Free Lesson Plans

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Lesson

Subject

Tool

Gr

KidPix Basx

Students learn about tools, toolbars, drag-drop, multi-media, menus—all tech basics

KidPix Basx II

Students learn more about tools, toolbars, drag-drop, multi-media, menus—all tech basics

I Can Make My Own Wallpaper

Kids love personalizing their computer stations. Show them how to create their own wallpaper using internet pictures, pictures on the computer or their own photos or drawings

Divide and Conquer (Graphics in Word)

Teach basic photo-editing skills (borders, backgrounds, transparencies, fills, rotate, cropping) using only MS Word tools. Great for school projects and to introduce Photoshop

Photoshop Basx

I teach Photoshop because it’s so much fun for kids to be creative with their own pictures. This lesson introduces the layout of Photoshop.

Quick Fixes in Photoshop

How to auto-correct photos in Photoshop. Have kids bring their own pictures, or select pictures they would like to use in a classroom project

Cropping in Photoshop

Three ways to crop in Photoshop and when you would select each. Have students select pictures they’ll be using for a class project or one of themselves as a tool for writing, language arts, etc.

Cloning in Photoshop

Add or subtract features from a pictures (i.e., flowers); clone from one picture to another. This can be used to create a picture for a classroom unit of inquiry, or to teach about ethical issues (because cloning looks authentic)

Artistic Rendering in Photoshop

There are dozens of filters that add texture and overlays to pictures in Photoshop. Let students loose to be as creative as they want. Discuss how each brings out a different emotion, meaning to the finished product

Drawing in Photoshop

An introduction to graphic design. Encourage students with an artistic flair to use Photoshop to communicate their message in class projects.

Photoshop Actions and the History Brush

These are simple features that look sophisticated on a finished product. A good addition to a Photoshop unit if there’s time.

Creating Simple Shapes with Excel

Excel is a sure way to keep students excited about math. Start with drawing (because youngers always love art). As students get older, use Excel to introduce the concept of graph paper, grids, cells, rows, columns, coordinates, scale, etc.

Art Online

Online resources for great worldwide museums. Take one lesson to introduce students to these six art sites (five to ten minutes on each) and then allow them to revisit when they have a few minutes at the end of a class projects, unit, before lunch, etc.

A Holiday Letter (or memory or story) in Word

Students write a brief letter in MS Word paying attention to correct heading, greeting, body, closing. Use this project to teach students the layout of MS Word’s opening screen. For grade 2-3, use one lesson to write the letter and one to format. For other grade, do both in one lesson. When the letter is completed, have students add multiple fonts, font sizes, font colors, a border, pictures, a watermark (grades 4-6), and wraps (grades 4-6)

My Bookcover

Draw a cover for a classroom project or unit of inquiry or use one of KidPix’s templates. Have students nicely mix text and pictures for an attractive design. Introduce KidPix fonts, font sizes, font colors to grade 1

A Holiday Card

Mix words and pictures for a holiday card. Students can also add paint bucket backgrounds and fills to extend the lesson.

A Holiday Card

Create a holiday card using Publisher’s templates. Make it simple (don’t edit text, add only one picture) for youngers. Let olders change as much as they wish. Use this lesson to teach youngers about templates and olders about design, and menus. This project is very easy so shows students how fun and simple computers are.

A Holiday flier

Create a holiday flier using Publisher’s templates. Choose a one-page template and adapt text. Olders can adjust colors, layout, etc. Use this lesson to teach youngers about templates and olders about design, and menus. This project is very easy so I use it to show students how fun and simple computers are.

A Holiday /Summer Vacation Calendar

Create a calendar of all students’ holiday or summer activities. Students can pick their template, add text and pictures. Pictures can be copy-pasted from an internet search. Popular project

A Holiday Newsletter

Have students collaborate on a newsletter for a classroom unit of inquiry or a theme (colonies, animals, etc). Pick a template. Add text and pictures. Pay attention to layout details. Allow several class periods to complete

Four-sentence story

Drawings are done in KidPix. Assign topics (me, my family, etc) for grades K-1 to reinforce the concept of following directions. With 2^nd grade, use one picture for each of the parts of a story—characters, plot, setting, climax/resolution. Mix pictures and text. Students can show these to parents at Open House or a parent night using Windows slideshow function (something they can do without assistance after a bit of practice)

Four-sentence Story—Advanced

Use the drawings completed in Project #25 and put them into a PowerPoint slideshow. Students learn the basics of PowerPoint including inserting pictures and text, animation, transition, inserting clipart, inserting internet pictures, auto-advance, sound. Have each students present their slideshow when completed to practice the unique skills of presentations using PowerPoint

Online Blogs

Create a classroom blog. Show students how to interact on it, answer questions, add their ideas. Include pictures, student schedule, location of your wiki and more

My Storybook

Create a ten-sentence story, using characters, setting, plot, rising action, climax and resolution. One sentence per page with a picture to communicate the idea. Include a cover, About the Author. Use this lesson to teach students how to use Publisher’s design gallery

All About Me

Have students tell the audience about their favorite colors, foods, holidays, etc. Include a table of contents for olders. Use this project to teach all of the PowerPoint basics—adding slides/text/pictures, animation, transitions, clipart, internet pictures, auto-advance. Have each students present their slideshow when completed to practice the unique skills of presentations using PowerPoint

A Cover Page

Use the Quick Publication template to make a fast cover page for a report, project, etc, in the classroom. Pay attention to layout, grammar, spelling, design

A Title Page

Create a title or cover page using MS Word. This is more difficult than #30 (cover page using Publisher) so allow more time. Have students include text and picture as well as a border

Color my Grammar

Students type several sentences in MS Word. Use the font color palette to label parts of speech, i.e., blue for subject, red for verb. Use sentences from a book they’re reading in class, spelling words they’re working on, or a teacher hand-out. Makes grammar fun.

Grow Your Story

Use a first-grade or second-grade story. Show students how to add description to it, setting details, sensory details, characterization, so it sounds more mature and interesting. I use thought bubbles to make it more fun.

What Does a Dolch Word Look Like?

Have students type three or four of their site-Dolch words into KidPix. Create a quasi-sentence, filling in the missing nouns, verbs, etc with stamps from KidPix toolbars.

Sponge Activities for Vocabulary Building

There are lots of great online vocabulary websites to help kids learn high-frequency and Dolch words. I’ll share five of them. Maybe you have some to share with the group.

My First Report

Students type a report for their class on one of their units of inquiry (i.e., animals) using MS Word. Use this lesson to introduce MS Word, margins, page breaks, centering, fonts. Show students how to add pictures from the internet (using copy-paste), from the computer (using insert). Takes a few classes, depending upon how long the report is

Oregon Trail

Show students how to get the most out of Oregon trail by reading the headings on each screen, thinking about problem solving skills and applying the simulation to their classroom discussion on westward expansion. I include a worksheet of questions they can answer as well as additional websites to extend their education

Introduction to Google Earth

Google Earth can be used for so many classroom activities. It is a favorite of even my kindergartners. I start by showing them how to pan in and out, drag to move the globe, change the perspective of the earth’s surface, use the built in tour or one I add on Calif. Missions or the solar system. I have fifth graders create a tour that the youngers then watch as a tie in. I also let them type in their address and visit their home, including street view.

Google Earth Board

Students select from a list of Wonders of the World (or locations put together in conjunction with the classroom teacher). They do brief research on it, locate it using Google Earth and make a short presentation to the class about it.

The Wonders of Google Earth

Students create their own tour on Google Earth using locations selected by the classroom teacher. They add the locations to Google Earth, add a fact about it and turn it into a tour

Where is That?

Locate the major latitudes and longitudes on Google Earth. Locate cities, countries along the same latitude/longitude. Zoom in to see how exact lats and longs get. Students also find their own house by lat and long. I also give students a lat and long and see if they can figure out where it is on the globe

Where Did I Come From?

Students find their country of origin on Google Earth and grab a screen shot of it. Save to their computer. Import it into KidPix and add the country flag and student name. Students learn about importing data from one program to another with this project.

Color My World

Use an Enchanted Learning template. Import it into KidPix. Students use the paint bucket to fill continents and oceans different colors. Then label them as detailed as is age appropriate.

What’s ‘NWSE’? (KidPix)

Create a cross. Label the four directions. Place a picture that coordinates with that direction by it.

Where Am I?

Use MS Word target diagram to organize the Universe. Start with the student’s town in the center and build out. Show students how to color the diagram. For olders, add a table at the bottom with the location and a fact about it. This is a great way to show kids how they can organize their thoughts with pictures, diagrams, tables—lots of ways other than simple text

Landforms Table in Word

Create a three-column table of a landform, an example and a picture (you could add a fourth column with a fact). I do this as a group so we get an opportunity to discuss landforms, where they are. Great lesson to coordinate with the classroom unit of inquiry as well as teach students how to make tables in Word, import pictures.

Tour the World

with a PowerPoint Slideshow Use the research done for #40. Use a guidesheet to lay out what is on each slides, i.e., a cover, table of contents, what makes a geographic locations amazing (discuss this as a group), a map, and three locations from #40. Teach PowerPoint skills such as adding slides and text and pictures, animation, transitions, auto-forward, personalized backgrounds, adding music to multiple slides. Third graders may not be able to complete all skills.

Sponge Activities for Geography

Introduce students to web-based geography activities that can be done in five or ten minutes between lessons, before lunch, in free time. I include five in this lesson.

California Missions Magazine

Create a California Mission (or any other classroom topic) magazine in MS Publisher. Add a cover, table of contents, banner heading, border, text boxes with researched data, works cited page, pictures, items from the design gallery.

American Revolution Magazine

Similar to #49, but this is longer with more design elements. It also includes a diagram for organizing ideas, a table of data, a timeline of events (which can also be used as a separate project). Very impressive when completed. Can be done in a group—it’s a fairly involved project.

History Trifold in Publisher

Create a trifold brochure to compare what was happening in a student’s life when something else was happening around the world. For example, the student was going to Disneyland when Dolly the Sheep was being cloned. Uses a Publisher template. Students learn to use templates, add text, pictures, a time line (which can be taught as a separate project) and design elements. Research is done on a variety of websites, so students learn research skills. Students are always amazed at what happened around the world.

Indigenous Cultures Magazine

A magazine on indigenous cultures (or another topic that correlates with a classroom unit of inquiry). Introduces the basics of making magazines in Publisher. Students include a cover, table of contents, border, map, banner title, an image of lined paper (so they can add notes in their classroom) and pictures. Easy start to a magazine and comes out nicely.

Create a trifold brochure in Publisher to go along with colonization or another unit of inquiry in the classroom. This project focuses on research and is more involved than #51. Students add lots of detail and lots of research on different colonization topics. Besides Publisher, students learn to research on the internet and copy-paste pictures from the internet

Sponge Activities in History

Six edutainment websites to be visited in spare time in the classroom (as with all sponges). Each deals with history and can be enjoyed with only a few minutes of time

Keyboarding in the Classroom

Mix a variety of keyboarding tools so students get the most out of keyboarding time in the classroom. I include software (TTL4), online keyboarding websites (Dancemat typing) and fun tests (Typing Test.com). The goal is to get students to age-appropriate national standards for typing speed with just two-three times per week, fifteen minutes each time.

Free Online Keyboarding Programs

Keyboarding is a critical skill for students. Keep it interesting by offering a variety of online keyboard programs. Here I introduce five that are popular in my classrooms.

Keyboarding for Homework

If you’re like me and only get students once a week, double that time by giving them homework. But, make it fun homework, relevant to what they’re doing. These are keyboarding exercises they can do 10-15 minutes at a sitting 2-3 times a week. For parents who object to so much internet time, this is perfect.

Keyboarding in the Classroom

I start every class with 10-15 minutes of keyboard practice. I’ll introduce you to the program I use, show you how to get the most out of it.

Read while Keyboarding

I test my students speed every trimester. I use an age-appropriate document that will engage their interest so they worry less about their grade. I’ll share with you how I select the piece, what my expectations are for speed per grade and how I approach the test so kids are not stressed by it

Online Sustained Silent Reading Sites

I have students read during tech class, about fifteen minutes once a month. I offer a choice of six reading websites that will engage their interest, have few ads and have stories they can finish in a short period of time.

Every Day Vocabulary—Part I

Students will feel like they understand technology if they understand the vocabulary. I have students learn at least ten words per trimester. I collect these from the students, during class, by writing down the words I use they don’t understand, then testing them on them.

Sponge Activities using PowerPoint

Like all sponge activities, these are designed to be completed in between classroom lessons, before lunch or in a few free minutes. They are PowerPoint slideshows, games, Jeopardy, etc., that will grab their interest and keep them focused

Online Spelling Practice

How to use one of the most popular spelling websites around – Spelling City.com Great for words lists you create or using someone else’s.

My Projects in PowerPoint

Designed as a first PowerPoint slideshow. Have students draw their own pictures in KidPix TuxPaint, Paint, import them into a slideshow. Add a cover, text to each slide, animation, transitions and auto-advance. Have them present to their classmates

A Vocabulary Table in Word

Use the classroom word study words and create a three-column table in Word with the word, definition and a picture

What Do I Want to Learn

Use advanced PowerPoint skills to research a topic that collaborates with the classroom units of inquiry and turn the information into a summative project. Use all PowerPoint skills as well as personalized backgrounds, custom animation and add their favorite music to the background

Sponge Activities for Language Arts

I’ve included five websites about stories, and poems. For example, there’s a Mad Libs site to create a story. All can be completed in 5-10 minutes.

Using Shapes in KidPix Holiday Cards

Reinforce classroom study of shapes by creating holiday pictures with circle, squares, triangles. Students learn about tools, toolbars, mouse skills, drag-and-drop as well as shapes.

Keeping a Timecard in Excel

An introduction to Excel by creating a timecard. Use a template. Have students fill it out at home then use the same template at school. When they add the data, Excel automatically adds, divides, etc. to figure out minutes per week, etc. They’ll have no idea they’re using Excel. Olders can create the template themselves and then fill it in

Beginning Graphs in Excel

Use a template with the topics at the bottom as pictures and numbers along the side. Students use the paint bucket to fill in cells to the right number/level. Great introduction to Excel and collaboration with classroom exploration of math concepts.

Check Your Math Homework in Excel

Show students how to use Excel formulas for add, subtract, multiply and divide. Have them practice with worksheets provided by the classroom teacher. They can figure out the answers themselves first and then check them against Excel’s formulas. My students love this!

Graph a Class Survey in Excel

Create labels for columns and rows on a topic (i.e., how many boys/girls like what favorite food). Collect data as a class. Show students how to use F11 to create a simple chart. Olders can format the chart.

Mastering Excel (for Beginners)

I show students how to do the 22 simplest but most oft-used Excel skills (adding, alphabetizing, adding date, etc.)

Tessellations in Excel

Show students how to create tessellations by using the auto-shape tool

Sponge Activities using Math

Like all sponges. I’ll introduce you to six of the best math websites that are appropriate for 5-10 minute bursts

We Are All Problem-solvers

Have students try to solve their own problems before asking for help. Make this possible by showing students the fifteen tech problems that cause 80% of the grief (i.e., my monitor doesn’t work, my screen is frozen, etc.). This will make students feel more independent, more competent and allow you to conduct class much more efficiently and effectively

What’s a Word Cloud and How’s that Solve

Using Wordle in the classroom to identify important points in a lesson, an activity, as a pre- or post- unit review

Clarify with Excel

Take quiz results and analyze them using Excel. Use averages, sorting, count, max, min and a graph

The Problem-solving Board

Have students teach each other the 28 most common techie problems. They learn how to solve the problem and teach the class as a presentation, then answer questions. They will feel accomplished and tech savvy

Sponge Activities using Webcams, Virtual Tours and Videos

This sponge activity focuses on webcams and videos. Great one for a 5-10 minute filler

Which Website is Best?

Show students how to pick the best websites from a list, what extensions mean, how to read an internet address, and then create a table of the different extensions with screen shots of the correct website. Students learn a lot about differentiating websites, how to read the address as well as reinforce table skills and screen shot skills. Collaborate with a classroom unit of inquiry when finding websites with specific extensions

A Picture is Better—in Word Part I

Use Word’s diagrams to display an idea in a picture format. Between grades 2-5, I use the pyramid, the arrows, the org chart, spokes and wheel, and the target. Once the data is filled in, show students how to format and add word art if necessary

Intermediate Research on the Internet

Pick a topic in collaboration with the classroom units of inquiry. Show students how to search the topic, create a Word document for notes, add pictures and text to the notes sheet

How to Search the Internet

Show students how to use Google search tools to research, find specific files. Use Google to convert money, find the time around the world, add, define a word and more. Students have a lot of fun trying the different skills.

Word Diagrams Part II

Like #84, but more advanced. In this one, I add a background that fits the topic. Easy and sophisticated touch.

Elementary Research on the Internet

Give students a template to fill in information about web sites they use. This should include the page name, address, copyright date, publisher/author. For youngers, provide suggested websites to visit and note paper with questions to use during research

Sponge Activities in Research

Use like all sponge activities, but provide a list of research site (i.e., World Almanac, Fact Monster, etc.). Collaborate with the classroom teacher on a topic they will research for 5-10 minutes

Travel the Universe with Celestia and Google Earth

Show students how to use the beautiful color pictures of Celestia to tour the Universe. They provide a demo so it’s easy for youngers. Have students try out Google Moon and Google Mars and Google Sky from within Google Earth (it’s different than online). Collaborate with the classroom unit of inquiry into space if possible.

Rainforest Animals in KidPix

Use KidPix’s rainforest background, then have students add stickers of the rainforest animals in their correct position in their habitat. Add text with their name. It’s easy enough for kindergartners, but fun for 2^nd grade.

Outlining the Science Textbook in Word

Teach students how to outline using Word’s ridiculously simple outline tools (bullet list, tab and shift+tab). They can use any class textbook or notes. Help them to get started, and then let them figure it out themselves.

Where Am I II?

Mix text and pictures to have students type a simple sentence—I live in *** then add the city, county, state, etc. and a picture copy-pasted from the internet (take this opportunity to teach students how to safely copy images and text from the internet) or inserted from clip art.

Famous Inventors and How They Invented

Start with a storyboard where students fill out a worksheet with what will be contained on each slide of the slideshow. This can be researched during class as you teach/remind students how to research on the internet. Slideshow includes cover, table of contents, data/research slides, biography slide. Skills included are inserting slides/text/pictures, animation, transitions, personalized backgrounds (this goes well with the inventor they select), customized animation, auto-forward. Have students present the finished product to classmates so all can learn from a multi-media presentation on the inventors (or other topic that collaborates with the classroom unit of inquiry).

Ecosystems Table in Word

Create a three-column table in Word with the biome, an example and picture. Or select a topic that collaborates with a classroom unit of inquiry.

Sponge Activities in Science

Eight great websites that can be visited in 5-10 minute bursts before lunch, etc.

Email Basx

Teach students using whichever email program is installed at school, but warn students that theirs will be different. Also warn parents they will have to guide students to the correct spots on their particular version. This will avoid confusion when students go home and try to email homework. Teach To:, From:, cc:, bcc:, subject:, attachments, and basic rules of emailing (I’ll share a list that I’ve created from working with students and parents. It should keep you out of the trouble I got into in my early years).

Internet Basx

Review the basics of internet, including the address bar, forward/back buttons, links, favorites, plagiarism, and netiquette

Integrating Web 2.0 into the Classroom

A general overview of Web 2.0 tools, including blogs, wikis, what is a digital citizen, class internet homepages, class internet start pages, twitter, social bookmarks (i.e., delicious),podcasting, photo sharing (i.e., flikr)

Don’t print that homework! (Email it Instead)

Show students how to email their homework to school rather than bring a hard copy, using the message area or attachments

Keyboard Shortcuts

A list of the 30 most popular keyboard shortcuts I’m sure your students will love as much as mine do. They make computers faster, more efficient and a lot more fun. They also provide problem-solving tools for students that will make technology less frustrating

The Computer’s Body

Review the parts of the computer so students will understand what they’re learning.

The Screen Shot

Teach how to take a screen shot using the Windows Print Screen key or installed software link Jing.

Team Challenge

This is a list of questions compiled from a year’s worth of tech classes. I use them in a Jeopardy-style game at the end of the year. Students create teams and challenge each other for extra credit, free dress passes, whatever the prize du jour is. It is a fun way to review what they’ve learned and encourage them to study.

Assessment in MS Word

An assessment of all Word skills to be learned through eighth grade. Give it at the start of each year, marking off stopping points for each grade level. For students who have accomplished everything, come up with enrichments to keep them challenged.

Assessment in Publisher

An assessment of all Publisher skills to be learned through eighth grade. Give it at the start of each year, marking off stopping points for each grade level. For students who have accomplished everything, come up with enrichments to keep them challenged.

#112

10 Ways Twitter Makes You a Better Writer

How to create a Twitter account and involve students in Tweeting. Twitter can be safe and fun and is an exciting way to encourage writing skills among your students.