Biography Research: Middle School Library & Research Skills Practice Set with Inquiry & Databases #4

This engaging 8 page/slide activity will allow students to gain practice in several library and research skills:

• Pulling information from nonfiction text
• Gathering information
• Answering inquiry based questions
• Formulating their own questions
• Navigating the features of an online encyclopedia
• Summarizing and paraphrasing information
• Citing sources
• Digital Citizenship

 First, review the features of your online database/encyclopedia.  Lesson vocabulary for databases is in the attached lesson plan. 

This resource is designed to work with Britannica School© but you can use it with any online database or encyclopedia your school or district subscribes to.   A free video lesson on the features of Britannica School is included with each product in this collection.  Preview the video here.

I let my students copy and paste from the resource when answering the questions.  They can paraphrase or use direct quotes using quotation marks in the summary at the end.  Most databases have a built in citation generator, so it’s easy for them to get in the habit of citing their sources.  I chose engaging topics that my students really loved learning more about. An answer key is also included.

This resource is editable and you can customize it to suit your needs. However, please do not remove my copyright.   Included in the zip file is a PDF, PPT, and Google Slides versions so that you can print or upload it to your learning management system as an assignment.