Instructional Technology Unit for Fourth Graders
Developed by Patricia Harding
John P. Holland Elementary School
Dorchester, MA 02121
Purpose | Description | Activities | Tools & Resources | Assessment |
References | Credits |
Purpose: The purpose of this unit is to provide fourth grade students of the John P. Holland School further knowledge of Microsoft Office including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. Students will expand their necessary skills so that they may implement the tools of Microsoft Office for effective usage within their studies and daily lives. The lessons and activities address standards across the curriculum, in English Language Arts, Mathematics. National Educational Technology and Massachusetts State Technology Standards as well Boston Public Schools Technology Competencies are addressed.
The fourth grade students have been learning necessary and essential Microsoft Office Skills throughout the school year. During this unit students will be provided the opportunity for collaborating, sharing, presenting and communicating. Higher order thinking skills and technology standards will be integrated with students' academic subjects. Lessons will teach appropriate skills while student projects will support acquired skills and grade appropriate curriculum areas. Students will utilize their acquired technical skills to produce brainstorming documents utilizing Inspiration, a Microsoft Word document, a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, and a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. This unit will provide students the chance to put into action their acquired technology skills.
Prior to each activity:
Each activity, essential questions, expectations and rubric will be discussed as a large group.
Following each activity:
Follow-up discussion, sharing and questions will be led by the teacher in a whole group setting. Particular attention will focus how acquired technical skills can be used in all academic areas.
Student Reminders for all activities:
Activity |
Standard (s) |
Essential Question: Why is the structure of written language and the ability to utilize this structure effectively necessary when using a word processor? |
|
Activity #1: Students use Inspiration to brainstorm ideas about an essay discussing the most important person in their lives. |
National Educational Technology Standard: Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity Length
of Activity: Instructional Mode: Whole Group and independent |
Activity #2: Students create a written essay in their homeroom about the most important persons in their lives. |
Massachusetts Frameworks:
Composition Strand 19: Writing: Students will write
with a clear focus, coherent organization, and sufficient
detail. Length
of Activity:
1 to 1.5 hours Instructional Mode: Independent |
Activity #3: Students bring their written essays to the computer lab and utilize Microsoft Word to word-process the essay. |
Massachusetts Instructional Technology Standards: 1.17 Identify and use editing and formatting features of a word processing program (e.g. centering, line spacing, margins, cut and paste, fonts, styles, spelling, page numbers). 1.18
Insert images (e.g. graphic, clip art, tables) from other filed
into word-processed documents. Length of Activity: 1 to 2 hours Instructional Mode: Independent |
Essential
Question:
How
can a multimedia presentation be used to keep an audience
informed and engaged in learning? |
|
Activity #4: Students access and review the online PowerPoint in the Classroom tutorial. |
Massachusetts
Instructional Technology Standards: 1.7
Collaborate with classmates to use teacher-selected Web sites. Length of Activity: 1 hour Instructional
Mode: Whole group & pairs |
Activity #5:Students use Inspiration to brainstorm ideas about a PowerPoint presentation describing him/herself. |
National Educational Technology Standard: Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity Length
of Activity: Instructional Mode: Whole Group and independent |
Activity
#6: Each student creates a PowerPoint presentation
describing him/herself. |
Massachusetts Instructional Technology Standards: 1.32
Create a slide presentation using appropriate applications. Length of Activity: 4-5 hours Instructional Mode:
Group and Independent |
Essential
Question:
How can a spreadsheet created with Microsoft Excel present accurate
findings of collected data? |
|
Activity #7: Students access and review the School Spreadsheet Safari. |
Massachusetts Instructional Technology Standards: 2.1 Follow classroom rules for responsible use of computers. 2.2 Develop understanding
of the school’s rules for safe and ethical Internet use. (Use
of Internet in this grade span is under close supervision and
determined by district policy.) L Instructional Mode: Whole group & pairs |
Activity
#8
|
Massachusetts Instructional Technology Standards: 1.22
Describe structure and function of spreadsheet (e.g., cells,
rows, columns, formulas) and apply formatting features. 1.23
Create an original spreadsheet, entering simple formulas. 1.24
Produce simple charts from spreadsheets. L Instructional
Mode: Whole
class and small group. |
Assessment: Rubrics for each activity are included on each individual activity page. However teacher observation notes can prove essential when implementing the rubric grading.
References: References for each activity are included on each individual activity page. The following references are applicable for the entire unit:
Massachusetts Department of Education. (2002). Massachusetts State Frameworks. Retrieved April 1, 2003, http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks
Massachusetts Department of Education. (2001). Recommended PreK-12 Instructional Technology Standards. Retrieved April 1, 2002, http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards.html
International Society For Technology In Education. (1999). National Educational Technology Standards For Students. Retrieved February 6, 2003, http://cnets.iste.org/students/
November, Alan. (2001). Empowering Students With Technology. Arlington Heights, IL: Skylight Training and Publishing Inc.
Thomas, M. (1998). Higher-Order Thinking Strategies
For The Classroom. Retrieved April 20, 2003, http://members.aol.com/MattT10574/HigherOrderLiteracy.htm
Wiggins, Grant & McTighe, Jay.(1998.Understanding
By Design. Retrieved March 30, 2003, http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/books/wiggins98book.html
(2001). The Multimedia Project: Project-Based Learning With
Multimedia. Retrieved May 1, 2003, http://pblmm.k12.ca.us/PBLGuide/MMrubric.htm
Houghton Mifflin. (2000). Houghton Mifflin's Project-Based Learning
Space: Background Knowledge and Theory. Retrieved April 28, 2003, http://college.hmco.com/education/pbl/background.html#The%20Basics
Credits: Patricia Harding, 4 Driftwood Drive, Woburn, MA 01801 Click here to email.