Grade Level: Yrs
1-2
Curriculum Connections:
Mathematics, English
Required Software: Microsoft® Word®,
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What's in this Lesson:
Summary:
The traditional barrier game is brought into the
age of technology. In this activity, one student
designs a picture using shape and colour in
Microsoft Word. Explicit instructions are given
to a second student who then attempts to
recreate this picture by following the oral
directions.
Objectives:
- Listen to and follows a brief set of instructions
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Give simple directions, seeking and providing clarity where necessary
Outcomes:
-
Uses everyday language to describe position and give and follow simple directions
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Represents the position of objects using models and drawings
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Time Allotted
1 class session
How to Begin:
1. Familiarise students with the language of direction and position. Brainstorm and record positional words including; left, right, behind, in front, underneath and so forth. You may like to play a robot game where students follow verbal directions, for example; take four steps forwards, turn right etc. Remember to start with one command at a time and progress in accordance with the students’ ability to remember multipart instructions.
2. Using Microsoft Word, demonstrate how to draw, colour and position objects and shapes. Allow the students to play with the tools to develop their mouse control skills and their understanding of command features.
3. Once the students have grasped the skills required for creating colour filled shapes in Microsoft Word, they are ready to utilise their technology skills to now play the game. Divide the students into pairs. One student creates a simple picture using shapes, colour and position in Microsoft Word.
TIP! You may like to limit the number of shapes they are allowed to use in their picture to 5 or 6. Without having seen the image created, the partner then attempts to recreate the picture on their own computer terminal by following a set of verbal instructions using the same features in Microsoft Word.
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Students compare the original image with the verbal instructed image. Students then discuss differences found between the two images and suggest reasons as to why these occurred. Partners swap roles and the game continues.
Description:
In
this activity, You will design a picture using
shape and colour in Microsoft Word. You will
need to give careful instructions to a friend
who will create the picture you want by
following your instructions.
- Did you know that Mathematics has its own special language that we use everyday! If you were going to explain where something was you would use what is called ‘positional language’. For example, the ball is under the table; the cat is beside the girl. What other positional words can you think of? Share your ideas with your teacher and classmates.
- Imagine you are a robot. You can only move by following a set of instructions. Listen carefully and follow your teachers’ instructions to move around the room just like a robot while learning all about positional language.
- You are going to play a game where you give a friend a set of instructions to follow and in turn, follow their instructions. This game involves making coloured shapes on a computer so watch and listen while your teacher shows you how to use Microsoft Word to create a picture. Have a play and see what pictures you can make using the skills your teacher demonstrated.
- Time to play the game! Your teacher will give you a partner. One of you will go first by creating a picture in Microsoft Word using shapes, colour and position. If its not your turn to draw then don’t peek…..the picture needs to be a secret! Using positional language, give instructions on how to make the picture. The partner will need to listen very closely as the secret picture is described as they haven’t seen the drawing and can only draw what they are told.
- How good were the instructions? Take a look and see. Do the two pictures match? If not, why not? Discuss this with your partner. Time to swap, now the drawer and instruction giver becomes the instruction follower…good luck and have fun using positional language in Microsoft Word!
- Open Microsoft Word. The first step is to activate the drawing toolbar. From the View menu, select Toolbars then Drawing. The drawing toolbar will be positioned at the bottom of the screen.
- Click on the Auto shape menu and select the object you would like to draw. Take your mouse onto the document, hold down the left mouse key and drag the cursor across the screen. You will notice that the selected shape is being drawn on the screen. Once you are happy with the shape take you finger of the left mouse button.
- While the object is selected, choose the colour you would like. Click on the small black arrow next to the fill tool to view further colour options and make a selection.
- To position the shape where you would like it, click on the object until you see the four arrows. While holding down the left mouse key, drag the shape to a new position, at the moment you will only be able to drag it to the section of the page that has been activated.
- To move the shape anywhere on the page, right click and select Format Object and click on the Layout tab. Select Infront of text and click ok. Now you can move the object where ever you like.
- Repeat the process until there are 5 or 6 objects on your page
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