Author: Betty Turpin

RADCAB #1: Introduction to the RADCAB Model

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn a model for evaluating an information source.  Although designed by the author to evaluate online sources, I have found it equally useful in evaluating print sources.  The model is simple to remember, easy to each, and kids love it!  I’ve had great success using Karen Christensson’s RADCAB model.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

4-5 and above.  RADCAB can be used for all students.

Objective:

To understand and be able to explain the components of the RADCAB model.

AASL 1.1.4:  Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will be able to explain what each letter in the RADCAB model stands for and how the concept relates to evaluating an information source.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Show the bogus website about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.  Ask them if they think that the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is a real creature.  Most of them will be fooled!  Explain that we must know if we can trust our information sources, and there is something we can use to help us figure that out!

“Fake News” has been in the media a lot because so many people are so easily tricked.  Don’t let yourself be tricked!  Be careful about sources you trust and always check your sources to see if they are credible.

2. Main:

Teach the RADCAB model using the handout to help students capture the information.   Select information sources to illustrate each of the concepts.

3. Conclusion:

We’ll be using the RADCAB model to evaluate books and websites, but it can be used to evaluate any source of info.  We’ll refer to it throughout the year.

additional Resources:
  1. RADCAB Model, developed by Karen Christensson: http://www.radcab.com/
  2. RADCAB note capture handout.  (see attached).
  3. Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus website:  http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
  4. Enough books or materials to illustrate each of the RADCAB concepts. I often use things like these:
  • Relevancy: Choose a book on swimming.  Tell the kids that the guiding question is “How to learn to dive.”
  • Appropriateness: Choose a Winnie the Pooh book and ask how many of them would like to read it for themselves.
  • Detail: Choose two books on the same subject, one too simple and one overwhelmingly complex.  The last time I taught this concept I used Red Food Fun (Eat Your Colors) by Lisa Bullard and The Way to Cook by Julia Child.
  • Currency: Choose a book about a political leader no longer in power, an outdated technology book, or a book about a pop star from previous years.  Be sure to point out that sometimes older material is best for historical research.  Materials must not always be current, but the date of publication must be considered.
  • Authority: Choose a website from a celebrity who is commenting on a scientific topic.  Or, a hobby blogger trying to pass him or herself off as an expert.  My students have a hard time understanding the idea of credentials and degrees.  Kids often relate best to their teachers.  Example: Whitaker is a reliable resource for anything about the circus and clowns because he has this training, whereas Miss Betty, no matter how enthusiastic she may be about the subject, has never studied this field.  Which of them would be the best source for a guiding question about life in the circus?
  • Bias: Bias is possibly the most difficult to teach because most children have never considered it before.  I use travel books or brochures or car sales materials.  Point out that a travel guide for Sir Lanka will never encourage anyone to go to India!  Sales material for Ford will never recommend that a prospective customer check out Subaru vehicles.  Emphasize that biased materials are often helpful for research as long as you are aware of the bias an take it into account.

Select materials and examples that will make the most sense to your students.

Notes:

Karen Christensson, a library media specialist in the U.S.A,, developed the RADCAB model for her lessons in 2002.  I have found it to be an excellent tool for teaching these concepts, and I’ve never found a model I like better than hers.  Kids can and do remember the RADCAB model.  Learning the model is an easy lesson and goes well.  The far bigger challenge is getting the kids to apply the model.

I always follow up this lesson with two others:

  • Using the RADCAB model to evaluate a print information source.
  • Using the RADCAB model to evaluate an online information source.

I have purchased posters and bookmarks of the RADCAB model and my students and teachers have loved them.  I have yet to find a literacy curriculum or language curriculum which teaches these concepts better than Karen’s model, so I encourage you to get familiar with it and place an order for some of the supporting materials.

RADCAB Website:  http://www.radcab.com/

Key Terms:

Information Literacy, Information Source Evaluation, RADCAB, Relevance, Authority, Detail, Currency, Appropriateness, Bias

student handout:

RADCAB Introduction Student Handout

Transportation #5: Henry Hikes to Fitchburg

Lesson Overview:

Based on the work of Henry David Thoreau and the brilliant adaptation by D.B. Johnson, this lesson asks students to consider and compare two different forms of transportation; walking vs taking a train.  Thought provoking and challenging, students must decide which mode of transport is “best” and why.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

K-2

Objective:

Identify and describe two forms of transportation presented in the story.  Give at least three characteristics of each.

Suggested Time:

35-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will complete a T-Chart that will help them draw conclusions about the forms of transportation.  The T-Chart will give them material to structure their thinking.  If students can’t write the words, they can make simple sketches to remind them of the parts of the story.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Every day when I come to school I have to decide whether to come by a) car b) bicycle or c) train.  I have choices.  Sometimes my choice depends on the weather or how I am feeling.  Sometimes my choice depends on what is available.  Example: My bike has a flat tire.

In today’s story, two characters have to make a choice about how they will travel.  Listen carefully.  Keep track of what the characters do.  See if you can figure out why each character made his particular choice.

2. Main:

Show the book’s cover.  Get the kids to talk about visual clues from the cover.  Pass out the assignment.  Go over the instructions together.

Teach the story, allowing kids to fill in the T-Chart and take simple notes.  Scribe for them on a flipchart so that they do not get hung up on spellings

Down one side, list the chores done by Henry’s friend.  Down the other side, list the adventures Henry has on his hike.

3. Conclusion:

Ask the students if they think each of the friends was satisfied with his choices.  Then complete the first two questions together:  What did Henry’s friend choose?  What did Henry choose?  Talk about it and give the kids a moment to answer these questions.

Finally, as the students to think about what they would choose if faced with the same decision.  Would they work to earn money for a ticket or would they walk?  Have them write their answers (or discuss their answer with an elbow partner if you are running short on time.)  This is a great reflection/thinking question.  After the story, the children should have enough ideas and evidence to form a convincing opinion.

additional Resources:
  1. Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D.B. Johnson.
  2. Flipchart
  3. Markers
  4. Copies of the student handout
  5. Pencils
  6. Clipboards
Notes:

Johnson’s book is a children’s adaptation of some of the work of Henry David Thoreau.  Johnson’s other books in the Henry series evoke the ideas in Walden beautifully and effectively.   I am a huge fan of the Henry series and find that the texts adapt for many purposes.  For example, I use Henry Hikes to Fitchburg for lessons on:

  • Beliefs and values
  • Transportation
  • Business/Economics

Also note that a lot of today’s children do not have experience completing these simple chores.  I am often shocked at how few of them have swept out a room.  Be careful with parts like “cleaning the henhouse.”  Most kids think that that means collecting eggs!

Key Terms:

Trains, Chores, Riding, Walking, Money, Nature, Values, Henry David Thoreau, Walden, Work

Amazon Link:

Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D.B. Johnson.

student handout:

Student Handout, Henry Hikes to Fitchburg

Transportation #4: If I Built a Car, by Chris Van Dusen

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will think creatively about designing their own car.  Cars have changed a lot over time, and this lesson gives children a chance to imagine a fantasy car or a car from the future.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Ages:  Grades K-2

Objective:

Students will use their imaginations to design a fantasy car.

Suggested Time:

30-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will complete an original drawing of a car with unique, imaginative features.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

We’ve been looking at forms of transportation in this unit, but once each of our modern forms of transportation only existed in the dreams of their creators.  The planes of the past had no meal service or entertainment packages.  Cars of the past did not have GPS or back-up assist cameras.  Trains of the past were loud and dirty!  We only have new and modern forms of transportation because people used their imaginations and creativity to imagine something better!

2. Main:

Share If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen.

Ask the children what they would do if they could design the car of their dreams.  What would be inside?  A sweet shop?  A super slide?  A trampoline?

Show the student handout and tell the children that they will have 15 minutes to design their own, imaginative car, just like the boy in the story.  What will they design?

3. Conclusion:

Bring the class back together and have a few students share what they have created.  If there is space, make a display in the library.   If not, prepare the pieces for display elsewhere in school.

additional Resources:
  1. If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen.
  2. Student Handout (see attached)
  3. Colored pencils or crayons
Notes:

Students should notice that the book rhymes!  They will enjoy this because well-crafted rhyming books are always kid-pleasers.

Be sure that kids do their own thinking and do not copy one another.  Encourage the children to do something different from their neighbor.  I’ve seen too many nearly-identical cars.  So, if several children insist that they want the same feature, be sure that they distinguish their work with different colors, different flavors, different features, etc.

Key Terms:

Cars, Car Design, Transportation, Future, Stories in Rhyme, Imagination, Creativity

Amazon Link:

If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen

Student handout:

Student Handout, If I Built a Car

Transportation #3: Hot Air

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn about the first documented hot air balloon flight.  The passengers were not people!  Who were they?  Teach this lesson and your children will find out the astonishing truth behind one of aviation’s exciting first flights.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

K-2

Objective:

Children will be able to retell the first hot-air balloon ride from aviation history.

Suggested Time:

30-40 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each child will take notes which will then be used to retell the story of the first hot-air balloon ride.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the children that last week the class worked on identifying different forms of transportation.  Did they discover any new ones since last week?  Did they have any new transportation experiences?

How long do you think people have been riding horses?  (Answer: About three thousand years.)  Driving cars?  (Answer: About 120 years, but not in all parts of the world.)  Flying in airplanes?  (Answer: About 115 years).  This week we will learn about a hot-air balloon ride that happened over 230 years ago – long before cars or airplanes were invented.

2. Main:

Teach Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman.

Use a globe or atlas to show children where France is.

Give the children time to complete their notes (see student handout.)

Ask questions to encourage deep thinking such as:

  • Why do you think that animals were sent up before people?
  • What do you think people thought when they saw something in the sky that was not a bird?
  • Would you have been brave enough to go up in an early hot air balloon? Why or why not?
  • What do you think the animals felt when they were in the air?
  • Why do you think the Montgolfier brothers wanted to invent something so new and different? Were they thinkers?  Risk-takers? (Try to tie to the PYP Profile.)

3. Conclusion:

Using your notes, what can you tell me about the first hot-air balloon ride?  Go over what you have written and try to retell the story to your parents tonight.  Next week we will still be learning about transportation, but we will have some rhyming fun.

Additional Resources:
  1. Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman.
  2. Clipboards
  3. Pencils
  4. Globe or atlas
Notes:
Key Terms:

Hot Air Balloons, Transportation, Test Flights, France, Aviation, Aviation History, Transportation History

Amazon Link:

Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman.

student handout:

Student Handout, Hot Air

Transportation #2: Let’s Go! Series

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students are introduced to twelve forms of transportation and a non-fiction series of books on transportation.  Be sure that you order the Let’s Go series beforehand so that you have all the necessary books in the collection.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

K-2

Objective:

To learn at least two new forms of transportation.

Suggested Time:

30 – 40 minutes

Success Criteria:

When given three characteristics of forms of transportation, every child will successfully identify two forms of transportation she didn’t know before the lesson.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind children that last week they “tuned in” to the unit on transportation.  Ask them to tell you what the Little Blue Engine said when he was asked to help.  Did anyone use that motto during the week to achieve something that might have been difficult in the beginning?

2. Main:

Gather all the books in the Let’s Go! series.

Hide the covers of the books so that they can’t see them.  Give between one and three clues from the text.  Let the kids guess which form of transportation is featured in the book.  When they guess correctly, reveal the book.

If you choose to use cards instead of the Let’s Go! series, hide the picture on the front of the card while reading clues from the back.  Again, let the kids work out which form of transportation is featured on the card.  When they guess correctly, reveal the card.

Expand this lesson by letting the kids tell you about some of their more unusual travel experiences.  Some of them will have ridden on a motorcycle, in a recreational vehicle (RV), or perhaps even in a hot air balloon.  Teachers can often contribute exciting stories as well.  If no stories are forthcoming, use short video clips so that the kids can virtually experience the transportation themselves.

3. Conclusion:

Encourage the children to be on the lookout for new forms of transportation in the news or in the travels or reading.  Praise them for the thinking and work today.   Promise that next week we’ll follow-up with a mostly-true story about one of these forms of transportation!

Additional Resources:

Let’s Go! (series) by Anders Hanson, consisting of 12 books:

  1. Let’s Go By Cable Car
  2. Let’s Go By RV
  3. Let’s Go By Hovercraft
  4. Let’s Go By Hot Air Balloon
  5. Let’s Go By Helicopter
  6. Let’s Go By Motorcycle
  7. Let’s Go By Boat
  8. Let’s Go By Airplane
  9. Lat’s Go By Train
  10. Let’s Go By Truck
  11. Let’s Go By Car
  12. Let’s Go By Bus
Notes:

This is a great lesson because the kids are certain that they know everything about transportation.  This will challenge them a bit to think about non-traditional forms of transportation and perhaps variant forms of common transportation.  Example: Maglev train or steam train rather than just “train”.

At the time I posted this lesson plan, the Let’s Go! books were available from the publisher, ABDO, and from Follett.  However, they were unavailable on Amazon.  So, you may need to plan ahead for the materials.

If you can’t get the books, don’t worry!  You can easily improvise a substitute.  Choose some uncommon forms of transportation, make a one page visual, and write three clues on the back.  Kids can guess and you can give the same lesson, just with different materials.

If I were creating my own transportation guessing game, I would consider including these forms of transportation:  rickshaw (human powered), tuk-tuk (engine powered), taxi, water taxi, maglev train, ferry, canoe, caravan – be creative.  If you live in the Middle East, you could even work in a camel train!  If you are in the Netherlands, you could use a canal boat.  The kids will LOVE to try to work out the clues and guess the transportation.

If you are very adventuresome, create a set of game cards for each class so that they can take their cards with them, play again, and use the cards as a display in the classroom.

A writing extension would be to get the kids to create a simple story about one of these forms of transportation.

The lesson requires very little preparation yet provides a strong tie to the unit.  This is a staple in any transportation unit for Early Years through to Early Elementary.

Key Terms:

Transportation, Cable Car, RV, Hovercraft, Hot Air Balloon, Helicopter, Motorcycle, Boat, Airplane, Train, Truck, Car, Bus