The Big6 Curriculum

This practical, hands-on book explains how to ensure that your students are information and communication technology literate-that is, competent with a range of tools, technologies, and techniques for seeking out and applying information.

The importance of teaching information and communication technology (ICT) literacy is clear: without it, students will be ill-equipped to find and use information in all its forms as well as produce and present information in all forms. Unfortunately, most ICT literacy educational programs are irregular, incomplete, or arbitrary. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians, and technology teachers need a complete ICT program-one with clearly defined goals and objectives, planned and coordinated instruction, regular and objective assessment of learning, and formal reporting of results. This book explains how to integrate the objectives of ICT literacy into your school's established curricular structure.

The book explains the rationale for a having a comprehensive ICT program, describes how to develop a Big6 by the Month program, and defines the challenges in the areas of information-seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation. It also includes templates for grade-level objectives; a scenario plan, program plan, lesson plan, and unit plan; summary evidence and criteria; performance descriptors; a presentation readiness checklist; and Big6 by the Month checklists for instructional leaders, teachers, and teacher librarians.