Grade Span: K-2 / Subject: Social Studies, Technology
Assignment Type: Individual, Small group, Whole group
Recommended Time Frame: 1 month
Summary of Project:
Students will practice desktop publishing skills using the Microsoft Word program in the classroom computer center for 15 minutes each week. All students will be able to produce a four page illustrated February social studies booklet with a cover after a four-week practice period. The topics that will be covered on each page include Groundhog Day, Valentines’ Day, President’s Day, and Black History Month. Students are required to place an appropriate clip art picture next to a typed fact about each special day. The picture should be correctly sized and relevant to the topic. Books will be laminated and spiral-bound.
Materials and Resources Needed:
Whole class / Per Group / Per StudentClassroom computers / 1-10x12’’ manila envelope per student (to store pages until booklet is complete)
Microsoft Word
Timer
Poster of rubric for students
Poster listing keywords to type in to find clip art
Read-only template in Word for each week’s page
Laminator
Spiral bindings and binding machine
Sample of finished booklet
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary varies depending on the holiday/months studied.
Engaging Questions:
1. What are important historical events/holidays that are celebrated during this month?
2. What symbols represent these holidays/events?
3. How can technology help us at school and in the workplace?
Implementing the Activity
Before implementing this new activity, make a read-only template on Microsoft Word for each week’s topic, so that each student can open up to that week’s page without seeing any pictures. Check to make sure that the keywords posted on each week’s graphic organizer will produce an appropriate clip art picture.
Make a sample of a finished booklet to show students. Explain to them that they are all going to create a four page February book with a cover, by the end of the month. As a group, instruct students on how to properly use the Microsoft Word program in the classroom computer center. Points to review include how to open up the program, select a font, and choose and insert appropriate clip art for each page. Students will learn how to send the project to the printer. Tasks can be taught in mini-lessons on each Monday morning of the four-week practice period. A timer can be introduced and used to remind students of the 15-minute time limit. Students should use this program individually.
Develop a rubric to score students’ final projects. The rubric may include the following four categories: Requirements, Attractiveness, Text-Font Choice & Formatting, and Use of Graphics. Each category is numbered from 1-4, with 1 being the lowest score and 4 being the highest. Students can receive a high score of 16 and a low score of 4. To be successful, students must receive a score of 8 or higher. To avoid the anxiety that comes with the knowledge of being scored, discuss criteria for each category with students, so they know the expectations. Review the rubric with them frequently and post a large copy in the computer center.
Develop a graphic organizer illustrating the steps and icons to click in Word, to successfully illustrate their social studies booklet. Use words and pictures, so that readers of all levels can understand. Each week there will be a different list, showing the keywords that could be used to collect relevant clip art. The poster should be large so that students can read it clearly.
Choose two students to be peer helpers. The peer helpers will be available to assist all students while they are doing their project. Both advanced and struggling learners can benefit from being peer helpers. Change helpers each week.
Discussion Questions
What did you enjoy most about this project?
How have your computer skills improved?
How can knowing how to type and insert pictures be a useful skill at school, home, or work?
In what other ways can the computer be used to learn about historical events/holidays?
End Result
Students will be able to successfully create an illustrated four-page February-themed social studies booklet, with a cover, at the end of the four-week practice period with Microsoft Word. This program makes it easy for students to illustrate their projects. Fifteen minutes of weekly computer time will give students time to aesthetically illustrate their projects.
Students will improve their ability to use a desktop publishing program by using the Microsoft Word program. The use of individual classroom computer time will provide adequate support and practice for all students to be able to choose, insert, and resize appropriate clip art, and send the project to the printer at the end of the four-week practice period. These are essential school and workplace skills.
Rubric
February Social Studies Booklet Rubric
Student Name: ______
Requirements / All requirements are met and exceeded. / All requirements are met. / One requirement was not completely met. / More than one requirement was not completely met.
Attractiveness / Makes excellent use of font, color, graphics, etc. to enhance the project. / Makes good use of font, color, graphics, etc. to enhance the project. / Makes use of font, color, graphics, but occasionally these detract from the project content. / Use of font, color, graphics that detract from project content.
Use of Graphics / All graphics are attractive (size and color) and support the theme/content of the project. / A few graphics are not attractive but all support the theme/content of the project. / All graphics are attractive but a few do not seem to support the theme/content of the project. / Several graphics are unattractive AND detract from the content of the project.
Text-Font Choice & Formatting / Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic) have been carefully planned to enhance readability and content. / Font formats have been carefully planned to enhance readability. / Font formatting has been carefully planned to complement the project. It may be a little hard to read. / Font format makes it very difficult to read the material.
Total:______
For Differentiated Instruction
Graphic organizers listing student order and step-by-step instructions will help all students. Peer helpers will also be available to help all students.
Struggling students will have the assignment modified to include less facts and clip art on each page. They may have a helper during their computer time, but will still be required to do the typing and choose the clip art. The 15-minute time limit can be extended or eliminated. The rubric can easily be adapted if necessary.
Advanced students will be permitted to change the font style on each page if they wish.
Additional Notes
I believe that knowing how to use a desktop publishing program is an essential and attainable skill for my primary students. If it is learned in the younger grades, it will be more beneficial later. In the higher grades, most research and projects are required to be produced using programs such as Microsoft Word. Knowledge of these kinds of computer programs is also an essential workplace skill. This project can be adapted for any month.