LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Pets

Students will categorize their family pets and indicate a pet they would like to have. Students will then write sentences about their pets.

A lesson plan for grade 1 Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts

By Kathy Beck

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Learning outcomes

Students will select pets from the graphics available to represent pets they own and categorize them according to those that live inside the home, pets that live outside and a pet they would like to own. They will then generate sentences about each.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

60 minutes

Technology resources

  • Computer for display of instructions to students
  • Computer for each student
  • Kidspiration Software
  • Printer

Pre-activities

  • Students will need to have a working knowledge of using the graphics in Kidspiration.
  • Students will have a working knowledge of writing sentences, using correct capitalization, punctuation and spelling.

Activities

  1. Teacher and students will discuss family pets. During the discussion, ask and have students identify whether this pet lives inside the home, or outside. Students who do not have a pet can be asked what pet would they like to have. All students can be asked what pet they would like to have.
  2. Teacher will show the template. Teacher will show how to drag and drop graphics from Kidspiration graphics file to each category.
  3. Teacher will identify maximum number of many pets students may insert in each category.
  4. Teacher will review the process of writing sentences, including capitalization, punctuation, spelling and complete ideas and thoughts.
  5. Teacher will show students how to navigate through the pages of graphics, by category or one page at a time.
  6. Teacher will show students how to write sentences in the sentence view.
  7. Students will then choose a graphic to represent their pets and drag the graphic to the appropriate category.
  8. Students will add their name to their work.
  9. Teacher will check to see that each category is complete and then print picture view before students go to writing view.
  10. Students will switch to the writing view and write sentences for each pet.
  11. Teacher will assist with spelling and editing, reminding students about capitalization and punctuation. Teacher will print the writing view.

Assessment

Pets Rubric

Supplemental information

Comments

Depending on the ability level of the students, and their familiarity of Kidspiration, this activity could be completed in one 60 minute session or two sessions of 30 minutes.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Grade 1

  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.05: Locate and use letters, numbers, and special keys (e.g., arrow keys, space bar, insert Enter/Return, Backspace, Delete) on the keyboard. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing
    • Objective 2.07: Use multimedia software to illustrate words/phrases/concepts. Strand - Multimedia/Presentation

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 1

  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.04: Share personal experiences and responses to experiences with text:
      • publishing non-print texts.
      • discussing interpretations.
      • recording personal responses.
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.06: Compose a variety of products (e.g., stories, journal entries, letters, response logs, simple poems, oral retellings).
  • Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
    • Objective 5.04: Use complete sentences to write simple texts.
    • Objective 5.05: Use basic capitalization and punctuation
      • first word in a sentence.
      • proper names.
      • period to end declarative sentence.
      • question mark to end interrogative sentence.