Elementary Computer Classes

Basic skills taught:

• Keyboarding by touch (UltraKey)
• Word processing (AppleWorks)
• Saving / organizing files, general network and computer hardware / software functions
• Graphic use (Appleworks)
• Spreadsheet - creating graphs, writing formulas, formatting (AppleWorks)
• Internet use - searching, online safety, copyright issues, evaluating web sites, participating in web-enhanced learning

Additional technology activities and skills for students:

• "First in Math" online math games to reinforce basic facts in grades 1-8
• Using wikis and blogs for online collaboration, writing, and sharing
• Collaboration and communication with schools in other countries

QUARTER 1:

Keyboarding
The main focus of third grade is KEYBOARDING. Third grade computer class is held 4-5 times per week for 20 minutes each session. Studies have shown that keyboarding by touch (without looking at the keyboard) is best learned by practicing often. It is a skill similar to learning how to play an instrument and is learned by repeating the "finger reaches" until it becomes "automatic" and is done without thinking. Short, frequent practice is better than infrequent, long sessions. In the beginning, accuracy is more important than speed. After students know the reaches, they should speed up a bit to be more so their fingers move more easily and not worry about accuracy. Finally, when the accuracy is there, and students know the reaches without thinking and the fingers can move smoothly to the keys, with continued practice, both speed and accuracy will improve. The goal for the end of third grade is for students to complete levels 1-6 of UltraKey, with a score of 10wpm/95%.With our frequent schedule, however, most students complete all of UltraKey (level 9) by the end of third grade,and are typing 15 or more wpm.

Identifying parts of the computer and computer screen; Using the mouse, menus, windows, and programs
Students learn about the different types of computers and parts of computers. Then the parts of the screen are introduced (menu bar, icon, window, title bar, resize box, close box, etc.) Students learn how to maneuver throughout the computer, first pointing / clicking / dragging with the cursor, then opening and closing windows. The 3 ways to view a window in OSX on a mac is demonstrated so that students can find their work on the computer.

The importance of keyboarding in today's world is introduced through several videos in the UltraKey program, as we emphasize proper keyboarding body posture, and finger placement on the keys. Students will be coming to the lab 4-5 days a week for keyboarding practice in third grade because frequent practice is the key to learning to type by touch (without looking at the keyboard). This is more often than other years. Our goal is to have third graders complete all of the 9 levels of UltraKey by the end of the year, rather than stretch it out through 4th grade. Therefore, the end of quarter goals will be greater.

At the end of this quarter, students should have completed level 2 or 3 of the 9 levels of UltraKey and be typing at least 10 wpm / 95%.

QUARTER 2:

Keyboarding
Students continue to work on their keyboarding. At the end of this quarter, students should have completed level 5 of the 9 levels of UltraKey and be typing at least 10 wpm / 95%.

QUARTER 3:

Keyboarding
Students continue to work on their keyboarding. At the end of this quarter, students should have completed level 7 of the 9 levels of UltraKey and be typing at least 10 wpm / 95%.

Beginning Word Processing
Students begin learning how to put text on a page now. They learn several ways to select words, delete words, and replace words. They learn how to move words up and down the page and align them (left, right, center, full justify). They also learn how to format words with font, size, and color, and use spell check. They practice by writing stories or poems from class.

QUARTER 4:

Keyboarding
Students continue to work on their keyboarding. At the end of this quarter, students should have completed level 9 - the final level of UltraKey and be typing at least 10 wpm / 95%.

Using Word Processing Skills and Adding Graphics to Create a Slide Show for Science
Students learn how to copy and paste a graphic from one document to another and then resize and move that graphic. The graphics being used are pictures of the planets, and the students use the pictures to create pages of pictures of planets and information to turn into a slide show. They also use web sites chosen by the teacher for information.

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QUARTER 1:

Keyboarding
In 4th grade, students have a 40 minute computer class once a week. They spend 20 minutes keyboarding and 20 minutes on computer skills. At the end of 4th grade, students should have completed all 9 levels of UltraKey with a score of 10 wpm / 95%.

Reviewing Word Processing
Students use the Books of the Bible to practice changing fonts. size, color of text. They also move text up and down and align it all four ways. Students practice copying and pasting as well as the new command of cutting and pasting. Working with graphics is reviewed by having students copy and paste from a document of appropriate clip art. Students learn the new commands of duplicating, flipping, and text wrap.

QUARTER 2:

Using AppleWorks Draw Tools to Create a Slide Show of Geometric Shapes
Students go through the various tools in the tool bar of a draw document, learning how to create the shapes and lines, and manipulate them (align the shapes, move them back and forward, rotate, use the autogrid). They also work with the fill palette, border palette, colors, designs, gradients, patterns, and transparencies. These lessons end with the students creating a slide show of pages of the geometric shapes they have been learning in math class.

QUARTER 3:

Creating and Formatting Text Boxes in a Draw Document for the Geometric Shape Slide Show
Students learn how to create text boxes within a draw document and then format them both in the word processing mode and the draw mode. Text boxes were added to their geometric shape slide show.

Using a Spreadsheet to add Data from a Survey and Create a Bar and Pie Graph
Students learn how to enter data (words and numbers) into a spreadsheet and then use the data to create graphs. Students change the color of the graphs and make some other changes to the formatting.

QUARTER 4:

Creating Graphs to Show Comparisons Between States
Students create more graphs to show the differences in population and other statistics between the states they are studying in social studies.

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QUARTER 1:

Keyboarding
In 5th grade, students have a 40 minute computer class once a week. They spend 15 minutes keyboarding and 25 minutes on computer skills. At the end of 5th grade, students should have completed all 9 levels of UltraKey with a score of 15wpm/95%.

Reviewing Word Processing
Learning More Advanced Word Processing for Writing Research Reports
Students will be writing a research report this year, so they begin by learning how to create a title page with an inserted date, how to add page breaks, footers, page numbers, and use the left margin marker for indenting paragraphs. As they begin writing their report, we discuss copyright issues and how to format web sites within a bibliography.

Using NetTekker to Research Information on the Internet
Students learn how to use the educational research engine, NetTrekker, to find web sites for their research. They learn how to type in web addresses and bookmark sites for future use.

QUARTER 2:

Using Word Processing and Typing Skills to Write a Research Report
Students spend most of the 2nd quarter typing their reports.

QUARTER 3:

Using Spreadsheet Formulas to Calculate Total Cost of Items for Math Class
Students use AppleWorks Spreadsheet to manipulate data. They discover how to sort data by numerical or alphabetical order and then how to do simple math, like add a column of numbers. Then, more advanced formulas are written which total a list of item prices and subtract the total cost from a given amount of money. The students can go on a shopping spree with a given amount of money, and as they enter each item they want to purchase, both the total and the amount they have left are automatically shown!

QUARTER 4:

Using AppleWorks Paint Tools to Create Tessellations (Math & Art)
After learning how to use AppleWorks Paint tools and understanding the difference between "draw" and "paint", students put their skills to use in creating a tessellation. They create a shape by modifying a rectangle in such a way that when duplicated, the shapes fit perfectly together like a puzzle.

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