Webbing!

When teaching students to research and create meaningful projects, it is important for them to gather questions and thoughts, but this is not always an easy task. There is such a plethora of information available, that it can be difficult to narrow down sources and make sure that it is relevant. According to Annette Lamb, "Webbing directs students to locate, search for, and connect ideas and information...it's helpful to think about the descriptors associated with your topic or questions." Finding all of this information can be overwhelming, especially if the student is unaware of how to search and locate it. This is where webbing comes into play.

First, figure out the best sources based on the students' needs. Are they visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners? Then educate the students on the different types of resources. Growing up in a technology age, it is easy for students to go straight to the computer and use the Internet and CD-ROMs. However, I grew up in an age of book research. I usually go there first when completing a project. It is important to educate the students on the availability of resources and to use all forms. Annette Lamb states to use "different channels of communications such as words, pictures, motion images, and sounds."

Now that the students have this information, what should they do with it? This is where the webbing becomes very important. Most students need a format for putting their ideas and thoughts on paper. I know that it has always helped me to create an outline or web of ideas. There are numerous graphic organizers available to assist and can be utilized for all students. I have shown an example of mine below:



In order to locate this information, since I work at a library, I used the sources I had available. I accessed the Ball State Library card catalog and searched for the Trail of Tears and the Cherokee Nation. There were books located in the General Collection and Educational Resources collection. I decided to look at books that were less detailed and contained clear and concise information. I also found numerous websites with information, pictures, and maps. I definitely am on the right track as far as the research goes, it's just putting it all together that will be the hard part.

As for my questions, they are basic questions that I can explore and once I delve more into the topic, then I can ask more analytical questions.