Master artist internet research project: Timeline

Students apply their knowledge of how to find specific information about a topic on the Internet using an outline created by the class prior to the lesson. Using this outline, the students will create a chronological timeline of the artist's life on MSPublisher.

A lesson plan for grades 7–8 Computer/Technology Skills

By Gail Dreis

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Related topics

• Learn more about artists, research skills, technology skills, timelines, and word processing.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• be able to create a chronological timeline on MS Publisher.
• bookmark sites where they found information.
• search the Internet to find articles with biographical information on their artist.
• extract pertinent information to complete their outline for the timeline.
• create folders in MSWorks in which they will place a file containing the URL sites used to get information for the timeline.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 days

Materials/resources

• Outline of what should be listed on the the timeline
• Pencil or pen
• Copy of the overview of the project and its requirements
• Copy of the outline to be filled in

Technology resources

• Computer with MSPublisher, MSWord, or MSWorks
• Connection to the Internet and NCWise Owl

Pre-activities

• The teacher needs to compile an overview of the project that lists the parts of the project and the requirements for each part. Design a rubric for each. See the Overview & Outline, Timeline Project Evaluation, and Student Evaluation Sheet.
• The teacher needs to compile a list of master American artists to be researched by the class.
• The teacher needs to become familiar with various search engines and electronic encyclopedias students may use to get information on their artist.
• Students should be given a copy of the overview.
• The teacher needs to explain to the class what a summary report is and what
  specifically is needed in order write a summary on individual artists.
• Students should discuss this project extensively with the teacher in class prior to starting on the computer.
• The class needs to brainstorm and agree on points that should be included on the timeline of the artist’s life.
• Type up a copy of the study guide/outline students brainstormed for the timeline and for students to use in the the computer lab.
• Each member of the class needs to chose an artist to research. (This may be changed once the students learn about the artist and their work on the internet).

Activities

1. Set up the projector or LCD panel to connect to the computer the teacher will use to demonstrate the lesson prior to presentation of lesson. Take the class to the computer lab and assign a specific computer to each student because they will be bookmarking sites. Request that the aide or computer teacher assist the teacher by walking around the lab as the lesson is in progress to assist and redirect students since the teacher will be demonstrating at one computer. The teacher’s screen will be projected on an overhead screen as a guide for the students. Students need the visual to keep up with the auditory instruction.
2. Students Log on and open MS Publisher and open a blank page, Portrait not Landscape page orientation, Full Page.
3. Create a Text box: Left click on text box, (on left side of screen “A”) and place the crosshairs on the left top corner of the page, left click, hold and drag to bottom right corner, thus creating a text box of the entire page. Left click on the “draw a line” feature on the left side of the screen and place the crosshairs at the center of the page. Press shift, left click on the mouse, hold and drag down the center of the page creating a straight line, release. This will be the backbone of the timeline. Students will build on either side of the line as they add events of the artist’s life. Go to the text box feature, left click, place crosshairs approximately 1/2 inch from the center line and draw a text box on the right side of the timeline.
4. Have students create a border around each text box. Go to the tool bar, Format, Line/Border, and click a thin line border. Repeat for each box alternating on either side (your choice) making text boxes with plenty of space between each entry. Have students experiment resizing a text box by placing the cursor on a corner of the box until the “resize” term appears. Left click, hold and drag to size desired. Students should get in the habit of sizing a box (picture, word art, or text) this way because is doesn’t cause distortion.
5. Next, “activate” the text box again and move cursor along outline of the box until the moving van appears. Drag box all over the page for practice and then place it where desired. After students have made about six boxes total and formed borders for each, left click on the “draw a line” feature on the left side of the screen and draw a straight line (hold shift key as you drag) from the timeline “backbone” to each box, thus connecting each box to the central line.
6. Students may then left click inside the blank page (full page text box), go to Format, Line/Border Style, more styles…, scroll down to Thin Lines, Apply, OK. It important that students realize that they must open “activate” the text box where the solid black boxes “handles” are showing before they can type in the box or add a border. This will give a finished look to the timeline page.
7. Students are to save this document in the teacher’s directory in their classes’ folder. It would be a good idea to have students create their own folder just for this unit so they can put their timeline, the sites and URLs, cover page, report page, all in one easily accessible place. Go to File, save, scroll to teacher’s directory, open it and then right click, new, folder, and name it the student’s name. Double left click on the newly named folder so it shows as the location where the file will be placed. Name the file “timeline” and left click on Save. Students will retrieve the file when they are ready to put information in the text boxes on the timeline.
8. Using the list of artists and procedures for locating them on Yahoo!, students find articles about the artists that feature some of their paintings and their biography. Students decide which artist they wish do do their report on and the teacher writes the students’ names on the board along with the artists they have chosen to eliminate duplication.
9. As students find pertinent information for their timeline based on the outline, they should bookmark the site. (Go to tool bar, left click on Bookmarks, left click on Add Bookmark) Students are to write down information to complete the timeline on their studyguide/outline.
10. Students are to save URL to a file on MSWorks along with a note as to type of information or cite for future use. (Highlight URL, tool bar, Edit, copy, minimize Netscape,open MSWorks,Works Tools, Word Processor, Edit, Paste, and type additional information if necessary) Left click Save, go to teacher’s directory, double left click class folder, left double click student’s folder, name file “timeline” and left click on save.
11. Leave MSWorks open and click on Netscape bar at bottom of screen to return to research. Go back and forth between the documents at will, saving URLs and adding information.
12. Open Publisher document that was saved as “Timeline” and type information in the boxes in chronological order. Activate text box by left clicking inside of it. Always enter the date and then short phrases.
    • Example: 1865 born in Nyack, NY
    • Example: 1885-88 studied at Art Institute in NYC
    • Example: 1890-95 studied with Impressionists in Paris
13. Save

Assessment

Timeline would be evaluated based on its completion according to the rubric rubric to include the printed product itself, the student’s folder containing the file with URLs and pertinent information used to create the timeline.