Computer Skills 9 Course Plan

Overview:
This course has been designed to provide students with the basic computer skills required for a high
school student. Assignments in this course have been set up as Challenges/Scenarios that students
must complete. Along with project completion, students will also complete the CTF Design Template
for each project. This template has three components:
Design: To be completed before you start your project.
Create: To be completed as you complete your project.
Appraise: To be completed after your project is complete.

Rationale:
This course is designed to provide students with a very basic exposure to a variety of computer tools so
that they can be successful 21st century learners throughout their high school experience. It is assumed
that students will come to this course from a variety of backgrounds with different levels of experience.
The assignments are designed to be basic enough for beginners while still providing a challenge for
those students who are more experienced.

Materials:
Computer Stations (1 per student)
Adobe Fireworks
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint

CTF Learning Outcomes:

CTF is exploring interests, passions and skills while making personal connections to career possibilities.
I explore my interests and passions while making personal connections to career possibilities.
I use occupational area skills, knowledge and technologies.
I follow safety requirements associated with occupational areas and related technologies.
I demonstrate environmental stewardship associated with occupational areas.
CTF is planning, creating, appraising and communicating in response to challenges.
I plan in response to challenges.
I make decisions in response to challenges.
I adapt to change and unexpected events.
I solve problems in response to challenges.
I create products, performances or services in response to challenges.
I appraise the skills, knowledge and technologies used to respond to challenges.
I communicate my learning.
CTF is working independently and with others while exploring careers and technology.
I determine how my actions affect learning.
I develop skills that support effective relationships.
I collaborate to achieve common goals.
 Lesson Sequence
Day Lesson Title Key Question Learning Activities Assessment
Workstation Management
This topic outlines the expectations we have when working with computers at Winston
Churchill High School. Evaluation of this topic will be cumulative.
Go over expectations: show up for class on time and sit at your assigned seat, start
working on keyboarding for the first 10 minutes of every class, use your class time
effectively, stay on task, treat the equipment and the people in the room with respect,
continue working until the bell, save your work using the file management skills we
cover in class, and clean up your workstation at the end of each class.
Review C-drive, H-drive, & J-drive
Topic #1 File Management
Workstation File Management is the organization of your computer files. You will demonstrate file
1 Management management by organizing and handing your work to assigned folders. 10%
& File Cloud computing is a popular term used in the media these days. Read the following
Management definition and watch the following tutorials from some of the most popular cloud
computing options to discover what cloud computing really is: cloud computing is the
use of computing resources (hardware and software) that are delivered as a service over
a network, typically the Internet.
Assignment:
Access Office 365 through your student e-mail account. Download and install the
software. When asked for the location of the folder that you want to sync with the
cloud service, create a new folder inside your folder on the C Drive
(C://Users/yourusername/ComputerSkills).
Optional: Download the complementary mobile app to your smartphone etc.
 Who is a Digital Citizen? You!
Basically, a digital citizen is anyone who uses digital tools such as computers, cell
phones, or the internet in their work, school or for recreation. Just like citizens of a city
have to adopt rules and standards of behavior in order to live together, those of us in
the digital world should do the same. There are general guidelines we can all follow in
order to stay safe, and work well in the digital world.
Go over WCHS Academic Integrity Policy
WCHS cell phone use policy: Students are permitted to use cell phones during non-
instructional times only. Teachers will confiscate cell phones in use during class time and
will return them at an appropriate time.
The 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship: Digital Access, Digital Commerce, Digital
As a student what Communication, Digital Literacy, Digital Etiquette, Digital Law, Digital Rights &
Topic #2
does being a digital Responsibilities, Digital Health & Wellness, Digital Security (self-protection)
Digital
citizen mean? Copyright and Fair Use
Citizenship
2 Have you ever... Downloaded your favorite song off the Internet? Copied a picture off 10%
and
What are the the Internet for a class project? Photocopied a picture of your favorite movie star?
Academic
different components Copied a video documentary to show during a classroom history lesson? Posted to your
Integrity
of digital citizenship? school Web site a class picture taken by School Photos Inc.? If you answered yes to any
of those questions, you may want to think twice next time!
The materials used in the above examples are protected by copyright -- and copyright
law states that the owner of any tangible creative work has the sole right to reproduce,
distribute, perform, display, transmit, or transform that work.
Asking the copyright owner or owners for permission is essential if you do not want to
commit copyright infringement.
Assignment:
You have been hired to create digital citizenship awareness at the University of
Lethbridge. Design a poster that could be placed on bulletin boards throughout the
school. Your poster must contain: A title, The components of digital citizenship,
Emphasis on how digital citizenship applies to students.
 Word Processing
In this topic you will expand your knowledge of Microsoft Word. We will use Word to
set up a report and a letter, to help you complete assignments you will have to do in
English and Social Studies. We will also learn to add images and special formatting to
your pages.
Outline Personal Business Letter
Outline a Report
Letter Assignment:
This assignment will be completed using MS Word. Using the formatting we discussed; compose
What are the
a letter. You must include all the sections shown on the example
components of a
Paragraph #1: Clearly state the purpose of your letter. Establish a bond with your
business letter?
reader. Recognize the readers interests, circumstances, and special needs. You can
compliment your reader, ask a challenging question or appeal to the readers interests.
How should the
Clearly state the action that you would like your reader to take.
content be organized
Paragraph #2: Provide specific supporting detail. Convince the reader that your proposal
in the paragraphs of
is worthwhile by aappealing to emotion, reason, or good character. Anticipate and
Topic #3 a business letter?
overcome the readers objections. Use facts that both parties can agree upon.
3 Word 20%
Whenever possible, interweave the readers benefits
Processing How is a report
Paragraph #3: Restate the action you would like your reader to take. Make it easy for
formatted?
your reader to respond (Provide contact information (optional) & Suggest a time
and/place to get in touch). Provide a final reader benefit or restate the most significant
How are sources
reason the reader should respond.
properly referenced
Report Assignment:
in a report?
Challenge/Scenario: You have been assigned a report in one of your core classes. For
the purpose of this challenge you will be allowed to create your own topic. See the
specific requirements below.
Your report will be a minimum of 300 words(Review Word Count). Type your report
double spaced 12 point font in Times New Roman. Include at least 3 internet
resources(I will show you how to reference them). Your report can be on any
appropriate topic. Some ideas for your report may include: Ex. Is Global Climate
Change Real? How was WW2 won? Why the Oakland Raiders are the best football
team in NFL history
Include: A Title for the report, A By Line, 3 Paragraph Headings, A page number centered
in the footer, A header that contains your name and advisor name.
How do you do basic Spreadsheets Overview
mathematical A spreadsheet is a computer program such as Excel. It is a program that is designed to
Topic #4
4 calculations in do math calculations. It has a number of built in features and tools, such as functions, 20%
Spreadsheets
spreadsheet formulas and charts. A spreadsheet is a table. Data in the table is arranged in rows and
programs? columns to make it easier to store, organize, and analyze the information. Columns are
 identified by letters and rows are identified by numbers. The intersection of a column
How do you create and row is a cell.
graphs using The power of spreadsheets is the use of formulas and functions to do mathematical
spreadsheet calculations. Formulas can range from basic mathematical operations - such as addition
software? and subtraction - to complex engineering and statistical calculations. Spreadsheet
programs also contain a number of built in formulas called functions. Functions make it
easier to carry out commonly performed tasks like adding up columns or rows of
numbers or finding an average quickly.
Spreadsheet Assignment #1: Shop Till You Drop
Challenge/Scenario: You have just won a contest where you have won $2500 to
redecorate your room! You will be able to search online for a list of items you would like
for your new room makeover. You will make a spreadsheet to keep track of how you will
spend your $2500.
Open Microsoft Office Excel 2013 to create a new file, save as Shopping. Create
headings to include: the name of the thing you are purchasing, the cost of the object,
the store name, the stores website url, the item number, the color or size of your
choice
The list of prices should be totalled at the bottom of your spreadsheet. Make sure you
have a title at the top, as well as your name. As you "buy" things, you'll enter them into
your spreadsheet. (Don't go over your budget!) All right! Start looking through the
internet and "shop away! Don't forget to save these spreadsheets as you go along!
Spreadsheet Assignment #2:
Challenge/Scenario: The school newspaper would like to find out what things are
currently popular for teens within their school. As a school newspaper reporter, you
must survey students on 5 topics that you think are most important to teenagers.
You will use Microsoft Excel to create a survey. The survey should have 5 questions
organized in a table. The topic of your survey is favourite things: favourite music,
favourite celebrity, favourite car etc., you decide. Get results from your survey one of
two ways: Print the survey and give it to the students in our class to find data for your
spreadsheet or create a tally chart with your survey questions. Survey member of the
class to find data for your spreadsheet. Once you have the data you will place it in a
table on the spread sheet. Next you will create a chart for each question you must use
a different chart for each question.
Intro to Graphics
When you create assignments on MSWord or PowerPoint you will often want to add
How can the use of
Topic #5 graphics to make your assignment more effective and interesting. You must consider the
5 graphics software 20%
Graphics following when adding graphics: 1. NEVER Copy and Paste, always save a copy of your
enhance
image and insert it into your document. (the quality of your image will be better and you
assignments?
wont get a red X on your page. 2. Make sure the size of your image is big enough that it
 What should I is high quality but not so big that it uses too much memory. 500 x 500 pixels is a great
consider about size to use. 3. Save all graphics in easy to use file formats (Jpeg).
formatting/resolution Graphics Assignment: Comic Book Cover
etc. before using Challenge/Scenario: Your graphics company has been hired by a comic book company
graphics software? to create a cover for their latest super hero. Shockingly, they would like the super hero
to have your likeness. Design a comic book cover with the following requirements. Your
How do I create cover will be created in Fireworks and each component of your cover must be planned
digital graphics using in a separate layer. Your canvas dimensions should be adjusted to inches and set to 8.5
software? by 11. The Resolution will be 150 dpi (dots per inch).
Things to include on your cover: Title, Action image with your face on it, A good quality
background image that has been resized to fit your page, Issue number, issue date,
price, Bar Code, Word balloon dialogue, Creativity!!
PowerPoint Overview
Most of you have used PowerPoint before, but have you actually created an EFFECTIVE
presentation? Before we start creating a presentation we will spend some time learning
about well organized, easy to follow, attractive presentations: Organize an outline of
the topic and separate it into sections, like introduction, body, conclusion. Appearance,
choose one or two simple fonts that are easy to read, make sure the colour works in
contrast to your background. Use a simple background that does not take away from
What is the most
the content of your project. Animations are a good attention getter, as long as they mix
effective way to use
into the presentation well and are not overdone, use them to introduce the slide. Slides.
presentation
Do not have more than 10 slides in a presentation, keep the slides simple with only key
software when
points showing. Pictures & Video Showing pictures and video to go with the topic can
presenting to a group
hold attention for even longer but too many pictures can be overwhelming for the
of people?
Topic #6 reader. Review before Presenting When everything is completed, ask yourself if this
6 20%
PowerPoint presentation interests you, will the reader be interested?
What design
PowerPoint Assignment:
elements should be
You are a successful business person. You need to present to a group of students your
considered when
life story(road to success). You will present the Ten most important events in my life.
developing a
You will create your autobiography using a timeline for ten main events in your life.
presentation?
Open Microsoft Power Point, file save as c:/users/Autobiography. Create a title slide.
Insert at least 10 slides (minimum of 1 slide per event). Create an ending slide. Using the
ribbon insert clip art, word art, personal pictures and shapes to enhance your slides.
Play with fill colors, outlines and fonts to make slides pop. Open the design tab to play
with different looks. In the home tab, layout for slides, try different layouts. Try to add
in animations by using the animation tab to experiment with. When you are done, open
slide show tab and view. Have fun, keep it simple and remember to follow the basic
rules for effective presentations.
 Assessment Plan
Assessment Task Overviews
Topic #1 Topic #2
Topic #3 Topic #4: Topic #6:
Title Workstation & File Digital Citizenship and Topic #5: Graphics
Academic Integrity Word Processing Spreadsheets PowerPoint
Management

Purpose / Type Summative Summative Summative Summative Summative Summative

Process, Product, Process, Product, Process, Product, Process, Product,

Task Process, Product, Process, Product,
Performance Task, Performance Task, Performance Task, Performance Task,

Modality
Write, Do Write, Do Do Do Do Do
Write, Do, Say

Assessor
Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher
Self, Peer, Teacher

Criteria Checklist,
Device Criteria Checklist Criteria Checklist Criteria Checklist Criteria Checklist Exemplar, Rubric
Rubric

Weighting 10% 10% 20% 20% 20% 20%

Outcomes

CTF is exploring interests,

passions and skills while
making personal connections
to career possibilities.
X X X X
CTF is planning, creating,
appraising and
communicating in response
to challenges.
X X X X X X
CTF is working independently
and with others while
exploring careers and
technology.
X X X X X X