MAD LIBS and Databases

This is a great way to capitalize on the students' fondness for MAD LIBS and teach about databases and parts of speech at the same time! This idea was shared with me by my colleague, Eleanor Conrad, Technology Resource Teacher.

Objective:

• Students will learn how to add new records to an existing Mad Lib database.
• Students will learn how to do a mail merge and insert a field.
• Students will learn how to show their data in the merge and print the merge showing the field data of their choice.

Procedure:

1. Discuss what students know about databases.
2. Show several examples of databases and define the terms record and field.
3. Students open a Mad Libs database file made by the teacher. (Directions for creating a database)
4. Have students add at least 4 new records to the database.
5. It is a good idea to remind the students to run a spell-check after adding all their new records to the database. Leave this file open.
6. From the File menu, Open the Mad Libs merge file made by the teacher. (Directions for creating a mail merge)
7. From the File menu choose Mail Merge.
8. Click in the box, in the mail merge window that says Show Field Data. Scroll through all the records and you will see the data in the story.
9. Have students select their favorite.
10. With their favorite story on the screen, from the File menu, select Print.
11. Note: If you click on Print Merge, in the Mail Merge window, it will print ALL the records.

Follow-up Activity:

• Have the students bring in Mad Libs and set up their own database for a Mad Lib of their choice. Then have them create a mail merge. They can exchange these files with classmates or another class.