Thursday, Jan 24- Learning the Home Row Keys

Welcome to the Computer Skills and Applications Class.

Bellringer: Go to http://wclassroom.blogspot.com
Get your name tag and keyboard worksheet from your folder.
Students will finish coloring your QWERTY keyboard worksheet.
Look on page 3 in the typing book and use those colors as a guide.
Color in the blue keys (don’t color too hard)
Color the home row keys with the appropriate colors.
A is yellow, S is green, D is red, F is blue
J is blue, K is red, L is green and the colon and enter key are yellow

What we are learning today?Correct keyboarding techniques (the touch method - it means not looking at the keys)
and the Home Keys.
Guided Lesson:While Miss W is passing out paper for
assignment below, a short 2 minute video will play on the Smartboard “Why Keyboarding Skills are Important” explaining the concept of muscle memory and typing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG5i0ucO_JQ

Look at the giant 15 page keyboard that is on the white board.
Miss W will explain proper keyboarding techniques (finger position, how to use the bumps on the F and J key, and the home keys)

Students will turn to page 3 of the Glencoe Keyboarding Connections
textbook to see another example of finger placement and home keys.

Independent Exercise:

Afterward the outside activity, students will compete the first six practices (JF, DK, SL, A;, GH, and Mixed Letters) at http://www.typingweb.com/tutor/lesson/index/id/316/
You do NOT need to sign up for an account, click the red x in the upper cornerTRY FOR ACCURACY NOT FOR SPEED.
An excellent typing time would be around 32 to 39 words per minute. If you are a new typist a more realistic time would be around 14 to 17 words per minute. This exercise is for a participation grade not a classwork grade. Record your progress on the score sheet. Try not to look at the keyboard while you type.

Miss Witkowski will be recording student book numbers as you type.

Students will create a visual graphic keyboard.

Students will create a 15 page paper keyboard. Look at the keyboard on the white board.
Today we are making the home row keys. Draw 2 letters per page. Make the letters big and dark!
Don't forget to draw the red lines, which divides the left hand's keys and the right hand's keys.
Make sure your make the "bump" underline under the "F" and "J" keys.

Next Tuesday, students will go outside or to the media center with Miss W and type words with their feet. They will also pair up and help their partners with finding the more difficult letters by giving directions (backwards, forwards, left or right).

Exit Activity: Students will practice touch typing the home row keys with a game called Home Keys
Kennys. Remember- Do NOT look at the keys while playing. Try your best to click on the keys from memory.
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/homekey-kennys.html

High Scores will be recognized. You MUST show Miss W your score!
Miss W. will explain how there will be an Olympic Keyboarding competition each month for prizes.

Homework:

Everyone needs to return the blue Class information sheet by Friday to get a 100 for your first grade.

If you were absent today please review the video link above and read page 3 of the Typing book.
Miss W will give you instructions on how to create the 2 visual graphic keyboards mentioned above.