Educator's Name:                 Beverly McWilliams

School:                                  Bankston Elementary

School District:                     Greenwood Public

Student Grade Level:           5-6

Subject:                                 Library

Title of Lesson Plan:            Papermaking as Science Project Idea

Unit/Theme:                          Papermaking

Objectives:                  

 To encourage students to become interested in topics for Science Fair projects and to inform students

 about the methods of paper-making

Instructional Format:

Students will be divided into four different groups to do research and to design posters.  Groups will

be divided accordingly:

1.         History of Paper

2.         How Paper is Made

3.         Recycled Paper

4.         How to Make Paper at Home

Materials Needed:

MAGNOLIA for research

Note paper

Poster Board

Drawing paper

Colored markers

Duration of Activity:            4 days

Activity:       

Students are divided into teams to do research using MAGNOLIA to find information about

their topic in order to prepare a poster explaining their topic.  They are encouraged to start with

Grolier,  Middle Search Plus and Academic Search Elite.  Students take notes and cut and paste any

pictures that can be used on their posters.  At the conclusion of the week, every student is given an

opportunity to make paper in the  library.

Explore Activity:

The New Book of Knowledge from Grolier Encyclopedia gives information on "How Paper is Recycled,"

"Printing," including the history of paper, and "Paper," on how paper is made, materials, types of paper

products, and the history of paper.  Have students go to Academic Search Elite.  Once there, students

can type in "homemade paper."  "How to Make Homemade Paper" by Saddington, Marrianne, from

Mother Earth News, December 1993/January 1994, Issue Number 141, page 30, provides information

on needed materials, how to make pulp, how to mold the pulp, drying methods, storing extra pulp,

and how to build a mold and deckle.  Have students use this site to make their own paper in the

library.  Students can make a collage from the paper and hang it in the library.  Students can also

use MAGNOLIA to research the importance of recycling.  Students could independently present

in front of the class their findings using statistics, charts, and diagrams. 

Formal Assessment:            Students were able to find more than adequate information for their

posters.  By using the web links listed on the Grolier sites, the students found some excellent

information.