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#1656. A Clue for Keyboarding

Computer, level: Middle
Posted Tue Apr 4 08:40:25 PDT 2000 by Stacey Knepper (tknepper@innernet.net).
Chambersburg Area School District, Chambersburg, USA
Materials Required: Index Cards, Markers
Activity Time: Varied
Concepts Taught: Keyboarding

Lesson Purpose:
Students will be able to locate and identify the keys on the keyboard through memory.

Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to locate keys on the keyboard through memory.

Students will be able to locate keys on the keyboard without looking at the keyboard, bulletin boards, and charts.

Students will use the "Clue" activity as a reinforcement to their keying activities.

Lesson Activity:

The "Clue" Keyboarding activity is used as a reinforcement activity while students are not close to a keyboard.

Teacher has taken index cards and on one side the teacher has written the letter, number, and symbols that the students use during keyboarding. The other side has a clue about that letter, number, and symbol.

Example for the letter "A": I am located in the homerow and you use your left pinky finger to key my letter.

I divide the class into two teams and have them sit on the floor away from all keyboards. Typing charts, bulletin boards, and any other typing material has been covered so that students cannot see any letters, numbers, and symbols.

Once students are seated in their groups, I usually take a seat in the middle of the groups.

Game Rules: Teacher will read a clue to a student and the student must answer the clue. If the student does not know the answer the question moves over to the other team. I usually incorporate rewards into the game. The clue is worth one point if answered correctly, if the clue is answered incorrectly or moves to the opposite team, then it is worth 2 points.
Talking is at a very minimal low during this game.
Students may only help each other if the question was answered incorrectly or not at all for the opposing team and the question moves to their team.
There are many ways that you can adjust this activity to fit into the needs of your lesson plan.
Each team will take turns answering clues and I do set a time limit for their answer.(if you do not have a time limit the students will take their time in answering)

Results:

I have used this activity a few times in my class and I have had wonderful results. This creates an opportunity for the students to test their knowledge of the keyboard without having a chance to look and the temptation to look. Students are excited and amazed whenever they get the clues correct. They are always asking to play this activity over and over again. This adds a new excitement to keyboarding and also creates a teamwork atmosphere.

I hope that you find this activity useful as I have.