Tools for Writing: Word Processing

 

Warm Up Your Word Processor

 

Choose one of the following two "warmup" activities.

 

Activity One:

Go to the 42explore project or the News Resources and select a topic. Open Word. Brainstorm simple word processing activities using information from the websites listed within the topic. Students should not be able to answer the question by simply copying/pasting text from one place to another. However, they may copy and paste as part of the process. For example, they may copy and paste and article, then critique it.

Activity Two:

Explore a function in the word processor you've never used such as comment, tables, or adding graphics from the web.

Activity Three:

Use an Online Reference Tool as part of a classroom writing project.

Brainstorm with Your Word Processor

Work in teams of three or four to complete the following activities. Each person should choose a different activity from the list below to start on their computer. Then, each person will rotate to the next team member's computer and add something to their project.

 

Activity One:

Create a list of things that people throw away. Create major recycling categories. Practice copy and paste, indentation, font sizes and style to reorganized your words into categories. Brainstorm other activities you could do as a large group in your classroom.

Activity Two:

Create a list of words related to a single topic (i.e., choose any topic with information and categories such as books, movies, things with wings, types of rocks, things to do at the beach). Ask a friend to add to your list. Ask another friend to categorize the words. Rotate again. This time turn the list into sentences. Next round add description or combine sentences. Each person should use a different color. When two people modify the same sentence use a "team color" such as purple.

Activity Three:

Play chronology. Write the name of an event in history. The next person adds another event under the first event. Go back and reorder the events in the correct order. Add information to particular events such as a description or date.

Activity Four:

Write "pretend" email. Write a question. The next person should answer the question and ask another question. Hold a conversation between two people. Get used to the idea of a written conversation.

Compose with Your Word Processor

Select one of the following activities:

Activity One:

Go to the American Memories site at the Library of Congress. Choose a visual, audio, or document to serve as the focal point for a writing project. Copy and paste the visual, audio, or document into your word processing file. React to the item you selected.

Activity Two:

Go to the Yahoo Gallery and choose a photograph. Copy and paste the photograph into your word processor and write a short description or short story.

Activity Three:

Use the Expert Central, Ask-An-Expert, or AskA+Locator site to locate an expert that could answer a question for your class. Write an email message that contains the following elements: your school, name, and grade level, your interest in the topic, your question. Write a thank you statement. Create a rubric that you could use to evaluate student email writing.