What follows is a "scope and sequences" of the basic computer skills that was the frame work for instruction in the Prairie Hill Computer Lab. The skills for each grade were presented in four 'strands;' Word\Text Processing, Graphics, Publishing, and LinkWay. By the mid point of the fifth grade it is planned that all skills will have been introduced allowing the majority of the student's experience to be the creation of research projects, publications, and LinkWay folders.
This document does not deal with the knowledge base needed for / and acquired by the use of that class of programs known as drill and practice, or CAI (computer aided instruction). These are programs designed to compliment curricular concepts. Example of such programs include: math practice, touch typing, social studies and science simulations and educational games, and WRITING TO WRITE (grades 2-4).
The following set of skills could never be considered complete as long as the technology of communication continues to grow. There will be new programs and equipment that will need to be placed within the context of this document, as well older programs and equipment removed. The skills in this document are 'basic' to most if not all of the computer operations that children will need in the foreseeable future. What we teach now will prepare our students for computer uses that we cannot conceive of at this time. It is for this future that we as teachers in the Prairie Hill School learning community, must prepare our students.
Kindergarten and 1st grade
* Use of the MOUSE as a pointer (Stories and More).
* Basic keyboard familiarity.
* Erasures of characters on the screen with the BACKSPACE key.
* SHIFT key for upper case letters.
* Familiarity with the screen layouts Write Along (WA)-(word processing and graphic editing), and THE CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING AND WRITING CENTER(CPC).
(I) To learn how to LOGIN to ICLAS.
(I) To locate programs (WA and CPC)using the two-tiered menu structure of ICLAS.
(M) Use the BACKSPACE key to edit mistaken key-strokes.
(M) Use the shift key to type upper case letters.
(I) Use the SPELL CHECK to check a single word.
(I) Use the SPELL CHECK to check an entire document.
(I) Identify the MARGINS of the work area.
(M) Identify the CURSOR and use the CURSOR KEYS to move the CURSOR within a document.
(I) Use the HOME KEY to quickly move cursor to the beginning of a line.
(I) Use the CTRL/HOME KEY to quickly move cursor to the beginning of a document.
(I) Use the END KEY to quickly move cursor to the end of a line.
(I) Use the CTRL/END KEY to quickly move cursor to the end of a document.
(I) SAVE and RETRIEVE a FILE.
(M) Edit WA/CPC without saving the file.
Grade 2
(I) To use ICLAS to locate and load Write Along (WA).
(I) To create a new GRAPHICS file.
(M) To use the MOUSE/DRAW tool combination.
(I) Be able to plot CIRCLES, RECTANGLES, and LINES at desired locations on screen.
(I) To use the UNDO feature and ERASE tool to cancel and/or correct the action of a graphic tool.
(I) To use the FILL tool and to be able to identify and fix LEAKS.
(I) Identify the THREE REAL WORLD DIMENSIONS of HEIGHT, WIDTH and DEPTH.
(I) Identify the computer screen as a TWO DIMENSIONAL surface and to understand the difference between two and three dimensions.
(I) Identify the ILLUSION of three dimensions on a two dimensional surface.
(I) Able to create WIRE FRAME drawings.
(I) To use the FILL tool to change WIRE FRAMES to SOLIDS.
(I) To identify and create symmetry.
(I) To use the TEXT tool to apply language to a graphic image.
(M) To SAVE and RETRIEVE files.
(I) To use ICLAS to locate and load THE CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING AND WRITING CENTER (CPC).
(I) Create a new file.
(I) Identify the MENU BAR.
(I) To transfer the concepts/skills of TEXT entry from PEP to CPC.
(I) FONTS.
(I) Be able to use the MENU BAR and MENU STRUCTURE to view and place GRAPHICS in a document.
(I) Save and RETRIEVE files.
Grade 3
(I) Use of the DELETE KEY to edit mistakes.
(I) Proper spacing after punctuation. One space after a COMMA, and two spaces after end of sentence punctuation.
(I) To use ICLAS to locate and load MICROSOFT Windows (MSW).
(I/M) Maintenance of TEXT ENTRY Skills from 2nd grade (WA)
(I) Introduce the concept of VIRTUAL PAGE and SCROLLing.
(I) Use of the PAGE UP and PAGE DN keys.
(I\M) SPELL CHECK skills - use of spell check to explore phonetic concepts.
(M) Maintenance of Graphic skills from Grade Two.
(M) WIRE FRAMES vs. SOLIDS reviewed.
(M) Difference between TWO and THREE DIMENSIONS reviewed.
(I) Use WA to identify and use COLOR SPREADS.
(I) Use WA to create LIGHT SOURCE with COLOR SPREADS.
(I) Use ICLAS to locate and load LINKWAY.
(I) Use of LINKWAY MENUS.
(I) Use of LINKWAY DIALOG BOXES.
(I) OPEN vs. NEW files in LWPaint.
(I) COLOR PALETTE
(I) Basic tool set (PENCIL, LINE, BAR, BOX, CIRCLE, CUBE, AIRBRUSH, FAN, FILL).
(I) Introduce UNDO LAST, CLEARALL, ERASE.
(I) TEXT on graphic screen, select FONTS.
(M) Review WIRE FRAME/SOLIDS, 2D vs. 3D, COLOR SPREADS and LIGHT SOURCE in the LWPAint programs.
(I) Use MAGNIFY.
(I) MAKE FADE to create own COLOR SPREADS.
(I) Use FADE tool.
(I) Use SCALE tool.
(I) Use SCALE, FADE, MAKE FADE tools to model 3D.
(I) Quit WITHOUT SAVING.
(I) SAVE file and EXIT PAINT.
(M) Maintenance of 2nd grade publishing concepts with CPC.
(I) IMPORT .TXT files (get other saved work.)
(I) MARK text for changing FONTS.
(I) MOVE and DELETE a GRAPHIC.
(I) Introduce the concepts of COLUMNS, HEADER, GUTTERS.
Grade 4
(I) Use ICLAS to locate and load Windows/Ms Encarta and Bookshelf.
(I) Use BROWSE ARTICLE TITLE to locate specific articles in GROLIERS.
(I) Use the MULTI-MEDIA options in reference materials.
(M) Maintenance of Word Processing skills from Grades Two and Three.
(I) MARK TEXT for CUT and PASTE.
(M) HOME, CRTL-HOME, END, CTRL-END.
(M) INSERT and DELETE.
(M) Maintenance of Graphics skills (LWPaint)from Grade Three.
(M) MAKE FADE to create own COLOR SPREADS.
(M) Use FADE tool.
(M) Use SCALE tool.
(M) Use SCALE, FADE, MAKE FADE.
(I) Introduce COPY tool.
(I) Introduce SMOOTH tool.
(M) Maintenance of PUBLISHING skills (CPC)from Grade Three.
(I) Introduce concept of three publishing tools; MICROSOFT WORKS, EXPRESS PUBLISHER, and Windows PAINTBRUSH.
(I) Use ICLAS to locate and load EXPRESS PUBLISHER.
(I) Identify and use the TOOL BUTTONS.
(I) Identify and use the MENU BAR.
(I) Identify parts of the WORKSPACE (RULERS, MARGINS, SCROLL BARS, POINTERS, RE_WRAP BUTTON.)
(I) Use MOUSE in conduction with the TOOLS to place OBJECTS
by DRAGGING TOOL in the WORKSPACE.
(I) SELECT and DE-SELECT OBJECTS (active vs. inactive.)
(I) MOVE and RE-SIZE OBJECTS by DRAGGING the OBJECT and its HANDLES.
(I) DELETE OBJECTS.
(M) Review concepts of COLUMNS, GUTTERS, HEADERS (BANNERS), FONTS.
(I) Adding TEXT 'by hand' to objects.
(I) HIGHLIGHTING text by DRAGGING the I-BEAM (INSERTION POINT.)
(I) IMPORTING TEXT from MSW.
(I) Changing the ATTRIBUTES of HIGHLIGHTED text.
(I) IMPORTING GRAPHICS.
(I) RESIZING and MOVING GRAPHIC OBJECTS.
(I) Placing LINES and CIRCLE as OBJECTS in the WORKSPACE.
(I) SAVE and RETRIEVE Express Publisher files.
(M) Use ICLAS to locate and load LINKWAY.
(M) Use of LINKWAY MENUS.
(M) Use of LINKWAY DIALOG BOXES.
(I) OPEN vs. NEW files in LW MAIN FOLDERS.
(I) Introduce and Create new FOLDERS.
(I) Understand HIDDEN MENUS.
(I) Make NEW PAGES.
(I) Introduce LinkWay Objects: PICTURE and BUTTONS.
(I) Place OBJECTS on PAGE.
(I) Create TEXT POP-UPS.
(M) Use BROWSE ARTICLE TITLE to locate specific articles in Encarta.
(M) Use the MULTI-MEDIA options in Encarta.
(I) Use the WORD SEARCH option to cross reference and locate 'groups' of articles on a specific topic.
Grade 5
(M) Maintenance of Word Processing skills from previous grades.
(I) Introduce the THESAURUS in MSW.
(M) Maintenance of Graphics skills from previous grades.
(I) Use ICLAS to locate and load PCPAINTBRUSH (B&W or COLOR).
(I) Introduce WORKSPACE (TOOLS, PALETTE, SCROLL BARS, MENU BAR, THICKNESS TOOL).
(I) Introduce all tools in TOOL BOX.
(I) Introduce all DIALOG BOXES.
(I) Create and Edit and Know the difference between Black and White and Color graphics files.
(I) Use PaintBrush to prepare pictures for PUBLICATION in EXPRESS PUBLISHER.
(I) Be familiar with and able to operate VIDEO STILL CAMERAS.
(I) Be familiar with and able to operate the DIGITIZING SOFTWARE.
(I) Have experience with FLAT BED SCANNER.
(M) Maintenance of publishing skill from CPC (2nd and 3rd grade) and Express Publisher (4th grade.)
(I) Import text files into ACTIVE OBJECTS.
(I) LINK TEXT FRAMES for files that are bigger than ACTIVE FRAME
(M) WRAP TEXT around GRAPHIC OBJECT.
(M) Maintenance of LinkWay Concepts introduced in 4th grade.
(I) Edit current graphics from within an OPEN FOLDER
(M) Use the WORD SEARCH option to cross reference and locate groups' of articles on a specific topic.
(I) MARK text in an Encarta ARTICLE and send it to the printer and/or a file.