Purpose: To give your students an opportunity to test their endurance by keying lengthy words without hesitating between letters. All letters on the keyboard should be taught and practiced before this exercise is used.
Procedure: This activity will fill your keyboarding class with lots of keyboarding energy. The goal is for students to keep eyes on the copy and type each dinosaur name once, followed by an enter stroke. Accuracy is the focus.
This exercise lends itself to various timing lengths. For example, see who can complete the greatest number of dinosaur names in two minutes.
- Hand out a copy of the Dinosaur Names List to each student in the class.
- Instruct them to open a blank document using a word processing program (Microsoft Word or Google Docs).
- Begin by having students do some finger stretches and encourage them to practice their best typing technique–sit up straight, eyes on copy, fingers curved over home row keys, etc.
- Instruct students that the goal is for them to keep eyes on the copy and type each dinosaur name once, followed by the “enter” key.
- Remind students to focus on accuracy as they type each dinosaur name.
- Set a timer or play upbeat background music to keep the energy high during typing practice.
- Multiple rounds can be completed and small prizes or tokens of recognition can be awarded to the top performers.
Materials Needed: One dinosaur list per student. Word processing program (Microsoft Word or Google Docs). Lively timer or upbeat background music.
Time Required: 25+ minutes
KeyMaster® Variation:
Use the KeyMaster® Learning Lights Keyboard and add to the challenge of the activity by using the “lights on/off” key to blank out the entire keyboard.
Download this Lesson Plan as a PDF Here: Dinosaur Endurance
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Adapted from: UltraKey typing website and Tonya D. Skinner