| Lesson Title: | European Database - Filtering | ||
| Curriculum Area: | Social Studies | ||
| Technology Strand: | Database | ||
| Grade Level: | 6 | ||
| Essential Question: | What steps should a student take to find information in a large database? |
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Activity Summary | Students will complete worksheets provided that require finding information in a large database. Students will review sorting and learn the basics of filtering with more than one criteria. |
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Curriculum |
Social Studies 1.02 Generate, interpret, and manipulate information from tools such as maps, globes,charts, graphs, databases, and models to pose and answer questions about space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections. |
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Technology |
Database 3.03 Develop and use search strategies with two or more criteria to solve problems and make decisions in content areas. |
| Activating Strategies |
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1. Review database terminology for sorting (Print Database Review Cards in Database_Review file). Practice sorting strategies by using the Sorting Activity Sheet (in Sort_Review file). This activity can be accomplished in the classroom before entering the lab. Students should be taught to do the following strategies before touching the computers: 1. Read question. 2. Look for field names (does the student see any of the field names in the question they just read?). 3. Look for keywords in questions (sort keywords: more, less, in order, first, last; filter keywords: contains, does not contain, begins with, ends with). |
| Technology Vocabulary: Database Vocabulary |
| Detailed Technology Instructions: Microsoft Works for Windows Database Instructions |
| Cognitive Teaching Strategies |
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After the Activating Strategies, students should be in the computer lab: 1. Open the "European_Countries.wdb" database file. 2. Make sure the database is in List View. 3. Hand out "European Countries Database Filtering Lesson". Students will use filtering (search multiple criteria) option to answer the questions. (Teacher can refer to Microsoft Works for Windows Database Instructions for specific directions on sorting records and filtering records.) Teacher should show students how to complete the first question or questions, depending on students' comprehension. Two major things to look for when getting ready to filter: 1. field names and 2. comparison phrases. In this lesson, we are going to use the word "contains" for the comparison. We are not going to cover the first 6 comparison words because these words normally are used with numbers. 4. Once students have found the information to the question they are to write in database terminology how they found their answer to the question. 5. After completing and correcting the activity questions, exit the database without saving. 6. Turn in the activity sheet to the teacher. |
| Summary Strategies |
| Discuss answers. Review when to apply the filter or sort. Emphasize that sorting puts the records in some kind of order, while filtering finds specific information in specific fields of the record. |
| Resources Click for directions on how to download files on a Windows computer. |
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Database Review Cards file: Database_Review Sorting Activity and answer key file: Sort_Review European_Countries Database European_Countries student questions and answer key file: Euro_Filter_Act Microsoft Word Files Database_Review.doc Sort_Review.doc Euro_Filter_Act.doc Microsoft Excel File European_Countries.xls Microsoft Works 4.0 or 4.5 for Windows File European_Countries.wdb |
| Re-teaching and Enrichment Activities |
| Return to the lab and practice using sort and filter with a follow up lesson: European Database - Filter or Sort. |
| Jennifer Stone and Janice Bradburn |
| Prescott Technology Center, Data last modified: 8/12/2006 |