Lesson Plans

Microsoft Paint relates to the Nationally Developed curriculum through the Arts. The Arts strand of Visual Arts deals supports the use Paint ideally. Visual Arts deals with the way people make art to interpret and respond to experience in a visual form. This strand deals with Design which focuses on the purpose of invention, and also Creating, Making and Presenting, which involves manipulating a medium through such elements of line, shape, color, texture and form. To support the Arts strand many activities can be undertaken to achieve the related learning outcomes. These include:

* Getting the children to create or draw and object either fantasy or imaginary, that they feel is important to them or would be important to them if they had it. On completion get the child to discuss their object and how they would construct it using other materials. Once the child has done this get them to construct the object using materials available such as boxes cardboard, sticks straws and other materials.

* Drawing a picture of your family and label each member. Display all the works so that children can compare their family to everyone else's. By doing this the children are developing their mathematical skills through observations such as: Who has the most brothers, the most sisters? How many people have pet dogs, cats? How many people are the oldest? and so on...

* Designing a house using as many shapes and colors possible on paper and then designing another on the computer. Getting the child too discuss the difficulties and non difficulties of each. Children will also discuss this with each other.

* Giving children set number of shapes and getting them to design an object using only those shapes on the computer. Get the child to then share their work with the class.

* Getting the children to copy a set picture, which you have provided, using the same shapes and colors. Displaying them afterwards for the children to observe and discuss

constructively. Symbols such as McDonalds 'M' can be used as it is an advertising design which all children are familiar with.

Such activities can all be evaluated, in the same ways. One can observe a child's understanding of the tasks, through the outcomes of their work. If all the criteria have been met they have understood, if they have not one can also see. If a child can discuss their own and others work constructively, they are have understood what they and others have done. With the 'Our Families' activity children have interpreted the data correctly if they are able to answer simple mathematical equations.

As the numbers of computers are limited, to classrooms and child use many management strategies need to be devised for effective classroom use. Such strategies can include:

* A timetable of when each child can use the computer. For this a set period of time needs to be given to all children. The timetable will enable all children to use the computer at one stage or another. To keep an accurate record of this, it is a good idea to keep the list of children and times next to the computer. Once the child has used their time tabled time mark it off.

* Keeping activities short and simple enables each child to engage in the activity.

*Having the computer available for use during free time. Free time can be a reward for finishing work early, or as something, which you the teacher, time tables.

* Always checking children's work while on the computer, this enables you to keep a track of what they are doing, and to assist if there are any problems.

* Keeping the computer in a quiet part of the room either, outside the room or in a corner. This way children will not be distracted by other children.

By all these means and many others which have not been mentioned, children of the Kindergarten - Prep age group will be able to use the computer to the best of their advantage and will build on to their existing and developing knowledge with the guidance from you, the teacher.

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