Ceiling-mounted projector + Smart Board I HATE fluorescent lights! I use floor lamps in each corner + one in the middle of the lab + white Christmas lights tucked in the wall edge of the ceiling panels.

Hooks from Home Depot glue to back of monitor We have a headphone jack in the front of the computer, but I use the one in back. Helps to keep the cord out of the way of the keyboard.

Plastic copy holders Use on top of monitor (to reinforce looking away from the keyboard) or to side of the keyboard. This is a sample of a 6 th grade keyboarding practice sheet.

Student workstation Red cup on top of monitor signals Help! Contains flannel cloth for wiping down keyboard & monitor. Headphones hang on back of monitor. Accessible, but out of the way. A folder for each student at this computer is stored here. Folders contain printouts which go home at the end of the year. Clipboard is used for storyboarding, tests, jotting notes, etc. Folders + clipboard stay in place with a library book end. This side of the computer has no air vents to be blocked. Students turn computer nametag to their name as their computer is logging in. Each class has a different color – I can tell at a glance if the name is correct.

Computer nametags Students make their own the 2nd day of class Nametags can be flipped by each student. Different color for each class. Nametags contain: Computer # Classroom teacher Digital picture of student taken 1 st day of lab WordArt name

Each student has a folder to keep printouts. Folders are color coded by grade: 5 th blue 6 th green Printouts go home at end of year, but folders are recycled for next year: 6 th blue 5 th green Easy-to-make labels from Excel spreadsheet with student info. Labels contain computer #, teacher name & student name I use old library bookends to hold everything in place. Our librarian had lots of extras!

Red cup signals ‘Help!’ Many uses for the cup: I put cup up when student has printed. I can easily see who hasn’t. Students put cup up when finished with work & need to be checked. I turn it over to indicate it’s done & checked. When we play keyboarding games, red cup up indicates they have had a turn. Before students leave, they use the flannel to wipe down the monitor, keyboard, & workstation. I take flannels home at vacations to launder. Our custodians do NOT dust in the lab!

Computer Nametag I made 30 nametags one summer: 3 plastic sheets are whip-stitched on 2 sides with plastic cord. 3 rd side is closed with 2 metal rings which hold 7 plastic sheet protectors cut in half. 3 sides are taped together. 4 th side is open to insert the paper nametag each year. 5 th graders are on one side, 6 th graders are on the back. We just turn the nametag around and flip to the correct student. We keep our 5th grade keyboarding books inside the ‘tent’.

Lots of reminders all around the room!

Lab rules are posted where everyone looks often – above the SmartBoard!

5 th Grade Keyboarding SuperStars Names are posted only if they have perfect accuracy on a keyboarding test. 5 th grade concentrates on accuracy – NOT speed!

AUP is always posted. We review the AUP on the 1 st class of every month. Constant reminders!!

Each computer has a number. Students have assigned seats (usually alphabetical unless they need to be separated). I have Recording sheets with students’ numbers and names. Makes it easy to take attendance and daily grading.

This is what our lab looks like.