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Information Literacy Lesson Plan
Ashley Campbell
FRIT 7136
Dr. Stephanie Jones
Spring 2010
Pathfinder:
http://friendlyletterwritingpathfinder.weebly.com/

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BASIC INFORMATION
GRADE: 1st Grade
TEACHER(S): Meaghan Clymore
CONTENT TOPIC: English – Writing a letter in a Word document.
STANDARDS FOR THE 21ST-CENTURY LEARNER GOALS
Standard:
2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create
new knowledge.
Skills Indicator(s):
2.1.6 – Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create new
products that express understanding
Benchmark(s):
-Students will take what they know about writing a letter on paper and use that knowledge to
learn how to write a letter on in the Max Write program.
Dispositions Indicator(s):
2.2.4 – Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
Responsibilities Indicator(s):
3.3.4 – Create products that apply to authentic, real-world contexts.
Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):
1.1.4 – Seek appropriate help when it is needed.
3.4.2 – Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.
CONNECTION TO LOCAL OR STATE STANDARDS
Gwinnett County Academic Knowledge & Skills:
Topic: E - Writing (Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, and Spelling)
AKS: Write legibly in manuscript, using appropriate letter formation and spacing between
letters and words (GPS) (1LA_E2009-57)
AKS: Use correct end punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation mark) (GPS, ITBS)
(1LA_E2009-56)

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LESSON
OVERVIEW:
In a unit on writing a letter, students will spend time with their teacher learning the proper
mechanics on how to write a letter on a sheet of notebook paper. The essential question is:
Where are the Enter, Shift, Backspace, Tab, and Space Bar key on the keyboard?
FINAL PRODUCT:
Students will use the letter they have developed in class this week and rewrite it on the
computer in the Max Write program.
LIBRARY LESSON(S):
The media specialists role will be to teach the students how to write the letter on the computer
using the schools Max Write software. She will teach the students how to utilize the Enter,
Shift, Backspace, Tab, and Space Bar key. She will also make a connection to email as a real
world application of writing your letters on the computer.
ASSESSMENT
Product:
The teacher and media specialist will review the typed letters using a rubric.
Process:
The teacher and media specialist will observe students as they are typing their letters to see
who is using the keys correctly and who is in need of more assistance.
Student self-questioning:
-Did I ask for help when I needed it?
-Did I use the proper keys when writing my letter?
-Did I end my sentence with punctuation?
-Is my letter set up correctly?
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Resources students will use:
 Computer
 Max Write
 Projector
 Printer
Instruction/activities:
o Direct instruction:
The media specialist will begin by hooking the students with a letter she wrote to them
explaining what they will be learning in this lesson. Then we will review the five keys they will

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be using to write their letter. They will understand what the keys look like, where they are
located, and what they do when you push them.
o Modeling and guided practice:
After learning about the five keys the students will participate in a game where they will have
to choose the correct key for the scenario. The key will chime if it is correct and buzz if it’s not
correct. If students do not pick the right key the teacher will explain the key again to the
students.
o Independent practice:
After the game the students will go to their computers and begin typing their letters. They will
each get a rubric to look over after they have finished typing to make sure they have written
their letter correctly. A teacher will come around when the students feel they are finished and
the teacher will give them permission to print their letter.
o Sharing and reflecting:
When the teacher gives the students permission to print out their letter they will ask the
students how they felt about using the computer to write their letter and asking them parts of
the essential question. Students can also turn to another student that is finished next to them
and teach the other student about the keys we have learned in class.
Reflection:
Overall the lesson was a success. The students were very excited to have their
teachers best friend come teach them. They also enjoyed finding out their teacher and I
both meet in fifth grade at that exact school. I think this information made them want to
behave as much as possible to impress their teacher. Which having visited some rowdy
classes in the past I was glad not to have to deal with too many behavior problems.
My lesson started off great. The students sat down on the carpet and I introduced
them to the keys on the keyboard. I was impressed that it was more of a review for them
than actually something they had never heard of. They also were able to remember where
the keys were with great memory. Especially the ENTER key because it was blue. After the
review we did a game. I found out last minute that we were only going to have a projector
to use and not a smart board. So instead of having the students come up to the board to tap
on the correct key they just pointed to the correct one.
After the game the students were sent to their computers where they were all
supposed to be turned on and ready to go. However, only some were on and the ones that
were turned on kept freezing when starting the Max Write program. We called the
technical support man and he came and restarted the computers in safe mode which solved
the problem.
Just as the students were all starting to write their letter I was informed by the man
that came to fix the computers that we were going to be having a fire drill. The main
teacher decided she would inform the students since they had never been to this particular
computer lab and did not want them to get upset walking out into the fifth grade hall way.
After the fire drill was over the students came back into the computer lab and I
informed them that because of the drill they will probably not be able to finish their letters

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but just to try and get as far as they could. I continued to walk around and help the
students as needed.
The most common problems the students encountered was putting their date on the
right side of the paper. For some reason the MaxWrite program does not have a button to
align your text from the right side. I did not notice this when I was planning so I went
around and showed a few students at a time how to tab over to the other side of the paper
and then type the date.
In the end all of the students were able to finish writing their letters because we
were able to stay in the lab for an additional 15 minutes. As they finished I walked around
and discussed the rubric with them that was displayed on the projector. Together we made
sure they had all the pieces of their paper written correctly. We also talked about what they
felt like they need help with. Most of their responses included using the tab key or help
finding the comma key. After our discussion the students were able to print out their letter
using the color printer.
I really enjoyed teaching this lesson because it shows me how flexible I can be when
I teach, even if it’s not with my own class. I never really expect the lesson to go as planned
so when fire drills or another situation comes about it does not bother me and I just change
my plans accordingly. Although, in the future if I am working in the computer lab I will try
to stop by before the lesson and make sure all the computers are set up and ready to go.

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Letter Rubric
I have a date
I have a greeting
 
I have a body
 
I have a closing
 
I have a signature
 
I used capital letters
 
I used commas
 
I indented my body
 
There are spaces between
 
 
all my words