project is for the students to select something that relates to a personal experience and can also be tied to science in some way, find a small object representative of the the idea, experience or thing, find one database article pertaining to the topic, summarize the information on a notebook card, and cite their source. Of course, all of this is then placed in a plastic bag, thus, the name of the project "science in a bag." It sounds simple, because it is just that. Simple. For many of these students, this is the first time they have ever used a database, properly cited a source, or paraphrased an entire article, so a lot is covered in the few days I have with them.
NoodleTools has been a saving grace when it comes to citations. We begin using this online citation tool with 5th graders and it is used continually across subjects and instructors until they graduate. We pay a nominal fee for all of our students have access to all of the features, but you can also used the minimal version at no cost. I used NoodleTools for the first time a few years ago and was blown away by how simple it made citing any resource, no matter the citation format. Boy, do I wish I had it when I was in school! Through the years, the company has continued to improve the layout more user friendly and improved the usability of the additional aspects, like notes, tags, and end-notes.
Another online tool that I don't know what I would ever do without is LiveBinder. This resource has become the go-to place for organizing any project for any great. The layout consists of tabs, much like a file folder, onto which pictures, text, or sites can be loaded. Also, you can make your project password protected, so database log ins can be added without worry. It has a simple and clean layout that is perfect for kids that need as few clicks and as much information in one place as possible.
NoodleTools has been a saving grace when it comes to citations. We begin using this online citation tool with 5th graders and it is used continually across subjects and instructors until they graduate. We pay a nominal fee for all of our students have access to all of the features, but you can also used the minimal version at no cost. I used NoodleTools for the first time a few years ago and was blown away by how simple it made citing any resource, no matter the citation format. Boy, do I wish I had it when I was in school! Through the years, the company has continued to improve the layout more user friendly and improved the usability of the additional aspects, like notes, tags, and end-notes.
Another online tool that I don't know what I would ever do without is LiveBinder. This resource has become the go-to place for organizing any project for any great. The layout consists of tabs, much like a file folder, onto which pictures, text, or sites can be loaded. Also, you can make your project password protected, so database log ins can be added without worry. It has a simple and clean layout that is perfect for kids that need as few clicks and as much information in one place as possible.
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