Computer Skills Curriculum
Telecomputing Lesson Plan

Title: On-The-Hour

Other Curriculum Objectives that can be addressed by this lesson plan English Language Arts 2.1, 2.2, 4.1; Information Skills 2.1; Social Studies: (Gr. 5) 11.3; Computer Skills: (Gr. 5) 1.2

Grade: 5
Competency 1.2: Identify computers as tools for accessing current information.

Measure 1.2.2: Discuss and write a paragraph on how accessing current database information with a computer improves the work of a pharmacist, home supply clerk, motel manager, or agriculture extension agent.

Materials Needed: A copy of the Instant Access Worksheet for each member of the class.

Time: One class session.

Terms: Telecomputing
Glossary of Telecomputing Terms
Grade 5 Glossary

Activities

Activity:

  • 1. Remind students that a computer can be a tool for accessing information.
  • 2. Ask them if they know of any people who might use a computer to access information in their work.
  • 3. Explain that many online information services update their information daily and even hourly and that this makes being able to access the information using a computer very important to many people. As an example, describe how people who work in banks use computers to check on account balances in banks in other cities.
  • 4. Divide the class into groups of three or four and hand out the Instant Access Worksheet to each member of the class. Explain that each group is to discuss a different type of information that would it be important to receive quickly for a pharmacist, home supply clerk, motel manager, or agriculture extension agent and write the types of information down on their worksheets. Have the students work in groups for about 10 minutes.
  • 5. End the group work and have students use the rest of the class session to write a paragraph on why it would be important for each of the workers to be able to access the information using a computer.
  • 6. Have several students read their type of information for one of the workers and their paragraph.

Measure

Have each student to write a paragraph (word process, if possible) to support the phrase: "A motel manager in 1994 has many advantages that a motel manager in 1954 did not have because today's manager uses a computer to access information."

Instant Access Activity

Use the Instant Access Worksheet for group discussions.