Finding Information

“The next best thing to knowing something is to know where to find it.” I still remember these exact words from one of my own elementary teachers and I find them to be even more relevant today. Her lesson many years ago was to teach us that if we did not know an answer to a question, then the next best thing would be to know where to look for the answer. Back then, when we needed to find information, we relied on our textbook, a reference book, or a parent or another knowledgeable adult to provide us with the answer we needed. I can remember lifting huge Britannica volumes and turning through the pages to find an answer, hoping that the information was current enough to be correct. Knowing where to look for information is still an important tool for elementary students in today’s world. Books are still important resources; however, instead of sorting through huge encyclopedia volumes, they sort through many resources available through technology. At their fingertips is a wealth of information. One of our tasks is to help our students know where to find correct and reliable information and help them use it to make sense of the world in which they live. What a job we have!