Students interact with databases daily but often do not recognize that fact. Ask students whether they have
used Google or another search engine recently. Have students purchased anything online? Did they use the
online library catalog? How have they interacted with any databases in the previous 24 hours? Write the list on
the board to emphasize the importance that databases play in our daily lives.
Choose one of the three databases in this chapter. Ask students to provide other data items that could be
included. For example, the OWNER table in the Solmaris Condominium Group could include telephone
number. Then, ask the students how the data items should be stored; for example, should phone number
include area code? Why or why not?