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Publishing Center

The biggest problem that students encounter when trying to use the computer to publish work is their lack of keyboard experience so be sure to include a keyboarding program in your software budget if one is not included with your computer software package. 

Another method for imputing stories into the computer would be to let a parent volunteer do the first-draft word processing.  Then provide the student an opportunity to spell check, format, and insert images where desired.  Electronic drawing boards also provide students an opportunity to illustrate their own work.  These costs around $100 and can be purchased with USB connection.

Students can then print out their work or publish it on the Internet.  The work can also be saved on the student’s diskette and copied to an e-portfolio.

 

Welcome to Our School

Start the school year off with a project that introduces the faculty, staff, and facilities in your school. The finished project can be presented at an Open House using PowerPoint or could be created in Word and printed into a booklet to be stored in the office for visitors to read.

Planning Ask groups to select a faculty member in the school for an interview and develop questions for an interview. A pair of students from each group can visit the faculty member to conduct the interview. The interview questions might include:

How did you become interested in teaching (or being a principal)?
What do you do in your job at school?
Where did you go to school and what degrees do you hold?
Do you have any hobbies?  If so, what are they?
Do you have children?  If so, what are their ages?
What do you like best about your job?
What do you like least?

If a digital camera is available, insert a picture of the faculty member in the report or presentation.

Seat Work Once the questions have been answered, students compose an essay on their faculty member.  These should be edited an be in a final form before going to the computer.

Lab Time During the group’s computer time students can use Word to type the essay and insert the picture.  If a picture is not available a clipart image that represents the individual can be used or a photo may be available at the school web site.  This process may take a few weeks and different pairs of students can take turns typing the essay.  These essays can be printed and used for displays or compiled into booklets for visitors to enjoy.  An alternative method might be to create a PowerPoint presentation on the staff member.   If students create PowerPoint presentations limit the presentations to a number of slides that can be managed in the time allotted for the project.  Teach students to always start every presentation with a title card that also credits the creators of the presentation.
 

Classroom Newsletter
A different spin on a class newsletter would be the inclusion of current events requiring comprehension, summarizing, and sequencing skills.  During lab time student visit online news site (http://www.cnn.com) and select one story.  Students retell the story and download a picture to be used in the newsletter at the end of the day.  There are also numerous student news sites on the web.  A listing can be found at the county web site (http://jc-schools.net//kidsnews.html).  Another resource for articles opening activity would be to visit the History Channel’s This Day in History (http://www.historychannel.com) and Day by Day (http://classroom.jc-schools.net/mm)
Also include articles concerning classroom activities, learned concepts, and school events which took place during the day or week.  (This could be an excellent means of checking what students have learned.)  Keep the newsletter at one column, which is manageable in the time allotted. Print two copies of the story and put one copy in a folder marked “Please return to school tomorrow.”  Keep one copy in a  notebook collection of newsletters to be kept in the room or in the office as a record of classroom activities.  Put the other copy of the newsletter in a notebook to be kept in the office for waiting visitors to read.  A weekly copy could be sent home to parents or the newsletter could be posted on the web through a teacher's own website.

 

Electronic Portfolios
Creating student electronic portfolios does not require purchasing an additional piece of software. Wonderful portfolios can be created using Microsoft PowerPoint. The portfolio can show how a student has progressed from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. During each grading period provide students lab time to add a slide to their portfolio. Each slide could share the following information in paragraph form:
  • A sentence describing what the student feels he has done best this grading period.
  • A sentence describing what the student feels he has had the most problem with this grading period.
  • A list of things the student has learned this grading period for each subject and any exciting activities or projects in which the student has participated
  • A sample of the students handwriting (These can be created in PowerPoint using the the AutoShapes, Line, Scribble tool, Paint or a writing paper can be scanned or a digital camera can be used to photograph a writing paper
  • A digital or scanned current photo of the student or a baby picture on one slide might be fun (If these are not available, allow students an opportunity to insert clipart that represents them. PowerPoint also provides a movie feature. Older students can be taught to create .avi videos of themselves if they have access to a computer cam and insert these videos into a slide.
Book Report (PowerPoint File...right-click and SAVE)

 

WebQuests

 

Interactive Activities for Students
Resources for Teachers

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