Category: RACDCAB

RADCAB #3: Applying RADCAB to an Online Information Source

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students apply Christensson’s RADCAB model to evaluate a digital information source, usually a website.  You must prepare the guiding question and choose a website, so this will take a bit of time to set up.  I have chosen a non-professional web site that links to a unit on exploration, but you may choose any website you feel is suitable for the exercise.  This is the second lesson designed to have the kids practice using the RADCAB model.  Hopefully by now they are starting to gain some confidence in using RADCAB.  This is hard conceptual work for most 5th graders.  I often work through this exercise as a class and have them share their thinking with one another.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

4-5

Objective:

Students will practice applying the RADCAB model to an online information source.

AASL 1.1.4:  Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Given a guiding question and website, students will correctly assess the suitability of the website as an information source.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Briefly review the elements of the RADCAB model.  Today we’ll be applying the model to an online information source.  The principles are the same, but the application is a bit different.  Use what you know and try to think through this assignment.  This one is more challenging than last week’s work with a print source.

2. Main:

Introduce the website, task, and activity for the day.  Students may use their own computers to access the website.  Each student will take notes and write responses to each element of the RADCAB model.  Students must explain their thinking and/or give examples.  Short or one-word answers are not enough to answer this exercise.

Work through the assignment together, if necessary.  The kids will easily get sidetracked into the content of the site and forget to evaluate the site according to the given criteria!  Keeping them on task is challenging.  You may wish to extend the lesson by 10-15 minutes, just so that they can read through the site, follow a few links, and get familiar with it before completing the assignment.

3. Conclusion:

Point out that they have:

  1. Learned the RADCAB model
  2. Applied RADCAB to a printed source (book)
  3. Applied RADCAB to an online source (website)

We will continue to use and apply RADCAB with information sources.  Encourage students to use the RADCAB model in all of their projects.

additional Resources:
  1. Website:  World Walk Travel Adventure  http://davekunst1.com/
  2. Student Handout, RADCAB Online Information Source
Notes:

You can use any website for this exercise.  However, I chose Dave Kunst’s web site because it ties to the Unit of Inquiry on exploration, the kids generally find it interesting, and he is an authority without being a large company or university.  I believe that the site is unique in this regard and therefore a good one for the kids to use in their thinking.

Karen Christensson, a library media specialist in the U.S.A,, developed the RADCAB model for her lessons in 2002.  I have found it to be an excellent tool for teaching these concepts, and I’ve never found a model I like better than hers.

I have purchased posters and bookmarks of the RADCAB model, and my students and teachers have loved them.  I have yet to find a literacy curriculum or language curriculum that teaches these concepts better than Karen’s model, so I encourage you to get familiar with it and place an order for some of the supporting materials.

RADCAB web site:  http://www.radcab.com/

Key Terms:

Information Source Evaluation, Information Literacy, RADCAB, Relevance, Appropriateness, Detail, Currency, Authority, Bias, Web Site Evaluation.

student handout:

Student Handout, RADCAB Website Evaluation

RADCAB #2: Applying RADCAB to a Printed Information Source

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students apply Christensson’s RADCAB model to evaluate a printed information source, usually a non-fiction book.  You must prepare the guiding questions and the books, so this will take a bit of time to set up.  The lesson provides samples, but you’ll need to use texts and relevant questions from your own collection.  Students can generally explain the model based on what they learned in the first lesson, but knowing the model and being able to use it are different skills.  I have taught this lesson for years, and most 5th grade students find it difficult to apply the concepts and explain their thinking.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

4-5 and above

Objective:

Given a guiding question and a non-fiction book, successfully apply the RADCAB Model to evaluate the book as a suitable information source.

AASL 1.1.4:  Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will successfully apply the RADCAB criteria to a printed information source.  They will record their findings/assessment, and their teacher will review their work.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Review the RADCAB model, including what it is used for and its components.

2. Main:

Give student pairs a non-fiction text and a guiding question.  Ask them to use the RADCAB model to decide whether the information source would be suitable for answering the research question.  Students will work in pairs so that they have someone to discuss the activity with.

3. Conclusion:

State that we will be using RADCAB again next week to evaluate a website.  The model is a useful one for every research project!

additional Resources:
  1. 13 nonfiction books with guiding questions (see attached Sample Guiding Questions) .
  2. RADCAB application sheet for a print source (see attached student handout.)
Notes:

This lesson requires quite a bit more preparation effort because you will need to locate suitable books, write a matching guiding question, and have those matched and ready to go for the students before class time.

For this lesson, it is better to have the students work in pairs.  The concepts are not easy to apply and many students will benefit from talking this over with a partner.

The RADCAB model was developed by Library Media Specialist Karen Christensson.  Visit the RADCAB website here:  http://www.radcab.com/

Key Terms:

Information Source Evaluation, Information Literacy, RADCAB, Relevance, Appropriateness, Detail, Currency, Authority, Bias

Sample RADCAB guiding questions:

Sample RADCAB Guiding Questions

student handout:

Student Handout, RADCAB Printed Source Evaluation

 

RADCAB #1: Introduction to the RADCAB Model

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn a model for evaluating an information source.  Although designed by the author to evaluate online sources, I have found it equally useful in evaluating print sources.  The model is simple to remember, easy to each, and kids love it!  I’ve had great success using Karen Christensson’s RADCAB model.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

4-5 and above.  RADCAB can be used for all students.

Objective:

To understand and be able to explain the components of the RADCAB model.

AASL 1.1.4:  Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will be able to explain what each letter in the RADCAB model stands for and how the concept relates to evaluating an information source.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Show the bogus website about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.  Ask them if they think that the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is a real creature.  Most of them will be fooled!  Explain that we must know if we can trust our information sources, and there is something we can use to help us figure that out!

“Fake News” has been in the media a lot because so many people are so easily tricked.  Don’t let yourself be tricked!  Be careful about sources you trust and always check your sources to see if they are credible.

2. Main:

Teach the RADCAB model using the handout to help students capture the information.   Select information sources to illustrate each of the concepts.

3. Conclusion:

We’ll be using the RADCAB model to evaluate books and websites, but it can be used to evaluate any source of info.  We’ll refer to it throughout the year.

additional Resources:
  1. RADCAB Model, developed by Karen Christensson: http://www.radcab.com/
  2. RADCAB note capture handout.  (see attached).
  3. Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus website:  http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
  4. Enough books or materials to illustrate each of the RADCAB concepts. I often use things like these:
  • Relevancy: Choose a book on swimming.  Tell the kids that the guiding question is “How to learn to dive.”
  • Appropriateness: Choose a Winnie the Pooh book and ask how many of them would like to read it for themselves.
  • Detail: Choose two books on the same subject, one too simple and one overwhelmingly complex.  The last time I taught this concept I used Red Food Fun (Eat Your Colors) by Lisa Bullard and The Way to Cook by Julia Child.
  • Currency: Choose a book about a political leader no longer in power, an outdated technology book, or a book about a pop star from previous years.  Be sure to point out that sometimes older material is best for historical research.  Materials must not always be current, but the date of publication must be considered.
  • Authority: Choose a website from a celebrity who is commenting on a scientific topic.  Or, a hobby blogger trying to pass him or herself off as an expert.  My students have a hard time understanding the idea of credentials and degrees.  Kids often relate best to their teachers.  Example: Whitaker is a reliable resource for anything about the circus and clowns because he has this training, whereas Miss Betty, no matter how enthusiastic she may be about the subject, has never studied this field.  Which of them would be the best source for a guiding question about life in the circus?
  • Bias: Bias is possibly the most difficult to teach because most children have never considered it before.  I use travel books or brochures or car sales materials.  Point out that a travel guide for Sir Lanka will never encourage anyone to go to India!  Sales material for Ford will never recommend that a prospective customer check out Subaru vehicles.  Emphasize that biased materials are often helpful for research as long as you are aware of the bias an take it into account.

Select materials and examples that will make the most sense to your students.

Notes:

Karen Christensson, a library media specialist in the U.S.A,, developed the RADCAB model for her lessons in 2002.  I have found it to be an excellent tool for teaching these concepts, and I’ve never found a model I like better than hers.  Kids can and do remember the RADCAB model.  Learning the model is an easy lesson and goes well.  The far bigger challenge is getting the kids to apply the model.

I always follow up this lesson with two others:

  • Using the RADCAB model to evaluate a print information source.
  • Using the RADCAB model to evaluate an online information source.

I have purchased posters and bookmarks of the RADCAB model and my students and teachers have loved them.  I have yet to find a literacy curriculum or language curriculum which teaches these concepts better than Karen’s model, so I encourage you to get familiar with it and place an order for some of the supporting materials.

RADCAB Website:  http://www.radcab.com/

Key Terms:

Information Literacy, Information Source Evaluation, RADCAB, Relevance, Authority, Detail, Currency, Appropriateness, Bias

student handout:

RADCAB Introduction Student Handout
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