I recently received this question in my email inbox, and after writing the answer, it dawned on me that this might be helpful to others -- especially since it is research paper/project season.
What are good sources for non-fiction books, specifically the kind and variety that junior and senior high students could use for their research projects? Is thrift store hunting the best bet? Obviously one is looking for a great diversity of themes.
This week I returned 57 books to the library. I made three trips from my car to the return desk.
These are books I purchased online this year for four different students.
What are good sources for non-fiction books, specifically the kind and variety that junior and senior high students could use for their research projects? Is thrift store hunting the best bet? Obviously one is looking for a great diversity of themes.
That is a great question. First of all, I do collect non-fiction books at thrift stores when I find them, and over the years I've amassed a decent collection, but it's never enough. Usually I'll find one or two thrift stores that have a better selection of books than others, and I try to frequent those stores more.
Second, I make a list of all of my students' topics and then spend an afternoon at the library. That way I can check the books all out at once and can return them at the same time. They stay in my classroom and don't leave. I dig, too. If their topic is King Tut's tomb, I'll dig up anything on pyramids, tombs, Egyptian archaeology, etc., and check those out. I also go online and request books from different libraries about two weeks ahead of time, so that when I get there, the books will hopefully all be there.
This week I returned 57 books to the library. I made three trips from my car to the return desk.
Third, about the same time (a week or two before we start our bibliography cards), I will go to Amazon.com and order books for those who have really good topics that they are interested in, but that we are having a hard time finding books from the library on. These have usually been topics like the Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster, the Great Baltimore Fire, the White Rose Society, etc. I find them cheap, usually for $3-$5 or so, and then write my name in them so we have them for future years.
These are books I purchased online this year for four different students.
Last, I personally will find an internet article for them and print it out for them to use IF we cannot find four to five books that have some information on their topic. I staple the article pages together, write the website at the top for bibliography card purposes, and the date I accessed it as well. I try to make sure they are reliable sources. History.com is one of my favorites. I save these articles for future use, too.
We do always start with the encyclopedias, but many of my students' topics this year were not in there. I put those subjects on my list to look for on my future thrift store runs.
I also sometimes have my students fill out this form and turn it in. That way they can request the books online themselves, and also we (if it's a field trip) or I (if I'm going alone) know exactly where to look for books on their topics when we/I get there. And I give them a grade on it to make sure they get done. Yay for accountability.
(I have this form as a pdf. if anyone is interested. Just email me.)
I also sometimes have my students fill out this form and turn it in. That way they can request the books online themselves, and also we (if it's a field trip) or I (if I'm going alone) know exactly where to look for books on their topics when we/I get there. And I give them a grade on it to make sure they get done. Yay for accountability.
(I have this form as a pdf. if anyone is interested. Just email me.)
I hope this helps!
Blessings,
Deana