Library Treasure Hunt: An OPAC Title Search
----------------------------------------------------------------------Subject Area(s): Language Arts
Grade Levels: 3rd-7th
Description:
A treasure of knowledge awaits you in the library. Take a peek in the OPAC to see what awaits you. Children
will search the OPAC to find their treasure on the shelves in the library.
LEARNING GOALS:
Students will be able to use the OPAC to locate a book by title. Students will be familiar with the DDCS.
Students will collaborate with peers. Students will be familiar with parts of a book.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Students in small groups will locate a book in the OPAC with a title search. The group will jot down the call
number on a note card. The group will locate the book on the shelf by Dewey number. The group will bring the
book back to group to fill out worksheet on the parts of a book.
MOTIVATIONAL GOALS:
Students will understand the important role the OPAC plays in finding resources.
MATERIALS: Worksheets, laptop, OPAC, mystery box with book titles, colored squares of paper, pencils,
PROCEDURES:
A mystery box will be filled with slips of paper. As students enter, hand each one a square of colored paper.
Don't say what it is for. When everyone is settled, state the class objective to give students an idea of what is
expected of them.
Ask students how to find a book entitled Treasure Island in the library. Give time to think & brainstorm. Discuss
how an OPAC can assist.
On the Smartboard show the OPAC search screen. Ask: Have you seen this before? Has anyone used it? What
did it help you do?
"Let's try typing in the title Treasure Island and see what we come up with.” When the title comes up, show
the title, author, call number, publisher, number of pages, date and summary. Explain that the OPAC record can
tell the searcher a lot. Show the call number. Demonstrate how they should jot it down on the note cards.
Refer to the learning objectives. Form groups by telling the kids to find 3-4 other people with the same color.
Explain that they will be working as a team to search the OPAC and to find their book. Pass out the worksheets
(one for each child). Tell them it is time to choose something from the mystery box. Have each group pick a slip
of paper from the box. Each group goes to the OPAC to search for its title. They will write the call number on a
note card and then find it on the shelf. After the book is located they will meet as a group at a table to fill out
the worksheets. As students finish worksheets they will hand them in. Try to comment about them. Have
students sit in groups. Review what has been done in this assignment.
ASSESSMENT:
Worksheets will indicate whether the students found the correct call number and located the correct book on
the shelf. It will also show whether they were able to identify the parts of the book correctly.
STANDARDS:
National Information Literacy Standards (K-12): Accesses information efficiently and effectively, Develops and uses successful strategies
for locating information, Practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology, Uses information technology
responsibly, Participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information, Collaborates with others, both in person and through
technologies, to identify information problems and to seek their solutions
Information Skills and Subskills (K-16): Planning, Formulates a search strategy, Identifies potential information sources, Exploration,
Locates and accesses information resources, Collection, Locates relevant information within selected sources
Subject: K-12: Language Arts
National Content Standards (K-12)
Writing
Gathers and uses information for research purposes
Media
Understands the characteristics and components of the media
NAME: ______________________________________
TEACHER/Class:
_________________
OPAC
Treasure Hunt
for Books
Using a
Title Search
Title of the Book that you are looking up in the OPAC
Call number for the book you found in the OPAC
Directions: Answer the questions below. Use the book you found to record the answers.
1. The author is _____________________________________________
2. Is the book fiction or non-fiction? ______________________________
3. The publisher is ___________________________________________
4. Does the book have a glossary? ______________________________
5. Does the book have pictures? ________________________________
6. How many pages does the book have? _________________________
7. The copyright © date is _____________________________________
What would you like to look up in the OPAC? Why?
___________________________________________________________