SCS

Activities Developed by Teachers With Information Technology

Title Create a Business Card (Spring, 2003)
Grades 3 - 4 - 5
Teacher(s) Joey Adams (jadams@cssu.org)
Resources Microsoft Publisher 2000 ®, Microsoft Paint ® (another desktop publishing and paint program could be substituted).
Time Spent Three one-hour sessions
Setting Computer Lab and individual classroom time
Abstract Students were asked to create a business card that related to their own lives.  Information included their name, a personal slogan, their address and a picture representing themselves.  Students were shown how to create a simple picture with a paint program in addition to using clipart as their one graphic to be included with the business card.
Positive Aspects

  • A good way to introduce desktop publishing without the need for a great deal of typing.  

  • A helpful analogy when using a desktop application, was relating each part of the business card to a Post-It Note ® that could be moved around the screen (a possible non-computer activity prior to using the desktop application).

  • The students kept pushing their vision to create the card they were after.

  • By the end of the project, students were introduced to basic desktop publishing layouts, inserting text frames, inserting picture frames, and adjusting the format.

  • Students were more engaged with the process as the product reflected their personal lives.

  • The finished product was printed out with each student received 10 personal business cards.

 
Challenging Aspects (or "When I do this again ...")

  • Increase the number of students who can act as "Expert" helpers and wander from student-to-student during the computer lab time or in class.

  • With only one color printer, "log jams" occurred when printing the final product.  Having one person assigned to the printer as a "delivery person" to keep from crowding around the printer and allowing students to continue working while waiting.

 

   

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