About this unit
In this unit children learn how to communicate messages by using a combination of graphics and text. They also learn the importance of saving their work.
Children will apply what they have learnt in this unit when writing reports; producing multimedia presentations.
Where this unit fits in
This unit builds on Unit 2A 'Writing stories: communicating information using text' and Unit 2B 'Creating pictures'.
Technical vocabulary
font size/type/colour
highlight
select all
frame
copy
paste
insert
align left
align right
centre
re-size/scale
graphics
Resources
graphics package
Free Art Program - http://www.artrage.com/artrage-demos.html
word processor
a range of greeting cards
a CD-ROM with pictures or a clip art file
Software suitable to use:
notepad
word
2 create
2 create a story
2 publish
ArtRage http://www.artrage.com/artrage-demos.html
Online Resources-for Teachers:
Year 3 Unit 3A QCA Document
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/word/primaryschemes/itx3a.doc
The Grid-Year 3 Resources
http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/ict/ks1-2/resources/ict_sow/index.shtml#year3
Kent Education-ICT Resources
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/qca/year3/text.htm
Greenwich ICT Resources
http://www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/greenwich/accounts/subjects/ictteam/web/resources/primary/QCA%20scheme%20of%20work/qca%20year%203a/
Schoolsnet
Lesson 1 (Schoolsnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=286
Lesson 2 (Schoolsnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=287
Lesson 3 (Schoolnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=288
Lesson 4 (Schoolnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=289
Lesson 5 (Schoolnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=290
Lesson 6 (schoolnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=291
Lesson 7 (Schoolnet)
http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=292
Online Resources- for Pupils:
Kidscom-Designing e-cards
http://kidscom.com/orakc/cards/index.html
Kids Domain-Clip art
http://kidsdomain.com/clip/index.html
Objectives:
key idea: that text and graphics can be combined to communicate information
technique: to alter font type, size and colour for emphasis and effect
key idea: that ICT can be used to improve text
technique: to amend text and save changes
technique: to combine graphics and text
technique: to use the shift key to type characters, such as question marks, to combine graphics and text to communicate information
QCA-ACTIVITIES
Section 1: SETTING THE SCENE
Show the class a range of greeting cards. Discuss the designs and point out elements, such as pictures, fonts, captions and messages. Divide the class into groups and ask each group to examine one card. Ask them to produce an annotated poster identifying the card's key features.
Look at messages and how they are written. Ask children to think about cards that they could design and produce.
Section 2: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
Type in a number of words, eg 'rainbow', 'grow', 'lean', 'high', 'low', 'stairs' and 'ghost'.
Show the class font editing features, such as how to change font type, size and colour. Ask the children to change the look of each word so that it reflects its meaning, eg placing each letter of 'rainbow' in a different colour, increasing the font size of each letter in 'grow'.
Section 3: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
Type in a piece of text using 'nice' as the only adjective.
Remind the class how to edit text by highlighting words and over-typing them. Demonstrate how to save work and give it a sensible name. Ask the children to edit the text using more varied adjectives and to save their work.
Section 4: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
Prepare examples of text which would benefit from illustrations eg a description of a pyramid. Demonstrate to the class how to locate, retrieve, insert and add a graphic into a piece of text. Show the class how to re-size a graphic so that it fits on the page. Ask the children to search a clip art file or a CD-ROM to locate graphics and copy them into a piece of text.
Section 5: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
Enter a piece of text and replace all the punctuation marks with 'x'.
Discuss how authors use punctuation marks for effect and remind the class how to use the shift key to type upper case letters. Show them how the key can be used to type other characters.
Ask the children to replace each 'x' with the correct punctuation. Ask them to print out their work.
Section 6: INTEGRATED TASK
Tell the class that they are going to produce a class magazine, which will include pictures and captions, and explain that they will use punctuation and font effects.
Divide the children into pairs and ask them to choose a theme for a page in the magazine. Get them to create, or capture, a picture for their page and ask them to caption the picture. Tell the children to print their work and bring the work together to form the magazine. Finally, discuss with the class the advantages of using ICT.
Expectations:
most children will: combine graphics with text; use appropriate effects and re-size graphics
some children will not have made so much progress and will: combine graphics with text
some children will have progressed further and will: combine graphics with text; choose effects that match their purposes so that the graphics and text complement each other
Assessment
2Simple 2Assess
Poster 1,
Poster 2,
Mixing text and graphics 1,
Mixing web images,
Mixing text and graphics 2
Activities by QCA- Poster 1, 2, Mixing Text and Graphics 1, Mixing web and images and text, Mixing text and graphics 3
