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SMARTeKIDS / 1st Grade - 1st Visit to the Computer Lab
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1st Grade - 1st Visit to the Computer Lab

Front Page | Lesson Plans By Grade Level | First Grade Lesson Plans

 

IMPORTANT: If one of the options you are using to demonstrate with doesn't work, another option will: 

               PROBLEM                                                  SOLUTION

 

          No projector                                                 LanSchool - Show Teacher Workstation on students' 

                                                                                               workstation to demonstrate

 

          Program on Teacher Workstation                   LanSchool - Take control of a student's station and

          isn't working                                                                   demonstrate from that station

 

 

Beginning Class 

Because students have been to the computer lab in Kindergarten have the students go to their assign seats immediately.  If they haven't been to the lab before have them sit in a group on the floor to begin the next couple of lessons.  You also may want to use some beginning Kindergarten lessons or refer to them for skills they should already know at this time.  The first few weeks may have to be a combination of the Kindergarten lessons and 1st grade lessons.

 

Assign Seats

 

Because a lab is used by many classes, it is a benefit to all if seats are assigned.  This will help in diagnosing any problems with a computer and use of a station.  Usually students are placed alphabetically for quick identification of a station.  But, of course, some students may need special placement for individual help from other students or teachers.

 

Guidelines for Computer Lab

 

Discuss guidelines for your computer lab. Make it appropriate for the age level student you teach.  Some guidelines may be as follows:

 

  • Keep all 4 feet of the chair on the ground.
  • Return headsets to their starting position.
  • Push in the chair and possibly the keyboard before leaving.
  • Follow instructions and stay on task.
  • Only go to the programs or websites that are approved.
  • The computer desktop may not be changed.

     

 

Major Hardware Components of a Computer

 

Review the major components from last year.  Point to the major components and have students name them or have the students point to the major components of a computer as you name them - monitor, keyboard, mouse, CPU and headphones.  Ask/discuss with the students the function of each piece.  This may need to be reviewed for a couple of visits.  Also, as one teaches, using the correct term will help the students become familiar with them.  Here is a poem that can be used as a fun and easy way to teach the parts of a computer.

 

THIS IS THE COMPUTER

This is the Monitor,
Our work we can see.
This is the Mouse,
It doesn't eat cheese.

This is the Keyboard,
with numbers and letters on the Keys.
These are the Headphones,
be careful please.

This is the C.P.U.,
its brains we will use today.
Put all these parts together,
get ready it is time to Play.

 

 

Logging In

 

When the computer is turned on, the Novell Client screen appears.   The student will type in their username where indicated. 

 

     An explanation of Username follows, if needed.  Explain to students that to "use" the computer we have to have a special "username".  Each one of the students have a special name and we use that to get into the computer.  Their username consists of letters and a number.  Explain to the students that at each computer is a card that has their letters and number on it.  The letters come from their last and first names.   Explain that it is four letters from their last name, then three letters from their first name and then, because they are the only one with those seven letters, they put the number one. NOTE: It is usually a "one" but as a teacher, you have access to a master list of logins and need to check your class list for the number attached to a name.  This number is important, if two students in the district have the same letters, it creates their own file to save work in as this system follows them through 13 years of school.  (Example:  Michelle Smith, Michael Smith - both usernames are SmitMic.  So Michael's username would be SmitMic1 and Michelle's would be SmitMic2.)  A demonstration of the teacher's name on a whiteboard or piece or paper could be a visual to show how one gets a username. 

                    Smith Jane

                    Smith Jane

                    Smitjan

 

At this time it would be beneficial to show the students where the "Backspace" key is located for correcting any typing errors.  The students do not have to worry about capitalizing the first letter.  It will happen automatically when they click on "OK" or push the "Enter" key after entering their password.

 

They then need to move the blinking cursor down to the password box.  This can be done either by left clicking the mouse in the box or by introducing and pressing the "Tab" key.  The "Tab" key always moves the cursor to the next box in a form.

 

They now are in the password box.  Introduce the "Num Lock" key.  Press the key to turn on the green light so the numbers are locked and can be used.  Students should learn to use the number key pad to enter their password.  Explain to them that they won't see the numbers but will see black dots instead.   This is so no one can see their password and get into their files.  Introduce the "Enter" key and its location by telling students that this key enters the information in the computer so it can find your materials.  Push the "Enter" key to go into the network and to the desktop.  Another option instead of the "Enter" key is to left click with the mouse on "OK".

 

 

Teacher's Note:  It is best to introduce, review and/or demonstrate any tool to the whole class at a time.  If possible use the LanSchool program to demonstrate.  The most effective way is by taking control of the students' screens and showing the Teacher's screen on their screen.   Using this method, the students have no control over their stations.  What you are demonstrating is right in front of them on their own workstation rather than on a projected image at one end of the room.  USE THE FULL SCREEN VERSION for now (it will be difficult for the students to resize the teacher's screen with their coordination at this time of the year). 

 

Use LanSchool to show the teacher's workstation to the student's workstation.

 

If this program is not available, the teacher can use a projector to display their screen on the wall.

 

 

Desktop/Icons

 

Have a discussion about the top of a student's desk being called the desktop.  Explain to the students that the screen they now see is the "desktop" for the computer.  Just like their desk has lots of things inside, so does a computer have lots of things inside it.  One way the computer's desktop shows us what is inside is by the little pictures on the screen.  These are called "icons"They tell us what programs are available for us to use.  Go through some of the icons and tell about the programs.  Currently there are three folders on the desktop for students to use - Jr. Wings Web Links (Grades 3-6), Little Wings Web Links (Grades K-2) and Student Programs.   The Web Links folders are internet links to educational activities to integrate curriculum.  The Student Programs are purchased licensed programs to teach technology to use for classroom curriculums.  Have students double click on the Little Wings Web Links folder.  Then double click on "Tux Paint" icon.

 

Ask students if they remember the program "Tux Paint" from Kindergarten.  As time permits, give them some time to "Paint".

 

"Quit" button 

 

At the end of class review how to "Quit" from last year.  Do not save anything.  Reminder:  Tux Paint can only save in the Tux Paint program.  It does not give you a menu to choose desktop or F:\.

When you want to quit a program, you usually look for the letter "x".  Look at your Tux Paint screen.  Do you see the "X" over on the left at the bottom of the blue buttons?  Click on it and put your hands in your lap.  Another window pops up asking us a question - Do you really want to quit?  (Yes, we do.)  The green checkmark in Tux Paint is for "Yes" and the red "x" is for "No".  Click on the green checkmark and put your hand in your lap.  Another window pops up and asks if we want to save this picture. (No, we are just practicing.)  Click on the red "x".  This takes us out of Tux Paint and back to the desktop.  So when we want to go out of Tux Paint we click "yes" on the first window that pops up and "no" on the next window.  Great job, today!!

 

Logging Out

 

At the end of the session, each student must logoff.  Tell the students that today, before they go, they are going to "Log Off". (Demonstrate with a projector as the students do it with you.) They are all out of the program Tux Paint now and are back to the "desktop". Way down in the bottom corner on the blue bar there is a circle with four little squares that are red, green, blue and yellow. This is called the "Flying Windows".  Click on the "Flying Windows". A menu pops up that is white and black.  Look at the black part at the bottom.  You see two words that say, "Shut Down" and a little arrow that points to the right.  Click on the arrow and another little menu pops up.  Near the top of that menu are two words "Log Off".  With your mouse click on those two words. Your desktop might turn black now.  That is OK.  You have now logged off of the network. Your screen will go back to the Novell Client Screen, where it was when you came to class today.

 

Push your chair in and wait for the Novell screen to come back on the desktop.