Computer Skills Curriculum
Database Lesson Plans
Title: NC County Hunters, Inc.
English Language Arts 2.1,
2.2, 4.1; Social Studies: 1.2, 11.1, 11.2; Computer Skills: (Gr. 5) 2.2, (Gr. 6) 3.1,
3.2, (Gr. 8) 3.1;
Information Skills 1.4, 1.5, 2.1,
Competency 3.1: Given a prepared database, use sorting and searching techniques to
solve a specific problem.
Measure 3.1.2: Given a prepared database of counties of North Carolina, identify
counties in the mountain region that would be preferable for retirement.
Materials Needed: Prepared database, sample letters, maps of NC, word processing
software (optional), poster paper or desktop publishing software to make a want-ad listing
to post. (Database--Counties)
Time: Three class sessions.
Terms: Database, Sort, Search
Sample Letter 1
Sample Letter 2
Sample Letter 3
Sample Letter 4
- 1. Review the database operations of search and sort.
- 2. Provide computer stations with the prepared NC counties database file, maps of NC,
and access to a printer or set up one station for one pair of students to operate for the
- 3. Designate the class as the relocation agency known as NC County Hunters, Inc. and the
students as "relocation specialists."
- 4. Present the students or the class with a letter to NC County Hunters, Inc. from a
gentleman from Ohio seeking relocation to an area of NC with an ample number of doctors
and opportunities to meet other folks over 65 years of age. (See Sample 1.)
- 5. Have students work in pairs to search the NC counties file or sort the records and
write a response from NC County Hunters, Inc. They may need to use the NC map in
finalizing their answer. Have them use word processing software (optional) to publish
- 6. Ask for volunteers to report the suggestions they offered in their reply. Discuss any
differences in responses.
- 1. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students to form a County Hunters office.
- 2. Present each group with one of the sample letters (samples 2-4) to NC County Hunters,
- 3. Have the groups search the NC counties file or sort the records, use the NC map, and
write a response from NC County Hunters, Inc. using word processing software (optional) to
publish their response.
- 4. Have the groups with the same letter compare their responses and discuss any
differences in responses.
- 5. Ask those groups with the same letter to report to the entire class how alike or
different the responses were and state what database processes were used that might have
created the differences.
Given a prepared database of NC counties and a map of NC, determine the counties in the
mountain region that would be preferable for retirement and incorporate your findings into
a want ad that might be published in a national magazine.