Author: Jacqui

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, an Amazon Vine Voice, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.
LESSON PLANNING

#21: A Holiday Card in Publisher

Publisher cards are easy enough for second graders–even early readers. Pick a template, add a picture to personalize, add their name–and they’re done. It takes about 15 minutes. Kids always feel great about creating these greeting cards: (more…)

Weekend Website #10: Google Mars

Drop by every weekend to discover what wonderful website my classes and parents loved this week. I think you’ll find they’ll be a favorite of yours as they are of mine. (more…)

digital whiteboard

How to Use MS Word to Teach Geography

[caption id="attachment_929" align="alignleft" width="182"]Sample diagram Sample diagram[/caption]

Grade Level: 3-5

Background: Using MS Word.

Vocabulary: diagram, graphic organizer, solar system

Time: About 30 minutes

Steps:

  • Open MS Word. Add a heading to the top.
  • Add a title–Where We Are–centered, bold and font 14. Use this to point out the tool bar with the four alignment tools, bold, fonts and font size (more…)
book review

#22: A Holiday Flier in Publisher

This is the only project that’s easier than Project 21 (the holiday card in Publisher). There’s no folding and the templates are bright, colorful and exciting for kids as young as second grade: (more…)

digital whiteboard

#17: A Holiday Story in MS Word for Grades 2-7

Reinforce fiction writing–characters, plot, setting, climax–with a short story in MS Word. Then use color, borders, pictures to enhance the words. (more…)

#112: 10 Ways Twitter Makes You a Better Writer

I wrote a post on how Blogs and Wikis make students better writers–teachers too for that matter–and wanted to follow it up with how tweeting improves writing. Then I found Jennifer’s summary. It pretty well covers what I’d say:

  • You learn to be concise
  • You learn to be focused
  • You have time to check for grammar and spelling
But, the more I thought about it, the more reasons I came up with–well beyond my original three: (more…)

Weekend Website #11: Google Moon

Drop by every Friday to discover what wonderful website my classes and parents loved this week. I think you’ll find they’ll be a favorite of yours as they are of mine. (more…)

digital whiteboard

#24: A Holiday Newsletter in Publisher for Elementary School

This is another great holiday project for 5th graders (see the holiday calendar here). Publisher templates lay out the columns, headings, articles. All students must do is fill in with their topics and pictures. Be sure that they delete the extra pages at the end before printing. (more…)

#23: A Holiday Calendar in MS Publisher for Elementary School

Kids love making this calendar. They get to talk about their upcoming vacations and hear what their friends are doing. It’s simple enough for third grade with advanced tools that satisfy a fifth graders growing intellect. (more…)

Weekend Website #10: Google Mars

Drop by every weekend to discover what wonderful website my classes and parents loved this week. I think you’ll find they’ll be a favorite of yours as they are of mine.

google mars (more…)