Reference SourcesGrades 4 and 5

What is a Reference Source?

Something that contains information that can be used for help or support.

Information can be

from a print or online

source.

Almanac

contains statistics for locating specific information

Almanacs include the following:

Published and updated every year for that year’s events

Includes population statistics

Can include calendars (such as the Farmer’s Almanac published since 1818)

Statistics

Facts of all kinds

Atlas

a book of maps can show physical geographical

features can show political boundaries can show population and

economic data gives information about the map

An Atlas gives information like:

can show physical geographical features

can show political boundaries can show population and

economic data gives information about the

map

Dictionary

contains information that help understand the meaning or words

Dictionaries can tell us many details about words!

How to say a word—pronunciation

Meaning of a word—definition

How the word can be used in a sentence—part of speech (like noun, verb or pronoun)

How to spell a word

How the word is divided into parts—syllables

Examples of how to use the word in a sentence

Picture of the word

Multiple meanings of the word

Encyclopedia

a set of books containing general information about topics such as people, places, and things

Characteristics of Encyclopedias

Each book is called a VOLUME in the set

Volumes are organized in number and ABC order

They are ALPHABETICALLY organized

They are the BEST first stop in a research project

Encyclopedias can also be used ONLINE

Set is updated EVERY year

Contains information on PEOPLE, PLACES and THINGS

Newspaper

A newspaper contains articles with current reports and is published on a daily basis

Newspapers include the following:

National news stories

International news stories

Local news stories

Sports

Weather

Classified ads

Advertisements from local businesses

Obituaries

Cartoons

Letters to the Editor; editorials

Online Resources

contain a wide variety of information that serves many purposes

Telephone Directory

contains personal and business contact information

Telephone Books have the following characteristics:

Uses GUIDE WORDS to get where you are going quickly

Contains personal phone numbers and addresses organized in ABC order by NAME

Also organized in ABC order by business name

BEST local source to find a business, doctor, or other local establishment contact information

Thesaurus

contains information that can be used to support writing

Contains words that mean the opposite-antonyms and words that mean the same-synonyms

Also uses guide words to find the words more easily

A Thesaurus is a reference source to help with writing. Example: Synonyms for the word RUN

Jog

Trot

Dash

Race

Sprint

Example: Antonyms for the word HAPPY

Sad

Unhappy

Depressed

Blue

Almanac, Atlas, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Newspaper, Online, Phone Book or Thesaurus?

Susy is writing a story about the Spelling Bee. She wants to find another word to use instead of saying “great” all the time. Where should she look?

A glossary is most like what kind of reference source?

Which resource would give you world records for everything?

Which reference source would you look in to find how large the land was that connected Asia and North America?

Where would you look to find out about airplanes and how they fly?

Where would you look to find the phone number for a local landscaper?

Where would you look to find the opposite of the word “plentiful”?

Claire wants to see what states border the state of Tennessee. Where would she look?

Where would you look to find out if North Cobb won their football game last night?

What resource would best describe the fastest, longest, or biggest?

What resource would you choose to find out how to pronounce a word?

This source has informational articles in volumes that are organized in ABC order. What is it?

Almanac, Atlas, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Newspaper, Online, Phone Book or Thesaurus?

What resource would you use to find out about the events that happened in 2009?

A truck driver wants to find the best route to Mobile from Atlanta. What resources should he use?

Where would you look to find an audio-clip of the National Anthem?

Max is interested in the latitude and longitude lines near Brazil? Where should he look?

What resource uses guide words to help find something more quickly?

Where is the best place to begin any sort of research project?

A Thesaurus is used to help with writing.True or False

Where would Bill go to find out how many syllables a word has?

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