Computer Skills Curriculum
Database Lesson Plans

Title: NC County Hunters, Inc.

English Language Arts 2.1, 2.2, 4.1; Social Studies: 1.2, 11.1, 11.2; Computer Skills: (Gr. 5) 2.2, (Gr. 6) 3.1, 3.2, (Gr. 8) 3.1; Information Skills 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2

Grade: 8
Competency 3.1: Given a prepared database, use sorting and searching techniques to solve a specific problem.

Measure 3.1.2: Given a prepared database of counties of North Carolina, identify counties in the mountain region that would be preferable for retirement.

Materials Needed: Prepared database, sample letters, maps of NC, word processing software (optional), poster paper or desktop publishing software to make a want-ad listing to post. (Database--Counties)

Time: Three class sessions.

Terms: Database, Sort, Search

Glossary

Sample Letter 1
Sample Letter 2
Sample Letter 3
Sample Letter 4

Activities

Activity 1:

1. Review the database operations of search and sort.
2. Provide computer stations with the prepared NC counties database file, maps of NC, and access to a printer or set up one station for one pair of students to operate for the class.
3. Designate the class as the relocation agency known as NC County Hunters, Inc. and the students as "relocation specialists."
4. Present the students or the class with a letter to NC County Hunters, Inc. from a gentleman from Ohio seeking relocation to an area of NC with an ample number of doctors and opportunities to meet other folks over 65 years of age. (See Sample 1.)
5. Have students work in pairs to search the NC counties file or sort the records and write a response from NC County Hunters, Inc. They may need to use the NC map in finalizing their answer. Have them use word processing software (optional) to publish their response.
6. Ask for volunteers to report the suggestions they offered in their reply. Discuss any differences in responses.

Activity 2:

1. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students to form a County Hunters office.
2. Present each group with one of the sample letters (samples 2-4) to NC County Hunters, Inc.
3. Have the groups search the NC counties file or sort the records, use the NC map, and write a response from NC County Hunters, Inc. using word processing software (optional) to publish their response.
4. Have the groups with the same letter compare their responses and discuss any differences in responses.
5. Ask those groups with the same letter to report to the entire class how alike or different the responses were and state what database processes were used that might have created the differences.

Measure