1. Name: Fiona B. Griswold Cooperating Teacher-Librarian: Kathy Wickline
Date: December 2, 2010 School & City: Unity Junior High, Tolono
Lesson Title: Using EasyBib to Create a Works Cited Page
Grade level: 7th-grade Social Studies Length of lesson: ~ 20 minutes
Purpose: Instruct students in how to use the EasyBib.com website to create a works cited page for
their Revolutionary War baseball card sources now that most of them have recently learned how to
manually cite websites and books using MLA 7 format.
Learning Outcomes:
 Students will be able to identify and locate the source information necessary to create a website
citation and a book citation using EasyBib.
 Students will be able to review the citation created by EasyBib for any errors or omissions, and
correct the citation for the final product (Works Cited page).
 Students will be able to export their citations from EasyBib to a Word document to be printed
and turned in with their project.
Illinois English Language Arts Learning Standards:
 4.A.3c Restate and carry out multistep oral instructions.
 5.A.3a Identify appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions through research.
 5.B.3a Choose and analyze information sources for individual, academic and functional
purposes.
Standards for 21st Century Learner:
 1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity,
appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.
 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.
NETS-S Standards:
 3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use
information. Students: c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the
appropriateness to specific tasks and d. process data and report results.
 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills
to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions
using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: b. plan and manage activities to develop
a solution or complete a project and c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make
informed decisions
Materials Needed by Librarian:
 Computer w/ Internet access
 LCD projector
 PowerPoint presentation on using EasyBib
 Presentation notes
 EasyBib.com website
 Examples of print/online materials to cite
 Wireless remote presenter
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2. Materials Needed by Students:
 Computer w/ Internet access
 Sources (books and websites used to collect information on their topic)
Instructional procedures
As students enter library:
 Welcome students as they enter the library and instruct them to go to their language arts
computer, log in, then move their chairs to a place where they can see the slides and not have
me blocking their view.
 Move students as necessary (with help of Mr. Miller) to ensure that everyone is in a place where
they can devote attention to the lesson.
Focusing event:
 Begin by telling students that we are going to be creating our Works Cited pages today using
the EasyBib citation creator. Ask for a show of hands who has used EasyBib before.
 Based on show of hands, ask how many have created a Works Cited page at all, and remind
students that (hopefully) this will be a review.
Input from Librarian:
 Go to EasyBib website and talk about the fact that it is a free tool, and usually a very good tool,
for creating a bibliography or a Works Cited page.
 Discuss EasyBib’s limitations: not magic, citations only as good as the information you provide;
citations created are not always completely accurate--it is YOUR responsibility to know what the
format of the citation and make sure that all information is included and correct for the source;
 Using PowerPoint presentation, review the MLA 7 format for a printed book, using both an
actual example, and then the “model” of how a citation should be formatted.
 Now, use EasyBib to create a citation for that same book and review the second page for
differences in the two (esp. the addition of the illustrator as an author).
 Show students how to fix errors and create citation. Ask if the EasyBib one looks like the one we
looked at a moment ago.
 Do same review of MLA 7 format for a website using actual example (John Adams article) and
model of a correct citation. Draw attention to the n.d. abbreviation.
 Again, use EasyBib to create citation for same website by inputting the URL.
 Review the second page for errors or omissions, asking students what is missing or noticeable
about this page (red boxes).
 As group, fill in the blanks asking students to suggest where to find information for author and
publisher. Draw attention to the difference in website titles between the source and the EasyBib
citation.
 Check EasyBib website citation. What is missing? (n.d.) Show students how to make EasyBib
display n.d.
 Demonstrate how to create their Works Cited page as a Word document by downloading the
formatted file. Remind students to resist the urge to cut and paste.
Guided practice:
 Students return to their assigned tables and receive instructions on the website evaluation
exercise.
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3. Closure:
 After presentations and with any time remaining, tell students that they can search for possible
websites to use as their source for their World Leader. Tell students that once they find the best
site to use as a source for their person, they will complete the same checklist and hand it in to
their classroom teacher.
 Distribute the checklist to each student or give class set to the classroom teacher (as they
prefer).
Check for understanding:
Evaluation of student learning for this lesson will be accomplished in three ways:
1. Informal discussion/questioning during the presentation and as students are completing the
evaluation checklist.
2. How the groups evaluated their websites: did their final evaluation closely mirror the key created
to help guide the process? Did they focus on important elements of the site or did they miss
important clues as to their site’s quality?
3. The final evaluation piece, which will likely occur the next day, in which students are asked to
list what they should look for when evaluating whether a website is a good source (as a follow
up to the initial idea web activity that started the lesson).
What’s next?
Students will be in the library again later this week to do online research on their person for the World
Leader’s forum. They will be able to use the skills learned in today’s lesson to find the best website to
use as a source for their project and will have another opportunity to complete and hand in the
Evaluation Checklist for the website that they eventually select and cite in the Works Cited page for
their project.
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