Newsletter Lesson Plan
Your name: Margaret Lu
Lesson Title: Creating Book Report Newsletters
Grade Level: 6
Time: 75 minutes
Grouping: Individual, then large group
Objective of lesson:
Students will learn how to use the software program The
Writing Center, and they will apply these software skills to create a book
report in the format of a newsletter.
Materials:
Students' individual books, 25 Macintosh computers, 25
copies of the
teacher sample newsletter, the software program The Writing Center,
chalk, and a chalk board.
Set or Motivation: 5 minutes
"Now that we are back in school, I know that we have
all read at least one book over the summer. Well, instead of throwing away
our reading and putting it to waste, I thought it'd be a great idea to
share our books by writing reports on them and putting those book reports
in individual newletters.
I asked each of you to bring in a book that you read
over the summer to class today, and I see that all of you have! Excellent!
Now let me ask, 'How many of you have written a newsletter before?' (wait
for raise of hands -- not many). Good then, we'll find out together!"
Stating the Objective(s):
"Today, we will learn about how to use The Writing Center
program, and we'll also be creating and writing our book report newsletters
using this particular program."
Procedure:
Instruction: 20 minutes
1. Introduce The Writing Center program to the class
and clarify to students that they will be using it to create their book
reports in newsletter form.
2. Use the projection device to show the class your computer
screen and have them to follow along.
3. Open the Writing Center software program and choose
the newsletter option (also later choosing the one with two columns and
a heading above).
4. Once the program is open, introduce the tool bar to
the students.
5. Show students the File menu (i.e. how to start a new
file, open and close a file, print, and exit the program). Highlight the
steps of how to save and print.
6. Show students the Edit menu (i.e. how to undo, select
all, cut, paste, and copy).
7. Show students the Format menu (i.e. how to change
the font, the font size, and the style and color of the text).
8. Show students the Picture menu (i.e. how to insert
a picture in their newsletters). Highlight the steps on how to insert a
picture in the heading area and how to insert a picture regularly in the
rest of the newsletter.
9. Show students how to use the spell check in the program.
10. Review and quiz students on some of the important
options discussed (i.e. how to save, insert picture, change fonts, use
spell check, and print). List these steps in order as reminders to students
on the board while reviewing.
11. Allow students to play around with the program before
starting on their newsletters.
Student Participation: 30 minutes
1. Explain the entire book report newsletter assignment
again.
2. Pass out the sample newsletter to give the class an
idea of what is expected and exactly what is being assigned.
3. Explain the required parts that need to be included
in the newsletter using the teacher sample as an example.
4. Allow students to work individually on their book
report newsletters using their individual books to help them remember the
details in their books.
5. When students are done, ask them to save, run their
newsletters through spell check, save again, and print their newsletters,
by reviewing those steps again and guiding them through if needed.
6. Have students exit the program properly.
Closure: 20 minutes
1. Allow three or four students to share their newsletters
with the class.
2. Collect students' newletters for grading.
