Computer Skills Curriculum
Telecomputing Lesson Plan

Title: Play the Computer Part

Other Curriculum Objectives that can be addressed by this lesson plan English Language Arts 2.1, 2.2, 4.1; Information Skills 1.1, 1.2, 1.5; Computer Skills: (Gr. 5) 2.5

Grade: 5
Competency 2.5: Compare the process of sending and receiving messages: electronically vs. non-electronically (e.g., E-mail vs. U.S. Mail, electronic bulletin board vs. classroom bulletin board).

Measure 2.5.1: Role play the process of sending one message electronically and another through the U.S. mail.

Materials Needed: No materials needed.

Time: Two class sessions.

Terms: Telecomputing, Modem, Upload, Download, Bulletin Board Service, E-mail, Log on, Log off, Internet, Information Highway

Glossary of Telecomputing Terms
Grade 5 Glossary

Activities

Activity:

Day 1

  • 1. Ask the class if anyone can describe any advantages that sending messages through telecomputing might have over sending them by U.S. mail.
  • 2. List the advantages on the left side of the board.
  • 3. Ask the class if anyone can describe any advantages that sending messages through the U.S. mail might have over sending them by telecomputing.
  • 4. List these on the right side of the board.
  • 5. Explain to the class that they are going to demonstrate both processes -- e-mail and U.S. mail -- by putting on skits.
  • 6. Divide the class into groups of four. Assign each group to do a skit for either e-mail or U.S. Mail. Explain that the skit should involve each member of the group, and should demonstrate the process of messaging from the sending of a message to its reception. Tell the class that they will have the rest of the period to plan their skits and will be performing them the next day.

Day 2

  • 1. Before the groups begin presenting their skits, assign the students in the audience to count the number of steps that each group uses in their demonstrations.
  • 2. At the end of each skit, ask the class how many steps they counted for each group.
  • 3. At the end of all the skits, ask the class if anyone can describe any significant differences between using e-mail and using the U.S. mail to send messages.

Measure

After planning and performing skits demonstrating the process of sending message by e-mail and by U.S. mail, have students write (or word process) a paragraph on at least two significant differences between the two processes.