Purpose: As keyboarding teachers, we know it’s sometimes nice to take a break and step away from the online keyboarding program we may be using in our classrooms. While online programs are a great tool, students and teachers alike might find themselves dreading the idea of completing one more online lesson. When this happens, consider trying one of these ideas as a warm-up or “Friday Fun” activity. These activities will reinforce keyboarding practice and creative writing skills.
Picture Inspired Writing
Procedure: Ask each student to open a blank word processing document such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Display a picture or image (see samples below) to your students and give them some guidelines on what you would like them to type. Challenge them to type without looking at their fingers. For example:
- Type a paragraph that describes the picture in detail.
- Type a paragraph about something, someone, or event that the picture reminds you of.
- Use the picture as inspiration for a short story. This exercise could be used over a number of class periods by having students add a new paragraph to the story each day.
Inspired Writing Sentence Starters
Procedure: Ask each student to open a blank word processing document such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Choose a season, holiday, favorite food, or other item and instruct your students that they will be be describing the item using all of their senses. Challenge them to type without looking at their fingers.Provide your students with sentence starters like the examples found here:
Winter
Winter is fun because _________________________.
Winter looks like _____________________________.
Winter smells like ____________________________.
Winter sounds like ___________________________.
Winter feels like _____________________________.
Winter tastes like ____________________________.
In winter I __________________________________.
But, the best thing about winter is _______________.
My favorite food is ___________________.
I sound ____________________________.
I taste _____________________________.
I smell _____________________________.
I feel ______________________________.
I look ______________________________.
I am (fill in favorite food here)
KeyMaster Variation: If you are using the KeyMaster Learning Lights Keyboard in your classroom, before the students begin their exercise, have them “blackout” their keyboards by pressing the lights off key (for advanced typists) or “blackout” the individual keys the students have already practiced or mastered (beginner typists).
Time & Materials: Word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs and 10-15 minutes.
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