Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): 2

Subject(s):

• Science/Process Skills

• To learn science skills of gathering information and of understanding and applying information and concepts.

MATERIALS CHECKLIST:

• One or multiple computers; printer
• Software: word processing, database, spreadsheet
• Leaves; index cards

TIME REQUIRED: ongoing, consisting of several short periods of time

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

• Take the students on a walk to collect leaves or have students bring leaves from home.
• Have students construct a "database" on index cards by copying the same field names onto each card and filling in the data. Identify fields for the database with the students' help, including size, shape, color, and who contributed the leaf. Place the index cards in different piles according to classification. Use the leaves for art stencils to be displayed with the index cards attached.
• Build another database on index cards with information the students believe is important about themselves. Categorize cards by streets, number of people in the family, or student's position in the family.
• Other databases could be developed of favorite songs from the music book or job assignments to students in the classroom.
• After completing several of these activities, demonstrate how to set up and key information into the computer database. Have the students key in the information about themselves. Sort and print the database records, place the records in a pupil directory.
• For Open House, have a printout of each student's database record with a self-portrait of each student on each desk. Have the students use the word processor to write a short message to their parents to be included.
• Once the students are familiar with how to use the database program, continue constructing other databases. Have the students cut pictures from magazines and stories to accompany the database records; they can also write poems using the word processor or sing songs about the database records.
• Demonstrate the use of a spreadsheet to answer simple science questions and have the students determine the operations needed.