Category: Lesson plans

#28: 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

Click on lessons for a full size alternative. (more…)

#12: Create Simple Shapes in Excel

What’s the first thing you think of when I say, Excel. Numbers, right–turning data into information. That is Excel’s ‘killer app’, but the ingenious human brain has come up with another striking use for Excel: Drawing. I spent a long time trying to find a lesson that taught drawing in Excel and/or offered example. I finally gave up and created my own. (more…)

digital whiteboard

#3: Windows Skills: Make Your Own Wallpaper

One of the best ways to get students interested in technology is allow them to personalize their work area. That starts with placing wallpaper of their choice on their desktop. Read on: (more…)

#2: How to KidPix II

Before you start this project, try KidPix Basics I. If you don’t have KidPix, you can use a free download called Tux Paint. (more…)

Where Would You Like to Go Today?

Are you here for a lesson plan… Tech tips… Humor? Click the category below and you’re there.

[caption id="attachment_1055" align="aligncenter" width="154"]tech tips 52 weeks of tech tips[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1057" align="aligncenter" width="150"]kid pix KidPix lessons for K-2[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1058" align="aligncenter" width="150"]google Earth Google Earth lesson plans[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1059" align="aligncenter" width="150"]Photoshop Photoshop lesson plans[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1063" align="aligncenter" width="150"]web 2.0 Web 2.0 lesson plans[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1064" align="aligncenter" width="150"]ms word MS Word lesson plans[/caption]

excelpowerpointpublisherkeyboarding

[caption id="attachment_1075" align="aligncenter" width="176"]mouse Mouse lesson plans[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1072" align="aligncenter" width="150"]Computer humor Take a break[/caption]

tech tips

Find Great Kids Websites

They’re user-friendly, kid-tested, organized by grade and topic. Just click this link to Great Kids Websites and scroll down until you find your grade and subject.

Send me an email with any websites you use with your students:

Google Earth: User Friendly in the Classroom

What an amazing program! I decided to devote a unit to it for my fifth grade technology classes. I gave them a list of locations which they had to locate on Google Earth using the Fly To bar or with Google Earth Community, placemark them (with their choice of creative placemarks), create their own tour file folder under ‘My Places’ and save each location to their tour folder with one interesting fact (which didn’t include Boy is this a great place!). (more…)

grammar sign

#32: How to Use Art to Teach Grammar

Here’s a great lesson that uses every child’s innate love of color to learn grammar. All you need is MS Word, a quick introduction to the toolbars and tools, and about 25 minutes to complete. If you’re the tech lab teacher, this gives you a chance to reinforce the grammar lesson the classroom is teaching:

[caption id="attachment_1026" align="aligncenter" width="450"]COLOR1 From Structured Learning’s Tech Lab Toolkit Volume I[/caption]

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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, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, 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.

Ask a Tech Teacher Receives an Award

seal of approvalDid you notice the new seal in the left sidebar? Ask a Tech Teacher–Homeschool Edition–received a seal of approval  from the proclaimed EdAnywhere, voted #1 by Homeschool.com We are proud to be part of the resources they make available to all homeschoolers to integrate technology into the homeschool curriculum.

We are proud to be included in this community. I encourage everyone to click on the seal and visit this wonderful site for homeschooling ideas.

#20: A Holiday Card in KidPix

Create a holiday card in KidPix and reinforce early writing skills while teaching mouse skills, toolbars and tool use: (more…)