problem- solving steps - Beacon Learning Center

PROBLEMSOLVING STEPS
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1. Understand the Problem
2. Decide on a Plan
3. Carry out the Plan
4. Look Back and Review
Background Information on
the Internet and Search Engines
These pages were developed and presented using PowerPoint software. If
a multimedia presentation system is available, you may want to develop
something similar for the “Overview and Introduction” section of the
lesson. The visual appeal of this presentation draws the learner in to
what is being discussed and allows the teacher to introduce key elements
before beginning the hands-on activities of modeling and practice.
Developed by Kristy Rousseau, Beacon Learning Center,
Spring 1999, Bay District Schools, Panama City, FL
Opening the Browsers from the Desktop
• Information from the Internet can be read using a browser. A “browser” is
an application used to view and travel the World Wide Web.
• Two browsers available on the computer desktop shown above are Internet
Explorer and Netscape Communicator. Although the desktop on your
monitor may look different, search for one of these icons now.
• Other browsers may also be used; check with the instructor if you can not
find the icons shown above.
• Double click the icon to launch the browser and begin your search.
Bay District Schools’ Homepage
In the location field, type the Universal Resource Locator (URL) for
the web site you would like to visit.
URL
Scroll Bar
The Educational Resources page provides hyperlinks to several
popular search engines. Use the scroll bar to access these engines.
http://www.AskJeeves.com/
URL
Yahoo! and Alta Vista are two search engines available from the
Educational Resources Page. Ask Jeeves is also a popular choice.
Let’s enter the URL address in the location field and check it out!
Type your question here. Then click “Ask!”
Jeeves’ Search Results
Ask Jeeves produces a list of web sites available on tessellations.
Notice that Ask Jeeves searched other engines for its information.
Click on the down arrows for additional web sites.
Let’s check out the site, “Totally Tessellated.” (It was produced by
http://www.Yahoo.com/
high school students
for the ThinkQuest competition.)
http://www.Yahoo.com/
Let’s look at another site. Click the “Home” button on
the top of your screen to return to Bay District’s
Homepage. Select Educational Resources and use
the scroll bar to find Search Engines. When you click
on “Search Engines” the following page should appear:
The Yahoo! Homepage should look similar to the one below.
Yahoo! locates web sites that contain information about your topic.
Enter in a keyword such as “tessellations” and click “Search!”
(The underlined blue words are links to other categories or topics.)
Yahoo! Search Result #1
Yahoo! found lots of sites on tessellations. When I clicked on
“Tessellations Project” to learn what other fifth grade classes were
doing, I was presented with the information shown below.
While reading, I found a lead to trace. I learned that a famous
tessellation artist
was M.C.Escher.
wonder what
Yahoo!
SearchI Result
#2I would find if
I entered his name in the Yahoo! search? Let’s try it!
Yahoo! Search Result #2
Yahoo! found 12 site matches. None of them caught my eye, so I
clicked on “Go To Web Page Matches” at the bottom of the page.
Wow! There were 17,976 web pages on Escher! Let’s check out
“The World of Escher” page. The description sounds interesting.
http://www.AltaVista.com/
Click the “Home” button to return to Bay District’s
Homepage. Select Educational Resources and use the
scroll bar to find Search Engines. Click on “Search
Engines” and scroll until you see Alta Vista.
Although Alta Vista looks a little different, it works just like Yahoo!
Type in the keyword “tessellations” and click on the “Search” button.
Alta Vista Search Results
Alta Vista provides links to related searches. Often they can help narrow
the focus of your research. (We’ll look at “how to make tessellations” in just a minute.)
Alta Vista also lists specific categories to search under. These tabs, as well
as the 6,710 pages listed below, offer information on tessellations.
Let’s check
it out!
Alta Vista Search Results--page 2
Each new click helps me dig further and further through the research.
However, sometimes I get bogged down in all the information and want to
start fresh. When this happens, I use the “Back” button on the top of my
screen to move back to the previous page, or I click on “Home.”
Let’s Practice!
Choose one of the search engines below. Enter the Internet
address in the URL location field, or use the links provided on the
Internet Search Engines page available from Bay District Schools’
Homepage <www.bay.k12.fl.us>.
www.yahoo.com
www.altavista.com
www.askjeeves.com
Use the outline below to record the questions and/or keywords that can be
used to start the search engine. Keep accurate records of helpful sites that
you find during your search. Remember: If you get lost, go “Home!”
My Plan for Research
Question/Keywords:____________________________________________________
Search Engines:________________________________________________________
Helpful sites I found:
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
It is important to record where you find information during the
research process. An accurate bibliographic record offers proof of the
information found, and provides a reference for others to follow.
Record the following information for each type of resource used.
BOOKS
Author’s name (last name, first name). Title of book. City: Publisher,
Copyright year.
Camper, Edward. Flying Dinosaurs. New York: Puffin Books,
1967.
ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRIES
“Title of article.” Name of encyclopedia Year of publication.
“Pterodactyls.” Encyclopedia Britannica 1992 edition.
INTERNET SITES
Name of Web site. Publisher of site. Day Month and Year of copyright
<web address>.
Excavating the Past Web Pages. University of Chicago. 1
August 1994 <http://humanities.uchicago.edu/dinosaurs/>.
MAGAZINE ARTICLES
Author’s name (last name, first name). “Title of article.” Name of
magazine Month and Year of publication: pages of article.
Zeeno, Griffin, Jr. “The Age of the Dinosaurs.” National
Geographic October 1996: 42-67.
GLOSSARY
Term
1. Alta Vista
2. Ask Jeeves
3. bots
4. browse
5. browser
6. button
7. cursor
8. desktop
9. download
10. fields
11. hard copies
12. homepage
13. hyperlinks
14. icon
15. Internet
16. keyword
17. pop-down menu
18. scroll bar
19. search engine
20. sites
21. status bar
22. URL
23. Window
24.Yahoo!
Definition*
A web site that employs bots to search for keywords on the
World Wide Web.
A web site that employs bots to search for keywords on the
World Wide Web .
Robot-like software tools that search Web servers to compile
URL data.
To view data and information on the World Wide Web (WWW).
An application such as Internet Explorer or Netscape
Communicator used to view and travel the WWW.
A small outlined area that can be clicked to select an option
or command.
A symbol such as a rectangle or a blinking underline that
shows where the next typed character will be displayed.
A pictorial file system. Its pictures (icons) represent cabinets,
file, folders, and other types of documents that can be
worked with and rearranged as necessary.
To transfer data from a larger “host” system (i.e., a web site)
to a smaller “client” system (personal computer).
An area set aside for a particular type of information.
A paper printout of the data stored in a computer. (A soft
copy refers to the electronic version of the same data.)
A web page that serves as the main source of information
about a particular person, group, or concept.
A highlighted word or picture on the Internet that takes the
user to another place when clicked. (a.ka. “links”)
A picture used to represent a specific file or application.
When clicked, it opens the file or application for the user.
A worldwide network of networks also known as “the net,”
“the information superhighway,” and “cyberspace.”
An entry used to identify a specific record or document.
A menu that appears directly below the command selected,
as if it had been pulled down.
A bar on the side or bottom of a window that allows users to
view all the information contained on the page.
A program or web site that allows users to search the WWW
using keywords and/or specific questions.
A location on the WWW that contains a homepage and often
additional documents and files.
A bar at the bottom of a window that shows the current
progress of a task being performed by the computer.
An address system used by WWW browsers to locate
resources on the Internet. (Uniform Resource Locator)
A rectangular area on a display screen that runs a program or
shows data.
A web site that employs bots to search for keywords on the
World Wide Web .
*Definitions were adapted from information gathered at
www.netdictionary.com and www.pcwebopaedia.com/.