Integration Database Models
1. Help students make a decision or analyze a problem ;
What was the worst war in the history of the world? What are the five best career choices for you? What type of pet would best adapt to your home situation?
2. Help students describe an unknown ;
Find a city, country, culture, county, etc. that is different than yours and describe the differences. Describe a planet, star, or moon that contrasts sharply with our own. Find an animal, plant, rock, etc. that has specific characteristics.
3. Help students make a prediction ;
Describe the kind of person the next president (or governor in your state) will be. Predict the region in which the next natural disaster will occur. Predict the next five animals to become extinct.
Beginning the process: What kind of information do you want to get out of the database? How many different tables will you need? What fields will you include in the tables?
Where to start: Think of an area in your curriculum that could be enhanced with the database. Determine which questions students will answer from the database. Create the database--Can students enter the data? Create a fact-fact-conclusion worksheet to accompany the database. Test the database & worksheet.
An Example (Using Fact-Fact-Conclusion Questioning) Your mother has received a promotion. You will be moving to Boise. You have never heard of Boise and you think it's in Iowa. You are not excited. Your parents' realtor has provided your family with a database containing information about Boise neighborhoods, schools, and surrounding of communities Boise. Your parents have asked you to at least take a look at the data to learn more about your future home. Where will you start? If you are looking for a home in a city you have never seen, you will need several facts. You will need facts about neighborhoods, schools, surrounding communities, etc. These facts will most likely come from several tables within the same database. From these facts you could draw several conclusions:
The factors that could possibly contribute to a high crime rate are higher population per square mile, gambling, and less than average jail sentences for small crimes. (Analyze a Problem) Yellow Road Subdivision will be a good place for me to live. It offers homes that are both in my price range and meet my requirements for size, and location. (Make a Prediction)
Awareness School offers an enhanced art curriculum, is in my neighborhood, and has a reasonable tuition. It is comparable...