Making labels for coat pegs
Year 1

Objectives
Understanding that words and pictures convey information.
Knowing that text and pictures may be entered into the computer and printed out.
Keyboard familiarity and techniques: choice of size and font.

Learning Outcome
Enter letters to type name, choosing font and size. Add image.

Activity Description
Setting: Children worked on the classroom computer individually or in 2's.
Subject focus: ICT and Design and Technology
Context: extension of previous activity, dropping own picture and typing name on a birthday calendar template, with support.
Time allowed: approximately 10 minutes per child, dependent on ability, with time needed for discussion.

After several problems over disagreements about coat pegs and never being able to find shoe bags for PE, we discussed in circle time how these problems could be resolved. Labels made by the teacher in Year R had been lost. We could make our own - but how? What would be needed? What size? What shape? What should we include?

Children used digital photographs that they had previously taken themselves. These were dropped onto a label template. Each entered his or her name, choosing font and size.

The labels were cut out, laminated and hung on coat pegs. Now the labels were in use, children could now find their shoe bags easily - hurrah!

Examples of work produced by three pupils: John, Helen and Linda:

Commentary

Level 1+
John was able to write his name using the keyboard independently. He was able to choose size and font independently, scrolling down without support. He was also able to comment on why he had made these choices, and why the computer had been used.

John is achieving at Level 1+, but his work shows elements of Level 2 : enter and retrieve work / generate and amend / share ideas . text . images. To make progress, John could now be shown how to save his work independently. He could now generate a label to his own design, after discussion with others. The activity itself could be developed to use a Clicker grid to build sentences.

Level 1
Helen knew that the keyboard could be used to enter her name. She could do this, but needed support to find the buttons for font and size: "You click somewhere up here." Once shown, she was able to change font and size. She commented that the larger size was too big. She understood why we were making the labels: "So you know where to put the coat. So we don't argue."
Helen is achieving at Level 1.

Below Level 1
Linda knew that the keys were used: "You press the special button on here." However, she needed support to find the correct keys. She didn't know how to change font or size. She was able to comment on why the choices were made: "Cos it's got 'M' for [my surname]."

Linda is barely achieving at Level 1. She needs further opportunities to explore the use of the keyboard and the effects of changing font size. Once she has learned a skill, she needs to practise on her own, to develop independence.