Tutorial Software Skills Builder

Tutorial Software Skills Builder Using Desktop Publishing to Create a Class Newsletter

In this activity, you will create a class newsletter using desktop publishing software. Follow the directions below to complete the project.

1. Open your desktop publishing software. 2. Review the newsletter design templates and select one. 3. Insert the following information: a. Give your newsletter a consistent title. In the area provided for newsletter titles, type “The Class Reporter” in Georgia font, 12-point. b. In the area labeled “Lead Story Headline,” type the text “Bear Thematic Unit” in Georgia font, 30-point. c. Under the headline “Bear Thematic Unit” type the following text in 9- point Times New Roman. This week we will be working on a thematic unit on “bears.” We will be going on two different field trips. One to Barney’s Bait & Tackle to look at the different types of Bears they have mounted and to hear a real “Bear” expert speak about Bear safety when in the woods. We will also visit “Barn-E-Bears” and make our own stuffed Teddy Bear as well as have lunch there. I will let you know the exact dates and times of the scheduled field trips when I have made the final travel arrangements with the school bus transportation office. I hope you will be able to volunteer and come along with us on our ever exciting journey in learning all about “Bears. We will also be having a group assembly where Bubba Bear comes and talks to the students about being responsible in the woods when camping and fire safety. More to follow. d. In the area labeled “Second Story Headline,” type the text “Additional “Bear” Activities” in 18-point Georgia font. e. Under the second headline, type the following text in New Times Roman font, 9-point: There are numerous other “Bear” activities that we will be doing in class. I have only listed a few of them below. Watch for additional activities to be sent home. f. Insert an empty line for spacing, and then type the following text in New Times Roman, 9-point type, leaving spaces between each topic, as shown in the example. Bear Math: Center Add. & Subrtraction Bear Poetry: Writing their own “rhyming Bear poems.” Bear Science: Virtual Scavenger Hunt Bear Reading: Reading a variety of “Bear” books Bear Art: Using a variety of mediums to create furry “Bear” pictures. To add visual appeal, use font formatting to change the color of each subject area title, choosing a tangerine color. g. In an additional headline box, type the text “Bearly” Spelling Words” in Franklin Gothic font, 12-point. h. Under the headline “Bearly” Spelling Words,” type the following text in New Times Roman font, 9-point: This weeks spelling words will be used in making a variety of books individually, in centers, and in large group activities. Knowing how to spell these words will give your students a broader range of words to use to write more complex sentences. We will also be concentrating on capitalization and punctuation. Please help your child learn how to spell these words. Also, spend time talking about the meaning of each word and how they can be used in sentences. I will reinforce these in class as well. Insert the following spelling words: 1. in; 2. bear; 3. where; 4. eat; 5. fur; 6. sleep; Bonus: hibernation.

i. Select an additional available separate box and type “Teacher’s Corner” in Georgia font, 14-point. j. Under the headline “Teacher’s Corner,” type the following text in Times New Roman font, 9-point: HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Welcome back to the second semester of school. I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break. This semester is going to be filled with exciting activities and opportunities to excel in school. If you haven’t already noticed, our classroom has six new additional computers. Software is currently being updated. I have a variety of projects outlined for each and every student. Select the text “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!” and change the color to mauve using font formatting. k. In the template section labeled volume, type “Volume 2, Issue 24” in Franklin Gothic font, 10-point. l. Enter the date, “Spring, 2004,” in the appropriate area using 10-point Franklin Gothic font. m. If your template has an area for you to type in your school name, type “123 Elementary, Somewhere, USA” in Franklin Gothic font, 12-point. 4. Add at least two clipart graphics/photos/images to your newsletter to visually represent and highlight an area. These images may be inserted into the document in an area separated from the text, or they may be inserted into the text stream, whereby text wrap will automatically wrap the text around the inserted image. 5. Proofread the document for any spelling or grammatical errors. Run the spelling and grammar checker to double-check yourself. 6. Zoom the image of the newsletter down to 50% so that you can look at the document and check for balance, good use of white space, evenness in text box size usage, text size, font color, etc. Make any changes as necessary. 7. When completed, your document will look similar to the one shown below. 8. Save your document under a file name that will be easy to remember. 9. You are now ready to print your newsletter. Below is a sample of a finished project:

Volume 2, Issue 24 Volume 2, Issue 24 Spring, 2004 “Bear” Thematic Unit

This week we will be when I have made the final Spring, 2004 working on a thematic unit travel arrangements with the on “bears.” We will be school bus transportation going on two different office. I hope you will be field trips. One to able to volunteer and come Barney’s Bait & Tackle to along with us on our ever look at the different types exciting journey in learning Teacher’s Corner of Bears they have all about “Bears. We will mounted and to hear a real also be having a group “Bear” expert speak about assembly where Bubba Bear HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Bear safety when in the comes and talks to the Welcome back to the second woods. We will also visit students about being semester of school. I hope “Barn-E-Bears” and make responsible in the woods everyone had a wonderful our own stuffed Teddy when camping and fire winter break. This semester Bear as well as have lunch safety. More to follow.

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Extension Activity t

Desktop publishing provides teachers with an opportunity to create professional looking r projects. In addition to creating class newsletters, desktop publishing allows you to create many other items including postcards, certificates, business cards, brochures, catalogs, o and stationary, to name a few. In this activity you will use desktop publishing software to create a brochure highlighting your next classroom theme topic, introducing your p students to the places they will “travel” and study with you on their learning expedition.whenThis I week have wemade will the be

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