A SIRS Collaboration

Recently seventh grader language arts students visited the library for a refresher lesson using one of our AEA databases, SIRS. Students accessed the site from the DCG Middle School Library Symbaloo:

You can access the Symbaloo HERE.

This is a pro/con site that features hundreds of topics in a variety of user-friendly ways. Students can browse an A-Z list or conduct a visual browse of topics; they can see essential questions that feature articles in support and against the topic; and, they can access multiple viewpoints for one topic.

One of the site's component--but something students will see often when conducting online searches--was Boolean searching. To demonstrate how Boolean searching works, students participated in a "search" that used them as the "search terms." If students satisfied the "search term," they stood. This was one example: "boys OR athletes AND wearing a hoodie." Another example, shown below, was "students AND boys NOT in band."

Students also had time to work on the site and determine if topics of interest were included on SIRS. While browsing, some students were able to narrow their topics, while others revised topics as needed. Students eventually will be writing pro or con essay that includes at least two sources. Topics that students searched included:

• cell phone use in school
• beauty pageants
• distracted driving
• overmedicating children
• cheerleading as a sport
• keeping soccer players safe
• compensating college athletes