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A Library Mystery: Finding the Greek God Book Thief

OVERVIEW
Content Area: Information Literacy
Grade Level: 4th

Project Description:
In a “whodunit” fashion, students will solve the mystery of the Greek god who “stole” the library books
from the library. The teacher will give the students four clues through a Canva Presentation. The students
will have to use said clues to research each Greek god posted on the Britannica Kids Encyclopedia in order
to interpret and present their case on the supposed book thief. Students will work in groups to find,
deliver, and present the information in order to exercise their collaborative learning skills. The students
must recreate the crime through a storytelling and/or presentation platform of their choice.

In summary, the project can be broken down into four distinct parts:
1. Digital Recreation of the Crime
Students will use a storytelling and/or a presentation platform to recreate the crime as they
imagine it, mainly using the clues provided and the information they gathered as their creative
guide.
2. Information Collected as Evidence, or the Argument
Students must “back up” their retelling of the crime with the evidence they collected from the
encyclopedia page to demonstrate that the Greek god they selected is the correct one. They will
present their evidence through their presentation and/or storytelling platform.
3. Properly Citing the Reference Source
Students must properly credit the Britannica Kids encyclopedia as their information source.
4. Delivering the Information to the Class
As a group, students must take turns delivering their case to the class by explaining their
presentation and information organization methods.

Although this information literacy project addresses multiple standards, it is mainly designed to
complement the Common Core LAL Standards of student proficiency in Greek mythology terminology
(CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4). Thus, one of the goals of this project is to bridge the curriculum across the
disciplines in order to promote student learning that extends beyond the confines of the classroom.
Other goals include having students work on an inquiry-based project, where they find information in
order to defend their case, thus, realizing the value of harnessing and presenting information for their
own means.

In order to successfully complete this project, students must already have developed skills in primary
research techniques, such as finding and identifying desired information, as well as how to correctly cite
an encyclopedia source. Therefore, this project would be ideal at the end of a unit on finding and citing
different information sources, utilizing encyclopedias, or in correlation with a unit in which Percy Jackson
is the primary reading text, as further discovery of the Greek Gods is a secondary goal of this information
literacy project.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED
AASL Standards Common Core Crosswalk
1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in CC.4.W.7 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Conduct
curricular subjects and make the real world connection for using short research projects that build knowledge through
this process in own life. investigation of different aspects of a topic.

CC.4.W.8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Recall


relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; take notes and
categorize information, and provide a list of sources.

1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer CC.4.R.I.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Interpret information
questions. presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs,
diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web
pages) and explain how the information contributes to an
understanding of the text in which it appears.

CC.4.W.8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Recall relevant


information from experiences or gather relevant information from
print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and
provide a list of sources.

1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format CC.4.R.L.1 Key Ideas and Details: Refer to details and examples in a
(e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
gather meaning. inferences from the text.

1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding. CC.4.W.6 Production and Distribution of Writing: With some
guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to
type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful. CC.4.W.1.a Text Types and Purposes: Introduce a topic or text
clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in
which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.

CC.4.W.1.b Text Types and Purposes: Provide reasons that are


supported by facts and details.

2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and CC.4.W.8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Recall relevant
organize information. information from experiences or gather relevant information from
print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and
provide a list of sources.

2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new CC.4.W.6 Production and Distribution of Writing: With some
understandings, make decisions, and solve problems. guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to
type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

3.1.2 Participate and collaborate as members of a social and CC.4.W.6 Production and Distribution of Writing: With some
intellectual network of learners. guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to
type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new CC.4.SL.4 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Report on a topic or
understandings effectively. text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner,
using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support
main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

CC.4.SL.5 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Add audio


recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to
enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
3.2.2 Show social responsibility by participating actively with others CC.4.SL.1.b Comprehension and Collaboration: Follow agreed-upon
in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
group discussions.

3.3.5 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within and beyond the CC.4.W.6 Production and Distribution of Writing: With some
learning community. guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to
type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

4.1.4 Seek information for personal learning in a variety of formats


and genres.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they


are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in
mythology (e.g., Herculean).

ANTICIPATED STUDENT OUTCOMES


The student will be able to:
 Evaluate information in order to determine best use for their own purposes
 Recognize the importance of information seeking in terms of discovery
 Articulate information through design techniques in order to demonstrate a thorough
understanding of the information source
 Select appropriate information from an encyclopedia in order to develop an argument
 Justify their selection of information to grapple with information sources in a productive way
 Organize information in a coherent and aesthetically pleasing fashion that demonstrates
understanding of information material
 Recall how to use a digital encyclopedia and appropriately navigate its pages
 Effectively collaborate with others to present material in a productive and ethically sound way

TEACHER RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION AND/OR STORYTELLING PLATFORMS


The teacher recommends that the students select one of the following presentation and/or storytelling
platforms to present their book thief retelling and evidence case:
 Toontastic
 Bloxels App
 Cospaces
 Make Beliefs Comix
 Google Slides

STUDENT RUBRIC FOR PROJECT


Students will be given the following rubric both digitally and physically prior to the project in order to
appropriately plan and understand the teacher expectations of each project component.

Outstanding Good OK Needs Work


4 3 2 1
Part One of  The  The  The recreation  The
Presentation: recreation of recreation of of the crime recreation of
Retelling of the the crime is the crime is lacks creativity the crime
Crime creative and creative.  Retelling of the lacks
original.  Retelling of crime matches creativity
 Retelling of the crime minor  Retelling of
the crime matches characteristics the crime
matches minor of the god from does not
distinct characteristi the match
characteristics cs of the god encyclopedia distinct
of the god from the characteristi
from the encyclopedia cs of the god
encyclopedia from the
encyclopedia
Part Two of  The correct  The correct  The correct  The correct
Presentation: thief is found. thief is thief is not thief is not
Evidence/Argume  The argument found. identified, but identified
nt Case makes sense  The the argument and there
and shows argument suggests the was no
that the makes sense student tried effort to find
student spent and shows  The argument one.
time carefully that the does not match  The
researching student the information argument
the gods to researched exactly but does not
find the the topic, there is some match the
correct one. but not facts that apply information
 The carefully  Some of the at all and no
information  Some of the information information
evidence information evidence does applies to
meshes well evidence not mesh well the crime
with the does not with the crime facts
crime facts mesh well facts
with the
crime facts
Part Three of The student The student The student The student did
Presentation: correctly included included the included the not include the
Reference Source the website and website and link website and link but website and link.
link in the but there is a it is not correct.
presentation. minor mistake.
Part Four of Spoke loud and Spoke loud to Spoke to the class Spoke to the
Presentation: clear to the class the class, but but could have class but was not
Presenting to the could have been been both louder loud or clear
Class clearer or louder and clearer
Overall:  The  The  The  The
Appearance presentation presentation presentation presentation
shows the shows the looks slightly looks rushed
student took student rushed
time on the picked a  The and
design presentation presentation unfinished
 Picked a platform platform did  The
presentation that worked not work presentation
platform that with the completely with platform did
looked best to information, the not work
share the but there information/sto with the
information/t may have ry retelling information
ell their story been a  The information story/retellin
 Organized the better was organized, g
information choice but not clearly  The
clearly for the  Organized information
audience the was not
 Shows information, organized
creativity but it could
have been
clearer
Overall:  Helped their  Helped their  Did not help  Did not help
Group group to the group the their group the their group
Participation best of their entire time whole time at all
ability the but not to  Somewhat  Did not
entire time the best of respected respect
 Respected their ability others and others or
others and  Mostly treated treat
treated respected everyone fairly everyone
everyone others and  Somewhat fairly
fairly treated worked with  Did not work
 Worked with everyone other group with other
other group fairly members but group
members in a  Worked with did not consider members or
way that other group their advice consider
encouraged members their advice
learning for all but did not
members of consider
the group their advice

SOURCES & MATERIALS


1. Project Prompt & Instructions: Teacher Canva Presentation
This presentation will serve as the project prompt and instructions for students to initiate their Book Thief
project. This teacher presentation will also be distributed to students physically and as a PDF in the
classroom space so that students may follow along and use the directions found there to create their
project: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EOqsLKp9RLh8x1wAQOTqa0_P-HQeSHsY/view?usp=sharing
2. Britannica Kids Encyclopedia: Source Text
The following link is the encyclopedia page students will use to discover more about the Greek gods and
retrieve their evidence on the proposed book thief. It is also linked in the teacher Canva presentation that
students will have access to: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Greek-mythology/598932#intro
3. Example Student Crime Scene Retelling: Make Beliefs Comix Strip
The crime scene retelling example shown here is done through the Make Beliefs Comix strip digital platform.
The purpose of this example is to demonstrate to students how they can retell the crime scene while utilizing
the information learned from the encyclopedia.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hsNefPwcjyTs-jqEUE8i7yoLhnWM2Nk7/view?usp=sharing
4. Example Student Evidence Case Presentation: Google Slides
The example presentation serves not as an aesthetic model, but more as an explanation of how the student
must match clues and evidence in order to state their argument. Although hidden within a mystery game,
the organizational model this presentation displays is designed to help students recognize the typical
process for arguing and utilizing evidence:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fGWdX8PYVBJa4_mov5HsUopHe6Ly8x14nUP26nXyBJ8/edit?usp=sharing

SHARING STUDENT PRESENTATIONS


Student presentations will be shared via the library media website. Select students, whose presentations
truly exhibits outstanding qualities, will be sent in the newsletter to administrators, staff, and parents to
showcase the student as well as draw attention to library activities. The date of the presentation day will
also be shared with educators prior to the day so that any interested party may come to see the students
present their investigative cases, making the project a collaborative school experience.

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