Partnership Lesson #1 — Getting to Know You - Create!

Essential Question:

How can I effectively use technology to share about myself with teachers and students from another school, in another culture?

Introduction:

Students will create an introductory Microsoft Word document to share with students at their partner school. This one page document will let students learn and practice word processing formatting and typing skills. Additionally, it will feature students’ hobbies, interests, and families.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will use Microsoft Word to create a self-introduction document that includes hyperlinks, text, and graphics.

Students will develop relationship with students at a partner school through written exchange.

Classroom Time Required:

120 - 180 minutes, or completed at home if students have access to computers.

Materials Needed:

• Handouts: (2) Generic Sample (with specific instructions), Assessment Rubric
Enough for each student to have their own.
• Handouts or Electronic Version: (2) Student Samples

• Technology Required:
• One computer per student. Examples were made using Microsoft Office 2007, but this is not required.

Pre-activities:

None required, having some knowledge of word processing is helpful.

Lesson:

Part 1 - CREATE!

1. Introduce idea. Share the Generic Sample (with specific instructions), and previous student work samples. (Note: The two samples provided include fake names to protect the privacy of the students.)

2. Begin working on MS Word document. Once students open their document give them your instructions for saving. Remind students to save often.

3. Rotate throughout the room to help students when they are challenged by new skills. Interject and offer mini-lessons if needed. Allow students to help each other. 

 Note: One skill that may need a mini-lesson is how to create a hyperlink. The hyperlinks are incredibly useful (and fun) for students because they can open the website directly from the word document to learn more about the listed hobby / activity / place/ etc. 

4. Provide additional time to complete the assignment. Provide the Assessment Rubric for students to use as a checklist. Have students use this checklist to monitor their progress. Students should go back and make corrections and adjustments to their work before moving on. 

5. When finished, have students swap work with a partner to complete the peer assessment section of the Assessment Rubric. 

Note: It is best to assess student work on the computer if possible. This allows the assessor to accurately check the hyperlinks and other details within the document. 

6. Students should go back and make corrections and adjustments to their work after receiving peer feedback. 

7. After corrections are made the student should complete the self assessment section of the Assessment Rubric.

8. Students should double check to make sure work that their work is correctly saved for digital sharing. 

9. Students should print their final copy and submit it with their Assessment Rubric to the teacher. 



Assessment:

Continuously circulate throughout the room and ask probing questions to each student to informally asses student ability with word processing.

Use the Assessment Rubric to formally assess student learning. 


Modifications:

A few students struggled with completing this assignment. The assignment can be modified at the teacher’s discretion to include fewer requirements. Also, time was provided before school for students who worked at a slower pace and needed to complete their assignment. When teaching this lesson students were not permitted to work on this assignment at home. In order to assess the student’s ability to use a word processing program without the assistance of other adults.

Vocabulary:

Hyperlink