ICT at key stage 3    (Year 8)

• Hold a brainstorming session with the whole class to decide about the nature of the fundraising event; follow this with groups of pupils identifying each of the component tasks associated with organising an event of that kind, including appropriate deadlines and timescales.
• Hold a plenary session allocating ICT-based solutions to each of the tasks.
• Ask the pupils to complete a plan showing each of the tasks and the timing, eg financial model/record/accounting system enabling prediction and evaluation, publicity, ticketing, sponsorship.
• Explain to pupils how to discuss and question what they are learning and how it is relevant in other contexts.

• Using homework, discuss with the class definitions of mathematical models that will allow both predictive and real data for evaluation. Ask the pupils to work in groups to identify all the contributory costs, eg insurance, caretaker overtime, publicity, printing and other expenses, and income, eg tickets, sponsorship.
• Agree a common overall layout for the spreadsheet. Review with the class spreadsheet rules and formulae as they apply to the model for the event. Ask pupils to then build the spreadsheet.
• Pupils should test the spreadsheet works correctly by using appropriate test data.
• Once the spreadsheet is complete, ask pupils to test a number of hypotheses/scenarios to evaluate the model, eg break-even point on ticket sales.

• Revise the differences between bitmap and vector image manipulation. Discuss when it is appropriate to use each.
• Suggest that the class works on a simple graphic to test techniques, perhaps by working on a prepared graphic, which includes a variety of objects to be manipulated. Demonstrate to the class the main features and tools of a vector graphics program. Working in groups, ask pupils to create designs for a logo, within certain parameters, eg three-colour limit, clarity, including text below logo.
• Hold a plenary session to choose the most suitable logo for use in all the publicity material and on tickets and letter headings. The class could choose a simple logo for all or pupils could use their own. Show pupils how to change the size of the completed logo while retaining aspect. Include rotation and transformation, eg for T-shirt printing.

• Discuss a prepared database and revise database concepts. The prepared data file should have 10 names and addresses of potential sponsors and guests/helpers. Explain to pupils how to discuss and respond to initial ideas, carry out the task and then review and refine ideas.
• Demonstrate how to send a prepared letter to all contacts, using the mail-merge process from initial layout of the standard letters to incorporation of field codes (both standard ones, eg date, and fields from the database). Demonstrate how one particular group, eg sponsors, is selected.
• Ask groups of pupils to produce two standard letters incorporating logo graphics, one to sponsors and one to guests, and use conditional merging depending on type of letter and type of entry in the database.

• Revise with the class the operation of the chosen desktop publishing program. Discuss styles for the intended audiences, and the need to maintain the same identity for the posters, tickets, programmes and other printed material.
• Ask groups of pupils to work on the production of posters, tickets and programmes for the event.
• Ask each group to describe how the work was undertaken and what led to the conclusions.

• Review with the class the replies to the standard letter mailings. Introduce the use of an e-mail address book.
• Ask groups of pupils to update the database as a result of the replies, including e-mail contacts, followed by transferring e-mail addresses to an address book.
• Ask groups of pupils to compile a distribution list for each type of respondee to the mailings and then send standard e-mails to each distribution list.

• The event takes place (either fictional or real).

• Discuss with the class the way the event proceeded, and the effectiveness of the ICT solutions employed, together with final data in the spreadsheet. Ask each group to write a report designed to facilitate the running of similar events in the future.
• Explain to pupils how to organise information in an appropriate sequence, group sentences into paragraphs that have a clear form, link ideas and paragraphs into continuous text.
• Explain to pupils how to show relationships between ideas that show purpose.