Computer Skills Curriculum

Word Processing Lesson Plan

Title: Leisurely Yours

Other Curriculum Objectives that can be addressed by this lesson plan
English Language Arts: 2.1, 2.3; Computer Skills: (Gr. 5) 3.1, 3.2; Information Skills 1.4, 1.5; Mathematics (Gr. 5) 6.2

Grade: 5

Competency 3.1: Use a word processing program to publish a report that contains centering, tabs, and more than one paragraph.

Measure 3.1.2: Prepare a news report with at least three paragraphs on a recent school event to be telecomputed or mailed to a school in another state.

Materials Needed: Graphing software (MECC Graph, E-Z Graph II or similar substitute) or an integrated package (ClarisWorks, Microsoft Works, Appleworks, or similar substitute), word processing software and computer with printer. For telecomputing (optional): compatible modem, telecommunications software, phone line, computer; Leisurely Yours worksheet (included).

People Resources: Fifth grade classes in your school and at least one fifth grade class from another state for data sharing. Announce this activity as a fifth grade project in your school.

Time: One week for data collection (outside of class); 2 sessions (30-40 minutes) to compile and analyze data; one session (30-40 minutes) to graph data; one session (10-15 minutes) to share data on-line with partner class.

Terms: word processing, editing, graphing, telecomputing

Glossary

Activities

    Pre-Activities:

  • Tell students that they will be keeping a log to see how they spend their leisure time and will share data with their partner class.
  • Pass out the log sheet and discuss how to complete.
  • Remind students daily to complete their sheets in school and at home.
  • Tell students to return their logs to class at the end of the week.

    Teacher Preparation:

  1. Identify a collaborative partner with whom the class will share information. You will need to establish with all teachers how data will be shared:
    • among teachers in your school
    • between the two cooperating schools
  2. Develop a format with categories for keeping the log (or use the sample log sheet). The same data categories and time format (minutes or hours) should be used in each class. This simplifies comparing results.
  3. Develop an introductory activity with the partner teacher. This could take the form of sharing some pictures of the school and writing about school activities and events.
  4. Decide when the classes will telecommunicate their reports or mail them to the partner class. (This activity is more interesting if several classes do it from both sites.)

    Activity:

  1. Students complete a log of leisure time. (Leisurely Yours sample log sheet attached.)
  2. Students compile survey data (after a specified amount of time):
    • average time per day for each student spent on leisure time activities (calculated by averaging daily amount of time spent on all leisure activities, then averaged for the week)
    • class averages of time spent on each activity
    • fraction of the day spent in each activity
  3. Each student makes an appropriate graph of his/her data.
  4. Students work collaboratively to create a class graph using all data.
  5. Students compare and analyze graphs during small group activities.
  6. Students prepare reports of their findings using at least three paragraphs, centering, and tabs.
  7. Use (individually) the Leisurely Yours activity in the computer lab to practice using tabs, and centering.

Measure

Students should use the information gathered from the logs on school events and "free time" school activities to prepare a news report of three paragraphs on their fifth grade project. This report should include how other students were involved at their school site and how they shared the information at their school. Have the students prepare news reports by groups to be shared via mail or telecomputing.

Suggested Online Transmissions: A minimum of three.

  1. Introduce the class to their partner class.
  2. Confirm that the survey has been completed.
  3. Exchange information.

Follow-Up/Extension:

  1. Have students discuss results and decide whether they should be using leisure time in different ways.
  2. Do this project in the fall, winter, and again, in the spring to see if the amount of time students spend in leisure time activities varies according to the season.