Q&A
I will be back online on Monday, Aug 3 available to answer Big6 and Super3 questions via this blog. Please post questions to this message, and I will try to answer in a timely manner.
- Mike Eisenberg
Super3 – courtesy of Analisa Ficklin, Bellingham WA
on April 22nd, 2009 at 12:27 pm – Analisa Ficklin said,
I appreciated the training you did for all of us here in Bellingham earlier this week. I have to share a funny story with you.
I came back to school inspired to try the Super 3 format with kindergarteners, and wanting to introduce them to the idea of identifying a resource. So following up on a recent plant unit that they did with their classroom teacher and some activities around all of the creatures that eat plants, I told them I had a question about how plants can eat creatures. We brainstormed resources. Then, using a library resource (a book) I asked them to listen, explore the pictures, and help me find an answer to my question. One little boy insisted, however, that the best resource around for this question is the movie Little Shop of Horrors.
I see a whole new Super 3 lesson on evaluating resources coming up…
Mike E comment – Yes! Perfect “teachable moment” regarding sources and criteria! Thanks for sharing.
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Big6 on Twitter-Weekly Tweets for 2009-04-12
- The Wisconsin CESA5 launched a “Big6 & Super3 Project” website with suggestions for lessons, units and more. [http://tinyurl.com/cv9new] … #
Powered by Twitter Tools.
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Character Counts and Super3/Big6 (Garry Hutchinson, Carroll, Iowa)
Garry Hutchinson said, on September 21st:
“I am an elementary school counselor (K-3) who teacher guidance lessons on Character Counts. We do introduce career lessons during the month of May. I am interested in hearing more about the Big6 and Super3 concepts and how I can incorporate that into our elementary lessons.”
LR Responds: With the Super3 and Big6, we want to help learners- even the youngest students- to become critical thinkers and more adept in their overall problem solving skills. Character Counts is a perfect opportunity for this to happen. With the Super3, students begin to think about the whole process from Plan (Beginning) to Do (Middle) to Review (End).
To begin with, you may want to present various scenarios to your students relating to the different character concepts (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship). Work with the students to solve these “problems/situations” from the beginning to the end using the Super3. This can start out as a whole class activity with a lot of teacher guidance and then students can work in small groups or even individually to progress through the Super3.
Plan: understanding the problem and deciding what to do to solve it and how to solve it.
Do: locating and using appropriate resources in order to solve the problem and actually “doing” it.
Review: reflecting back to the problem (plan) and deciding if the problem is solved, how the process worked, and what could be better next time.
Another activity could be to use the Super3 to define each of the Character Counts terms.
Character Pillar: RESPECT
Plan: What does respect mean? How will I know if I am respectful? What does respect look like? Who can help me understand this concept of respect?
Do: This is where students will actually engage in respectful activities that were defined in the PLAN stage- complimenting another student, using manners, holding the door open for the teacher.
Review: Refer back to Plan and think about Do. Did I accomplish the task of acting respectful? What worked well? What could I do better next time?
I hope this helps. I would be happy to work through a few scenarios using the Super3 if you provide me with a specific examples. Also, I recommend our book, The Super3: Information Skills for Young Learners, which provides detailed information, ideas, lessons, teaching strategies, and resources for aspect of the Super3.
Best- Laura Robinson
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Leah’s Homework
Being the daughter of one of the co-founders of the Big6 (as well as the author of a few Super3 publications), I have extra copies of various books and handout packets laying around the house. Well, my daughter Leah, who is three, stumbled across the Super3: Information Skills for Young Learners book (as if we don’t have enough toys to play with, she now has to resort to my “stuff”). Anyway, once she found the book, she walked over to me in her very serious manner. Our conversation went something like this.
Leah: “Mama. Is this the book about the penguin and you and Papa did it. For real.”
Me (as Leah happily looks through the book. She is especially interested in the worksheet pages and the pictures):”Yes, Leah. That’s Super3 Sam and he helps us to “plan, do, and review. And he tells a story with a beginning, middle, and an end.”
Leah: “Mama. I’ve been looking all over for this book. Cause I have so much homework to do. Really. A lot. And I need to go get my marker to do the book. Okay.”
Leah goes upstairs, gets markers (Sharpie’s, that is), and proceeds to complete each blank worksheet. As she is diligently working, she is talking about each picture and telling a story about the contents of the page. She is so involved in her work. Meanwhile… Logan and I are staring at her in amazement…
One of Leah’s stories goes like this:
“The two kids have to get books and the computer and they do the paper and pencil. Like homework. And all these other things. And then the Mom and Dad hold the baby and have to get the book. And the end.”
I jump in: “Wow, Leah. You are working so, so hard. I am proud of you. Look at how you made a person just like on the other page. You are doing stories like Super3 Sam with a beginning, middle, and an end. That’s great.”
Leah pauses for a moment and looks at me with a blank stare. She says, “Mom, are you gonna pay me for doing this homework? It is hard work, ya know!?”
And that is Leah’s first “true” experience with the Super3!!
Papa, you would be proud!!
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Big6/Super3 Everyday
Even though I’m technically “out of the classroom” and the school year is over, I find that I “Big6 and Super3″ on a daily basis in my personal life and also with my two kids ages 5 and 3. The day begins of course, with our plan or task. Is it a summer camp day? If yes, let the process begin… lunches to pack, clothes to wear (depending on the weather, of course), field trip permission slips signed and ready to go, sunscreen applied… and the checklist continues. The Big6 extends throughout the day as the kids actually “do” their summer camp activities. And I begin the whole process again… What do I need to accomplish while the kids are at camp? What are my priorities? How will it get done? And at the day’s end, we review and reflect on our day. Did I accomplish my task or tasks? Was I effective and efficient with my time? Did the kids have fun and enjoy themselves? This final evaluation is probably the most important part of our day… as we evaluate our feelings, reflect on the day’s activities, and begin to think about or plan the next day.
I am a “list” person. I love to make lists, cross off completed items, and reorganize my list. I like this structure. I like to feel organized and have a plan. Whether I realize it or not, the Big6/Super3 provides this type of structure and organization for me and allows me to progress through the day in a logical order.
Thanks Big6/Super3!!
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Super3 and Real World Applications
I work as a special education resource room teacher within the Seattle School District. My third grade students were recently given a project where they have to research an animal, write a report, and create a presentation of their animal to the class. This is their “big project” for the year. Needless to say, my students were overwhelmed, confused, and perplexed. Thoughts included: Where do I start? How do I find the information? What kind of presentation? How will I ever pick an animal? How do I write a report and make a presentation? What do I put in the report?
Enter the Super3… I used our “famous” Super3: Information Skills for Young Learners book, copied appropriate worksheets, and we were on our way. The students and I have previously used the Super3 so we did a quick review and began our work!
We first completed a “Process/Planning” Page where students had to identify:
- What they will do before they start
- What they need to do in order to complete the assignment
- How they know when their job is complete.
Next, we completed a “Plan” page where students told what they need to do for the project, the sources they might use, and the supplies they need. This is where we organized the task, developed a plan and talked about possible resources to use.
For the “Do” part, I created a template for students to use while recording information about their animals. Information included what the animal looks like, where the animal lives, what the animal eats, and special facts about the animal. By doing this in a structured manner, students knew exactly what information they needed. From these notes, students wrote descriptive paragraphs about their animals and created a poster board or diorama presentation to share with the class.
And last, for “End”, students completed a checklist regarding their final project as well as the process they went through as they completed the assignment.
What a wonderful way for my students to tackle an “impossible” project with minimal guidance.
End result: students who are SO proud, confident and excited about their work, teachers who are extremely pleased with their students (they even reported that my students’ work were some of the best), and a special education teacher who once again, is amazed at how the Super3 helps to create an enriching and positive learning experience!
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What it’s like to be Super3 Sam
Everyone love penguins!
No matter who – you immediately get a big smile! That’s usually followed by…”uh, who are you?” You answer, “Me – I’m Super3 Sam! You know the Super3 – Plan – Do – Review! It’s information problem-solving for everyone!
What do you think? What comes to your mind when you see the picture of Super3 Sam?
I wore this costume (created by Big6 Exec Manager, Sue Wurster!) at the AASL conference in Reno and again for Halloween. It was amazing how everyone responded! Most kids were great- they smiled and wanted to pet Sam. A few were shy and didn’t know quite how to respond. But, the adults were the best – everyone smiled or laughed and all wanted a picture with Sam.
I’m not sure I could teach a lesson dressed in the Sam costume, but I might be willing to give it a try. Any takers?
Mike
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It all started when…
So, I am asked to be the new writer for the Super3 and Big6 Blog! What a fun, exciting, and enriching task. (Yes, in all my free time, I will easily fit this in!) A place where I can share ideas, ask questions, post articles, and discuss important topics all centered around the Super3, Big6, education, and learning. I hope to develop a rich audience of readers and writers who will comment, respond, and share! Anything goes! Well, almost anything- use your judgment.
Let’s start with the basics: Super3 and Big6? What’s this all about? You mean you don’t know? It’s only the most widely-known and widely-used approach to teaching information and problem solving skills in the world.
Some people call the Big6 an information problem-solving strategy because with the Big6, students of ALL ages are able to handle any problem, assignment, decision (personal or academic) or task.
Here are the six stages we call the BIG6. Two sub-stages are part of each main category in the Big6 model:
1. Task Definition
1.1 Define the information problem
1.2 Identify information needed
2. Information Seeking Strategies
2.1 Determine all possible sources
2.2 Select the best sources
3. Location and Access
3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
3.2 Find information within sources
4. Use of Information
4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch)
4.2 Extract relevant information
5. Synthesis
5.1 Organize from multiple sources
5.2 Present the information
6. Evaluation
6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness)
6.2 Judge the process (efficiency)
People go through these Big6 stages—consciously or not—when they seek or apply information to solve a problem or make a decision. It’s not necessary to complete these stages in a linear order, and a given stage doesn’t have to take a lot of time. We have found that almost all successful problem-solving situations address all stages.
And the Super3…
Designed for younger learners in preschool through 2nd grades:
Beginning: PLAN
Middle: DO
End: Review
And there you have the Super3 and Big6 in a nutshell.
So, for those who are new to the Big6, explore our website at www.big6.com, read about our information problem solving model, try it out, and share your thoughts and ideas. And for the current Big6ers, please continue to tell us how you use and implement the Big6. What works? How does the Big6 fit into your teaching and learning? How do your learners respond to the Big6?
Stay tuned for more!!
