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Primary Toolkit

What are the links to the curriculum?
What about the reading performance standards?
Where can I find primary level resources that my students can use?
Where can I find primary level resources that I can use with my students?
What are lexile rankings?
What are some sample lesson plans?
Where can I find primary level resources that my students can use?

What are the links to the curriculum?

• Reading and Viewing grades 1 – 3
  World Book Kids provides easy access to non-fiction resources that are at an accessible reading level for grade 2 and 3 students as well as making various visual information sources readily available (tables, charts, maps, graphs…)


• Social Studies
  You’ll find rich resources to address curricular topics such as Human and Physical Environment, Economy and Technology, Identity, Culture and Society and Skills and Processes. Look specifically for symbols and maps of Canada, geography and geographic terms, jobs, technology, etc.


• Science
  The online databases contain wonderful materials relating to the curricular organziers such as Processes of Science, Life Science, Physical Science and Earth and Space Science. Look specifically for articles and images on plant and animal growth, the seasons, weather, light and sound

What about the reading performance standards?

Observing primary students using the databases offers opportunities to readily assess students’ use of online textual features as well as their understanding of what they are reading by the choices they make as they move through the document. The use of the databases can be integrated with the reading for information indicators from the Reading Performance Standards such as:

• Strategies and Skills
• Comprehension
• Critical Analysis

Where can I find primary level resources that my students can use?

World Book Kids is the database of choice when introducing databases to primary students. World Book Kids’ interface uses pictures to narrow the search and assist students in navigating to their theme or topic. Alongside the picture is a hyperlink with a short readable description which directs students to the topic article which also may include additional pictures.

• Interactive maps
• A picture collection that can be searched by topic or keyword
• Articles written at an accessible reading level on many topics

Where can I find primary level resources that I can use with my students?

In World Book Kids (see below) look for the "Activities" section. You will find many activities designed to appeal to the different learning styles of your students. These activities are designed to connect with the various topics covered in the text articles. Older children will be able to work independently with the instructions while younger ones will need your guidance. There’s even a section for the teacher!

In EBSCOhost, the best way to find items that you can use with your primary class is to use Primary Search, which is designed specifically for elementary school libraries.

Primary Search is a database that contains:

• full text for more than 70 popular, elementary school magazines with reading level indicator (Lexiles).


• indexing and abstracts for nearly 100 magazines. Examples of publications covered in Primary Search include: Appleseeds, Boys’ Life, Cobblestone, Cricket, Highlights for Children, Hopscotch, Jack & Jill, Ladybug, Ranger Rick, Science World, Spider, SuperScience, Time for Kids, and Turtle.


• an Image Collection of 400,972 photos, maps and flags. For example, here is what comes up for a search on owls.

How do I get started?

1. Use the EBSCOhost (grades 9 – adult) search interface
2. Click on Choose Databases and select "Primary Search." Click OK
3. Click on Search Options
4. Select the Lexile Reading Level that is appropriate for your students. For more information on lexiles, see below.
5. Put in your search key words

A search for Dinosaurs yielded many results including this one
for K – 1

What are lexile rankings?

In EBSCO, some databases include Lexile Rankings or an estimate of the reading difficulty of the resource and the approximate grade level reading ability required for comprehension. More information about this framework can be found at the MetaMetrics website at www.lexile.com

What are some sample lesson plans?

This lesson plan is based on the Research Quest model, developed by the BC Teacher-librarians’ Association. This model builds information literacy and critical thinking skills and includes the following stages:

• Focus
• Find and Filter
• Work with the Information
• Communicate
• Reflect
• Teacher Notes

For more information on the Research Quest Model and how to integrate into the classroom, go to pages 11-16 of the Getting Started with Integrating ICT: A Guide for Teachers (PDF 6 MB).

Use these sample lessons as templates to help develop your own lessons:

Grade 3:  The Physical Environment of British Columbia

Critical Question: What is the most significant feature in your community?

Where can I find primary level resources that my students can use?

CPI.Q.

In CPI.Q., there are over 41 different periodicals categorized for "Children". By doing a Publication Search, you can limit the results just to these selected resources, and even further limit the results to just Lower or Upper Elementary to ensure you are finding the perfect age-specific resources. Some highlights include, National Geographic Kids, Sports Illustrated Kids, Canada & the World, and many french language periodicals. You can also limit any of your Advanced Searches by Lexile score, to ensure you are finding results at the appropriate reading level.

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