PowerPoint and Minibeasts

1
PowerPointandMinibeasts

• Developing literacy
• in Primary 3 and 4

Jenny McGlynn
Glamis Primary School
2
My Thoughts

• PowerPoint is a powerful piece of software and
  good fun to play around with, but I cant see its
  use in my classroom.
• 
  April 2002

• PowerPoint has really stimulated the children,
  they have learned both ICT and literacy skills,
  and have produced an excellent result.
• 
  October 2002

3

• What changed my mind?
• How did I get there?

• No previous experience of PowerPoint.
• NOF training.
• Couldnt see use for presentation to pupils in my
  classroom.
• Colleague had made book for infants.
• Decided to try same idea but pupils made book.

Objective for Pr 4 to produce an on-screen book
which could be read by Pr 3
4
OUTCOMES

• Literacy Conveying Information Level B

• Use research skills to select important facts.
• Be able to rewrite facts in own words.
• Write for a known audience.
• Enthuse reluctant writers.
• Discussion.

E. S. Variety Characteristic Features Level B

• Gather knowledge of minibeasts by use of simple
  reference material.
• Disseminate knowledge to others.
• Enquiry skills, eg conflicting facts.

5
ICT Strands Level B

• Creating presenting
• - create edit a piece of text
• - create a document with text
  graphics
• - create a multimedia page

• Searching Researching
• - access websites

• Developing informed attitudes
• - appropriateness of use of ICT

Skills self-directed learning personal
research
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Pre-knowledge

• E.S. databases on minibeasts
• ICT Text processing skills
• - Graphics skills, eg resizing,
  moving, etc

New skills

• Use of PowerPoint animation of slides
• - slide transfer
• Graphics copy/paste
• Internet search engine (Google)
• - importing graphics (dgl)

7
Other Considerations

• Discussion of appropriateness of text in books/on
  web need for simple statements (no copying!)
• Discussion of appropriateness of pictures in
  books/on web - ease of use - downloading v.
  scanning.
• ?Bookmarking of sites.
• Short pieces of text.

8
Introducing PowerPoint

• Showed sample presentation.
• Discussed impact of PowerPoint presentation.
• Designed title page with whole class.
• Demonstrated how to animate text.
• Discussed suitability of animations.

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Group Work

• Groups of 2/3 pupils.
• Animation screen and first page only.
• 15 minutes each group.

Quotes Its really good. I like the sound
effects animation. I think its really good to
do designs different kinds of writing. I think
Powerpoint is really good but the new version is
harder. I think the new version is easier to
choose the design.
10
Different dialogue boxes
Powerpoint XP
PowerPoint 97
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All about minibeasts

• Our book of invertebrates
• by Primary 4
• Glamis School

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Making Book

• Began gathering info on minibeasts using topic
  books.
• Discussed need for simple language.
• Groups gathered 5 facts.
• In turn entered information into PP.
• Short pieces of text, easier for children to
  handle.
• Each slide animated great discussion on
  suitability of this. Time limit, but group could
  return later.
• Pr 3 drawing writing about other minibeasts.

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Spider

• Trap-door spiders hide in a burrow with a trap
  door at the entrance.
• This spider is waiting for a fly to go in its
  web.
• Spiders have oily feet so they dont stick to
  their webs.

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Quiz page

• Each group selected a fact from their page and
  wrote question.
• Their idea to include picture.
• Discussion on slide transition decided to
  change slides by mouse click.
• Pr 3 read through book in groups of 2.
• Answered questions on print-out of last page

15
Next Steps

• Later in session made presentation about cities
  in Scotland.
• Mixed groups of Pr 3 Pr 4.
• Backgrounds coloured, not standard designs.
• Children not afraid to experiment.
• This term made presentation on Promoting Angus.

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Further ideas

• Use hyperlinks to move to other slides.
• True/False quiz using hyperlinks.
• Importing digital photos.
• ???????