Typing Club for your classroom

With today's implementation of the Common Core, the skill of becoming a proficient typist is more important now than ever. But where do you begin? And at what age?

At the beginning of my professional career, I taught preschool children (3 and 4 year olds) computer education in a daycare setting. During that time I had made it a part of their daily learning activity by playing typing games; and practiced word and letter recognition by having the students type sight words and his or her name. Just the simple introductory at that age is very important. However, as they become older, students need more of a "formal" approach to learning the keyboard. I have posted in the past typing exercises and Websites for you to use (click here to check them out). Recently I have introduced Typing Club to my third grade class.

Typing Club is a free site that offers a basic version and a school version. While the school version does have a small fee associated with it (that I honestly did not select due to budget constraints at my school), it has a free, basic version as well. Why sign up for the school version? Simple- you can easily track your student's progress!

What I liked about using Typing Club is that it starts out very basic- focusing only on two keys at a time (lessons that you can customize and choose), which is perfect for younger students. Students are rewarded with the ability to see their progress and are able to challenge one another with their typing scores that are displayed on a classroom scoreboard. This definitely kept my third graders engaged. Games are included in the free version while typing tests are not.

I also found the interface to be extremely easy to navigate for both teacher and student! Make sure to check out Typing Club and place it into your teacher tool box for safe keeping!

Website Spotlight: Symbaloo for Education

Tablet. Chromebook. iPad. Smart Phone. What do these tech tools all have in common? Apps. Children are often excited when they see a colorful square with a fun icon nestled inside. For years I have been listing hyper-linked words on my classroom Website for students to endlessly search through until they found the exact link I was directing them to. Then I stumbled onto Symbaloo and was able to make the list of links into colorful "app-like" clickable boxes.

You can get Symbaloo for free in both "public" and "education" versions as well as use the paid version with more features. Easily bookmark and share your Websites with ease- as well as make it visually appealing!

Symbaloo can turn your list of hyper-linked Web Words and make them into fun app-like bookmarks. Have your students sign up and create their own Symbaloo's for a research project. Create a Symbaloo and post it to your classroom Website or have the Symbaloo be the first Web page that opens when your students click on their Web Browser!

Symbaloo's are also easy to share or borrow from other educators. I have shared with you my Symabloo for Third Grade- it is still a work in progress, but please feel free to grab it for yourself. Enjoy!

Please Note: I changed the width of the Symbaloo for it to fit inside my blog post as it is also displayed on my classroom Website as well. You can change the size of your Symbaloo when you are logged into your account to accommodate for the width of your Webpage..

3rd Grade- Learning the Internet with Worksheets and PowerPoint

Grade:  3

Major Topic: Typing- Parts of the Internet

Week/Weeks: 3-4 classes

NETS for Students:

3. Research and Information Fluency

• Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. 

5. Digital Citizenship

• Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts  

• Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. 

Materials:

Learning the Internet Worksheet

• Intro to the Internet PowerPoint includes link to the Internet for Kids Class at end of ppt!
• Parts of the Internet Work Sheet
• Learning the Internet Worksheet
• Internet (preferably Internet Explorer) 
• Whiteboard and projector 
• Computer

Activity:

1. Introduction to the Internet PowerPoint on Day 1. Go through the terms- have the students take notes if deemed worthy. Make sure to have the students type in the link http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/Classes/Intforkids/ located at the end of the PowerPoint and take the class Internet for Kids.

2. Day 2- demonstrate the different parts of the Internet (Forward button, back button, reload button, address bar, etc.) and have the students complete the Parts of the Internet Work Sheet.

3. Day 3- to have your students practice typing in URL's and to learn how to look for answers, complete  the Learning the Internet Worksheet.

Optional: Have them study and create an online quiz using one of these sites:

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/

http://quizstar.4teachers.org/

http://www.classmarker.com/

Third Grade Typing Unit using PowerTyping.com

Unit Name: Intro to Typing

Grade:  3

Major Topic: Typing- Memorizing the Keyboard

Week/Weeks: 7-9 classes

NETS for Students:

6. Technology Operations and Concepts   Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:  

a.	understand and use technology systems.

Materials:

• Blank Computer Worksheet
• Blank Computer Test Printable
• WPM Worksheet
• Website:  http://www.powertyping.com/qwerty/lessonsq.html
• Typing PowerPoint
• Internet
• Whiteboard and projector
• Computer
• Word Processor
• Refer to  http://www.customtyping.com/tutorials/kb/Correct_fingering.htm for correct finger placements.

Motivation:

• Show Typing PowerPoint and discuss the basics of typing.

Activity:

1. Week 1- The main goal of this typing year is to have the students memorize the keyboard! After the introduction of the Typing PowerPoint, have them fill in the left hand home row keys: ASDF onto their blank keyboard.  Have them then open up any Word Processor and practice the following:

• AAA (space) AAA (space) AAA (space) AAA (space) AAA (space) AAA (space) AAA (space) AAA (space)
• SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space) SSS(space)
• DDD (space) DDD (space) DDD (space) DDD (space) DDD (space) DDD (space) DDD (space) DDD (space)
• FFF (space) FFF (space) FFF (space) FFF (space) FFF (space) FFF (space) FFF (space) FFF (space)

2. Go to Website:  http://www.powertyping.com/qwerty/lessonsq.html and practice lesson 1 taking down WPM and Grade for each student. Make sure they call you over when a lesson is complete to take down their WPM and grade. If the finish early- have them repeat the lesson: Practice makes perfect!

3.     Week 2: Review the left hand home row keys and introduce the right hand: JKL;. Fill in the appropriate keys into the Blank Keyboard sheet. .  Have them then open up any Word Processor and practice the following:

• JJJ (space) JJJ (space) JJJ (space) JJJ (space) JJJ (space) JJJ (space) JJJ (space) JJJ (space)
• KKK(space) KKK(space) KKK(space) KKK(space) KKK(space) KKK(space) KKK(space) KKK(space)
• LLL (space) LLL (space) LLL (space) LLL (space) LLL (space) LLL (space) LLL (space) LLL (space)
• ;;; (space) ;;; (space) ;;; (space) ;;; (space) ;;; (space) ;;; (space) ;;; (space) ;;; (space)

4. Go to Website:  http://www.powertyping.com/qwerty/lessonsq.html and practice lesson 1 taking down WPM and Grade for each student. Make sure they call you over when a lesson is complete to take down their WPM and grade. If the finish early- have them repeat the lesson: Practice makes perfect!

5. Week 3: Review all the letters of the home row keys- asdfjkl;. Introduce RTYU and EIGH using the correct fingers. Have them write the corresponding letters onto the blank keyboard. Refer to  http://www.customtyping.com/tutorials/kb/Correct_fingering.htm for correct finger placements.
6. Go to Website:  http://www.powertyping.com/qwerty/lessonsq.html and practice lesson 2 and 3  taking down WPM and Grade for each student. Make sure they call you over when a lesson is complete to take down their WPM and grade. If the finish early- have them repeat the lesson: Practice makes perfect!

7. Week 4: Have the students review their keyboard worksheet and begin to memorize the keys on it.  Introduce CVB and MN,: using the correct fingers. Refer to  http://www.customtyping.com/tutorials/kb/Correct_fingering.htm for correct finger placements. Have them write the corresponding letters onto the blank keyboard.
8. Go to Website:  http://www.powertyping.com/qwerty/lessonsq.html and practice lesson 4 and 5 taking down WPM and Grade for each student. Make sure they call you over when a lesson is complete to take down their WPM and grade. If the finish early- have them repeat the lesson: Practice makes perfect!

9. Week 5: Have the students review their keyboard worksheet and begin to memorize the keys on it.  Introduce WXO. and QZP’” using the correct fingers. Refer to  http://www.customtyping.com/tutorials/kb/Correct_fingering.htm for correct finger placements. Have them write the corresponding letters onto the blank keyboard.
10. Go to Website:  http://www.powertyping.com/qwerty/lessonsq.html and practice lesson 6 and 7 taking down WPM and Grade for each student. Make sure they call you over when a lesson is complete to take down their WPM and grade. If the finish early- have them repeat the lesson: Practice makes perfect!

11. Week 6: Now the keyboard is complete, have them take it home to study. Give them time in class. Next week’s class there will be a test to see what they have memorized on the keyboard using a blank keyboard just like the one that they filled in. For this class you will use PowerTyping Words game: http://www.powertyping.com/trees.shtml

12. Week 7 (last Full Typing Class):  Print out and distribute Blank Computer Test Printable .  Cover all keyboards and typing resources with paper. Have students fill in and submit for a grade. Once done they may take an Orange Keyboard Skin
    and go to PowerTyping Words game: http://www.powertyping.com/trees.shtml.