ICT at key stages 1 and 2    (Year 4)

• Show the class examples of articles from newspapers. Ask them to read them in small groups and to mark on them effects, such as: the use of expressive language; clear sequence; different style headings. Explain that they are going to produce newspaper articles, which share these features, using a word processor.

• Ask the class to suggest a list of five ways to improve playtime and enter their suggestions on screen. Demonstrate how to change font size and use bold to make some ideas seem more important than others.
• Divide the class into small groups and ask each group to take turns to re-size the words to indicate their order of priority. Ask them to print their work and return the screen to the way it was.

• Enter a set of descriptions of events in random order, eg sets of instructions, historical events, recollections of what ten witnesses saw/heard at a bank robbery. Explain to the class that information is not always presented in the most useful way. Demonstrate the use of cut and paste to move text around the screen.
• Divide the class into pairs and ask the children to reorder the sentences to produce a clearer sequence of events.

• Enter a short descriptive passage. Provide the children with printed copies of the text and discuss how some words create moods. Demonstrate how to delete, insert and over-type words.
• Ask the children to modify the passage to change the mood, eg by making it more exciting, calmer or more up to date.

• Enter an extract from an information book, eg an encyclopedia, but include a number of spelling mistakes. Discuss why correct spelling is important and explain that before a book is printed editors and proof-readers correct spelling mistakes.
• Show the class how to use spellcheck and explain that it sometimes makes a number of suggestions for one word, eg 'wry', 'word', and 'wad' for 'wrd'. Explain that the first suggestion is not always the right one and that spellcheck does not recognise mistakes where a real word is used, eg it will not recognise 'set' in the sentence 'the cat set on the mat'. Divide the children into pairs and ask them to use spellcheck to correct the extract.

• Enter an extended account written in the third person, which includes a unisex name, eg Sam, and uses 'he', 'his', 'him'.
• Discuss the account with the class and explain that it is accurate except for the fact that Sam is a girl not a boy. Discuss how the account needs changing and explain the disadvantages of manually correcting the account: the time needed, the possibility of missing points. Demonstrate the use of find and replace and discuss what needs to be considered when using this technique.

• Explain to the class that they will be using the techniques they have learnt to produce newspaper articles. Ask the class to recall what they have learnt so far.
• Ask children to review the work they have been doing on a particular history study unit. Explain that their newspaper articles will bring together the key points in the unit. The articles must be factually correct, lively and interesting. They must also use appropriate presentation techniques.
• Put the children into pairs to write their articles. They should amend their articles over a period of time, saving the work as they go.
• Explain to the class that they need to identify the key points, experiment with sequencing and modify the text to make it more interesting. Ask them also to identify any headings, sub-headings and key pieces of text and to use appropriate effects to make these stand out.