Beverly Ellis
Computer Science Teacher
and
Technology Coordinator
Computer Science Curriculum and Guidelines
Skills Taught or Reviewed at Grade Level:
Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade
High School/Middle
School Admission Requirements
I have taught Computer Science at St. John’s Catholic School since 1997. My Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education was earned from Auburn University at Montgomery and I earned my Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in Educational Technology from Walden University. I have also been named an Alfred Learner Fellow for my studies with the Holocaust and currently help organize seminars and workshops on the Holocaust for the North Alabama Holocaust Commission. With APT and the State of Alabama Board of Education, I facilitate online professional development courses for teachers across the state in both public and private schools.
All of my children attend St. John’s. I am married and my husband is very supportive of our efforts here at St. John’s. I serve as a Eucharistic Minister for the School Masses as well as being a Technology Coordinator for the school. In addition I also sponsor the School e-News, The Knight’s Shield, and the Tech Squad.
The philosophy of my teaching is centered in exploration. The easiest way to learn about technology is to use it. We do not “play games” in computer but we do “explore educational programs”. J I do my best to allow the students opportunities to learn from their own exploration and creativity as well as showing them that there are “different ways” to do the same thing and there isn’t a wrong or a right way, just different ways.
Computer Science Curriculum and Guidelines:
The curriculum that I use at St. John’s is “TechWorks” by Teacher Created Materials. This program fully covers Kindergarten thru 8th grade. TCM has provided a direct correlation between "TechWorks" and the Alabama Technology Course of Study. I also use the Alabama Technology Course of Study (download) and the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS).
In addition to these standards, the Diocese of Birmingham’s Superintendent has set a mandate which requires skills and assessments to be administered a certain levels. At this time the assessments are administered to the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th grade students. The 2nd grade students are assessed on their ability to open and close programs, complete an assignment and print. 4th grade have an assessment for word processing. These skills include formal keyboarding, word processing font, type size, and centering, paragraphing, capital letters, punctuation marks, saving, and printing. 6th Grade is assessed on electronic presentations. The skills include keyboarding, creating slides, using templates, creating and inserting text, inserting graphics using visual and sound animation changing backgrounds and fonts hyperlinks on slides and other documents, editing in various slide formats, printing specialized handouts, setting up slide transitions, viewing a show manually and automatically. 8th grade is assessed on spreadsheets. The skills include keyboarding, creating information for a spreadsheet, setting up the spread sheet, use of formulas, totaling of columns and rows, header and footer, saving, making charts, and printing.
Through collaboration with the classroom teachers and the library media specialist, every grade as projects which support and are included in the regular classroom curriculum. These projects are designed to incorporate a classroom topic with library skills and technology skills. Teachers also make assignments out side of my classes which include the skills learned in the computer lab.
The lab is available for student use on Wednesday afternoons. A sign up sheet for this time is on a clipboard outside of the computer lab. If students cannot make this time, they are welcome to make arrangements to come in at a different time. Teachers are also welcome to bring their class to use the computer lab during the free times as posted on the schedule.
Skills Taught or Reviewed at Grade Level:
During the Kindergarten school year we focus on the following skills.
During the 1st Grade school year we extend the previous skills introduced in Kindergarten as well as focus on the following skills.
1. General Technological Awareness - (10 lessons)
a. explain the basics of how a hard drive works
b. identify the dos and don’ts of using a hard drive
c. understand the size of a hard drive in relation to diskettes
d. open a file using the mouse
e. close a file using the mouse
f. use basic short cuts
2. Keyboarding - (6 lessons)
a. use informal keyboarding skills to type words
b. use informal keyboarding skills to type sentences
3. Paint, Draw, and Graphics - (4 lessons)
a. use the text tool in a paint program
b. draw a picture and type in a descriptive word in a paint program
4. Word Processing - (4 lessons)
a. access and open a word processing program
b. enter text
c. delete text using the delete key or backspace key
d. use the space bar
e. change the text size
f. open a word processing file
g. understands the concept of the insertion point and the cursor
h. use special keys such as shift, punctuation, and return/enter
If we have time we will also continue with:
5. Information systems/CD-ROM - (6 lessons)
a. demonstrate an understanding on the amount of information contained on a CD-ROM
b. understand the difference between an audio CD and a CD-ROM
c. understand how to handle and load a CD-ROM into a CD-ROM Drive
d. open a program on a CD-ROM
e. quit a program on a CD-ROM
f. navigate through a CD-ROM
During the 2nd Grade school year we will be extending the previous skills introduced in Kindergarten and 1st Grade as well as focusing on the following skills.
1. General Technological Awareness - (7 lessons and the Diocesan Assessment)
a. explain what a hard drive is and what it is used for
b. identify the active and non-active options in a menu
c. save a file, using the mouse
d. locate a submenu suing the mouse
e. close a file using the mouse
f. start a desk accessory
g. use a desk accessory
h. close a desk accessory
i. respects the privacy of other student’s files
2. Keyboarding - (5 lessons)
a. use informal keyboarding skills to type a paragraph.
b. use the shift, caps lock, tab, and arrow keys
c. use special keys (command, option, and control)
3. Paint, Draw, and Graphics - (4 lessons)
a. draw a picture and type in a descriptive sentence in a paint program
4. Word Processing - (4 lessons)
a. save and retrieve word processing files
b. highlight text
c. format the text of a document by changing text size, font, and style
d. understands the concept of text/word wrap
If there is more time we will work on the following concepts in addition to those listed on for 1st Grade
5. Information Systems / CD-ROM - (2 lessons)
a. browse through the contents of a CD-ROM
6. Network Awareness - (4 lessons)
a. log on and off a network
b. access and open programs on a network
c. print documents to a network printer
d. access CD-ROMs on a network
During the 3rd Grade school year we will be extending the previous skills introduced in Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grades as well as focusing on the following skills.
1. General Technological Awareness - (5 lessons)
a. move a window using the mouse
b. resize a window using the mouse
c. change the view of a window using the mouse
d. change the name of a file
e. write protect a diskette
f. understands and respects copyright laws
2. Keyboarding - (23 lessons)
a. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: F, J, D, and K
b. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: S, L, and A
c. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: G and H
d. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: R and U
e. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: E and I
f. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: W and O
g. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys left shift, period, and semicolon
h. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: right shift, Q, and P
i. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: T and Y
j. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: N, M, and apostrophe
k. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: V, B, colon, and quotation marks
l. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: C, comma, and question mark
m. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: X and Z
3. Paint, Draw and Graphics (7 lessons)
a. highlight a graphic using the frame/marquee or lasso tool in a paint program
b. move a graphic to another location on the screen in a paint program
c. duplicate an object in a paint program
d. draw a picture and type in a descriptive paragraph in a paint program
e. apply special effects to a graphic, such as rotate, stretch, and perspective, in a paint program
If I can get access to a real drawing program we will work on the following also:
f. open a draw program
g. access the draw tools
h. draw and delete objects in a draw program
i. use the line tool in a draw program
j. use the pointer to select an object in a draw program
k. use the shape tools in a draw program
l. change the size or shape of an object using the edge handles in a draw program
m. change an object’s pattern or color in a draw program
n. use the text tool in a draw program
o. move an object in a draw program
4. Word Processing (6 lessons)
a. Save and retrieve word processing files
b. highlight text
c. cut, copy, and paste text,
d. use the spell checker
5. Network Awareness (4 lessons)
a. access, save to, and retrieve files from a personal network space
b. can choose a different printer
If we have time we will:
6. Internet / Telecommunications (9 lessons) [Most of these are covered in Library science.]
a. participate in an acceptable use policy design
b. open a Web browser
c. enter a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
d. use hypertext links
e. use the tool bar in a Web browser
f. complete required tasks for an online project
g. develop a project using online resources
h. implement a project using online resources
7. Multimedia (7 lessons)
a. define the basic elements of a multimedia presentation
b. place text into a simple static screen
c. paste a graphic copied from clip art into a simple static screen
d. paste a graphic copied fro the clip art into a simple static screen
e. create a graphic using basic graphics tools and place it into a simple static screen
f. add photos from a variety of sources (CD-ROM, photo CD, disk, etc) into a simple screen
g. add scanned images to a simple, static screen
h. add images from a digital camera to a simple, static screen
During the 4th Grade school year we will be extending the previous skills introduced in earlier grades as well as focusing on the following skills.
If there is enough time, we will work with these topics as well.
During the 5th Grade school year we will be extending the previous skills introduced in earlier grades as well as focusing on the following skills.
1. Keyboarding (23 Lessons: 1-14 Reinforces skills from 4th grade)
a. Lessons 1-14 Reinforces skills from 4th grade
b. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys:4, 5 and 6 on the numeric keypad
c. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: 7, 8, and 9 on the numeric keypad
d. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: 1, 2, and 3 on the numeric keypad
e. use formal keyboarding skills to learn the keys: 0, decimal point, and enter on the numeric keypad
2. Word Processing (9 Lessons) review from previous grades
a. import position and manipulate relevant graphics into a word processing document
b. use the “save as” feature to create copies or new versions of documents
c. use the find/replace command
d. insert, position, and remove tabs
e. use the thesaurus
3. Spreadsheets (5 lessons)
a. identify cell addresses
b. enter text into a cell
c. enter numbers into a cell
d. change formats
e. create formulas
f. create charts
4. Paint, Draw, and Graphics (9 Lessons)
a. manipulate a graphic and use it to illustrate an idea in another document
b. graphic and export it to another document
c. use a scanner or digital camera to capture his or her own digital images
d. import a digital image into a word processing document
5. Electronic Presentations (10 Lessons)
a. understand the concept of slides
b. understand the concept of electronic presentations
c. understand the concept of views
d. create a new slide
e. delete a slide
f. use paint tools to illustrate a slide
g. add text to a slide
h. combine slides into a presentation
i. move between the different views
j. reorganized the slides using the sorter view
k. control the pace or timing of a presentation
l. effectively use transitions
If there is enough time then I would like to touch on the following as well.
6. Network Awareness (3 Lessons)
a. access, save to, and retrieve files from a shared network
b. explain the operation of a network server
c. explain the concept and operation of a multi-zone network
7. Internet/Telecommunications – (7 Lessons) [Most of these are covered in Library science.]
a. attach a document
b. create and use a signature file
c. participate in an Acceptable Use Policy design
d. use the directory buttons in the Web browser
e. use the tool bar in a web browser
f. use a variety of ways to get to a Web site
g. save sites using a bookmark, hotlist, or favorite,
h. use search engines
i. use required software
j. complete require tasks for an online project
k. develop a project using online resources
l. implement a project using online resources
8. 8. Desktop Publishing
a. understand the concept of contrast
b. use contrast effectively
c. understands the concept of proportion
d. use proportion effectively
e. understand the concept of balance
f. use balance effectively
g. use headlines effectively
h. use graphics effectively
i. use body text effectively
During the 6th Grade school year we will be extending the previous skills introduced in earlier grades as well as focusing on the following skills.
1. Electronic Presentations –(10 Lessons) (Diocesan Assessment)
a. understand the concept of slides
b. understand the concept of electronic presentations
c. understand the concept of views
d. understand the concept of a template
e. understand the concept of color schemes
f. understand the concept of background items
g. create a new slide
h. delete a slide
i. use paint tools to illustrate a slide
j. add text to a slide
k. add relevant clip art to a slide
l. add graphs to a slide
m. add video clips to a slide (?)
n. develop and modify color schemes of a slide
o. add background elements to a slide
p. create and modify templates
q. combine slides into a presentation
2. Keyboarding –
a. Students work at their own pace to reinforce the formal keyboarding skills concentrating on building accuracy and speed.
3. Multimedia – (12 Lessons) (extend lessons from previous classes)
a. create a series of screens which show an object changing in simple animation
b. create a series of screens which show background and objects changing in simple animation
c. create an animation using a single card to add to a presentation
d. use prerecorded sounds to enhance a presentation
e. insert a music CD an drive it from within a multimedia project
f. insert a music CD and drive selected sections from different locations within a multimedia project
g. create and modify templates
h. combine slides into a presentation
i. move between the different views
j. reorganize the slides using the sorter view
k. control the pace or timing of a presentation
l. effectively use transitions
During the 7th Grade school year we will be extending the previous skills introduced in earlier grades as well as focusing on the following skills.
1. Databases (continuing the Saints’ database in conjunction with the Religion Teacher) -
a. retrieve a record from an electronic database – multiple field, exact match
b. retrieve a record from an electronic database – partial match
c. retrieve a record from an electronic database using greater than, less than, and range criteria
d. use a public database
e. add new files to a record
f. enter new information to one or more fields of an existing record
g. save updated records on disk
h. organize a file by sorting alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically on a chosen field
i. print sorted records and use the information
j. determine what items to use when creating a database
k. determine the type of information to go into each field when creating a database
l. determine the layout of a record when creating a database
m. name, save, and test the database
n. edit the database
o. produce reports based on queries
p. create the answer higher order questions using information in a database
q. use the database to suggest trends
r. explain misinformation and misrepresentations issues related to data
s. outline issues related to privacy and protection from theft and fraud
t. identify potential errors in creating, fitting, and using data
2. Programming
a. solve problems that require a sequence of logical instructions
b. solve problems that require repetition of a sequence on instructions
c. understands angles,
d. enter Logo commands in immediate execution mode
e. use left and right to turn the turtle
f. use pen down and forward to draw lines
g. use the dimensions of the logo screen
h. use logo to draw simple geometric shapes
i. use logo to draw regular polygons
j. use turtle wrapping
k. use repeat to draw regular rotated designs
l. use logo to draw spirals
3. Spreadsheets (6 Lessons) -
a. recognize the parts of a spreadsheet
b. understand the purpose of a spreadsheet
c.