PARCC Readiness Activities - Keyboarding

From TypingTraining.com

Being an efficient typist is an important skill and students should be comfortable composing responses on the computer. Here are some activities that can help prepare our students.

Keyboarding:

• Keyboarding prep: Use space bar with thumbs, Use shift key for capital letters, include end punctuation (K-1)
• Begin keyboard familiarity using ABCya Keyboarding http://www.abcya.com/keyboarding_practice.htm (K-1)
• Begin keyboard familiarity using Dance Mat Typing http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr (1-2)
• Practice keyboarding letters through games: at Slime Kids Typing: http://www.slimekids.com/games/typing-games/ (2-5)
• Use Typing Training http://www.typingtraining.com/login/  (3-5)
• Produce and publish grade-level appropriate writing pieces using keyboarding skills (1-5) (Note: CCSS Writing 4.6: “Demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting;” CCSS Writing 5.6: “Demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.”)
• Student often do not transfer punctuation and capitalization in constructed responses on the computer. They will need to practice doing so. Additionally, they will need opportunities to practice using the text editing tools available to them on the text (Bold, italicize, underline, bullets, numbered lists, cut, copy, paste, undo, redo). (2-5)
• Compose at the keyboard rather than writing rough draft first (3-5).
• Blogging on Kidblog.org (1-5)
• Short answer questions in Edmodo or other learning management system (3-5)
• Journal activities in Google Docs, etc. (3-5)
• Use Google Classroom to have students compose and type responses to prompts or questions (3-5)
• Use Google forms to have students compose and answer “long answer” questions with “paragraph” type questions
• Use Discovery Education to assign students a video and a writing prompt to go along with the video (2-5)