COMPUTER APPLICATIONS GRADES 9-12 THE EWING PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2099 Pennington Road Ewing, NJ 08618 Board Approval: May 30, 2012 Michael Nitti Prepared by: EHS Technology Staff Superintendent In accordance with The Ewing Public Schools Policy 2230, Course Guides, this curriculum has been reviewed and found to be in compliance with all policies and all affirmative action criteria.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Course Description 1 Unit 1: Document Processing and Applications of MS Word (20 Days) 2 Unit 2: Applications of Dream Weaver (10 Days) 5 Unit 3: Desktop Publishing (10 Days) 7 Unit 4: Applications of MS PowerPoint (10 Days) 9 Unit 5: Applications of Spreadsheets and Statistical Functions (20 Days) 11 Unit 6: Applications and Databases (15 Days) 14
1 COURSE DESCRIPTION Computer Applications is an elective course for students in Grades 9 through 12. This course is for students who are interested in learning more about the business uses of the computer. A guided, hands-on and project-oriented approach will be utilized to instruct students in the use of the computer as a business analysis and applications and communications tool. A strong computer background, interdisciplinary connections and real-life business applications will be stressed. Units of study include the design of professional-looking word documents, statistical analysis, multimedia presentations, desktop publishing, database applications with queries and reports and web development and design.
2 UNIT 1: DOCUMENT PROCESSING AND APPLICATIONS OF MS WORD (20 DAYS) Why Is This Unit Important? This unit will provide the student with knowledge relevant to MS Word applications. The knowledge gained from this unit will enable the students to understand and use business communication processes through MS Word applications. Enduring Understandings 1. Operations and applications within Microsoft Word can be used to create professional looking documents. Essential Questions: 1. In a business-oriented, world which skills are necessary to produce professionally-written communication? 2. How do you choose an appropriate written business format for a target audience? Acquired Knowledge Students will be able to: 1. choose the appropriate format for written business communication 2. proofread, modify and create professional-looking documents 3. apply core and expert features of MS Word processing software 4. identify the elements of business documents (such as letters, memorandums, e- mails and reports, resumes, cover letters) 5. research relevant information on the internet Acquired Skills 1. Identify the purposes of word processing software 2. Use word processing software menu commands, functions and keyboard shortcuts 3. Create a file management structure 4. Proofread documents for content, grammatical and formatting errors 5. Open, create, change and save documents 6. Format documents: alignment, fonts (faces, size, color), line spacing, inserting tabs, ordered and unordered lists, headers and footers 7. Insert tables, hyperlinks, objects and graphics 8. Use advanced Word features such as insert comments and table of contents 9. Choose and use templates 10. Research and download internet information
3 Benchmark or Major Assessments Formative Assessments Compose and format personal and business correspondence: memorandums reports letters Summative Assessments Three Colleges Project: Students will research their favorite three colleges and place required information, such as geographic region, cost, majors, etc., on a comparative chart using Microsoft Office Digital Portfolio: Resume and cover letter with two different templates Travel Document: Students will create a travel document after selecting a place of interest Interdisciplinary Connections Skills learnt in this section can be utilized in language arts and social studies (writing, research, MLA format) Accommodations/Modifications IEP and 504 plans will be met on an individual basis Other modifications: modify proficiencies rephrase written directions preferential seating provide additional time to complete project during or after school hours peer coaching Extensions Students who surpass these required skills will research the development and history of Microsoft Word to see why this program has become industry standard. List of Applicable NJCCS and Standards/CPIs 8.1.12.A1,2,4 8.1.12.F.1,3 8.1.12.D.4 (Cyber Safety) 8.2.12.F.1 Teacher Resources Blank, Iris. Computer Applications for the New Millennium, An Integrated Approach, Southern Western
Hinkle, Deborah. Word Core and Expert: A Comprehensive Approach. Thomson Learning/Glencoe McGraw-Hill Hoggatt, Jack, Jon Shank and Jerry Robinson. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Seventh Edition, South-Western, 2002 Hoggatt, Jack and Jon Shank. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Eighth Edition, Thomson South-Western, 2006 Woody, Leonard. Special Edition Using Microsoft Office 2003, September, 2003 http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/assess.html - Rubrics site College and university websites http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleresumes/qt/microtemplate.htm http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/tables-i-create-and-format-basictables-rz001200716.aspx http://jobsearch.monster.com/default.aspx 4
5 UNIT 2: APPLICATIONS OF DREAM WEAVER (10 DAYS) Why Is This Unit Important? Today s computer applications extend beyond the traditional office environment and office software applications. Web development and web communication have become an essential part of our everyday lives. It is important for the student to understand how to create business documents and portfolios for the global audience. Enduring Understandings Students will: 1. understand the language that is used to create web pages 2. explain how browsers interpret/display web pages 3. understand how to create web sites using DreamWeaver software Essential Questions: 1. How does medium web extend office applications? 2. Which format is appropriate for a web site s target audience? 3. What is a hyper-text-mark-up language? 4. What is the basic structure of an HTML document? 5. How is a web template created? 6. How is web site navigation created? 7. What are the elements of web design? 8. What are the elements of a web portfolio? Acquired Knowledge The student will learn: 1. what resources are available to look up HTML codes 2. how to interpret the codes 3. how to apply the attributes/options of various codes Acquired Skills The student will be able to create a web site using Dream Weaver and HTML codes, including: 1. the basic sections of an HTML document/webpage 2. controlling color (text and background) 3. formatting text (size, font, bold, italic, etc.) 4. page layout (controlling margins, justification, etc.) 5. graphics (insertion, sizing, borders, spacing, justification, etc.) 6. simple animation (marquee) 7. inserting and controlling links
6 8. menus and navigation 9. inserting, using and formatting tables Benchmark or Major Assessments Formative Assessments Demonstrate use of Dream Weaver features Create a frame site using resume and cover letter from previous unit Create a memorandum and report using a template Summative Assessments Unit project: Use Macromedia Dream Weaver to create a Digital Web Portfolio Accommodations/Modifications IEP and 504 plans will be met on an individual basis Other modifications: modify proficiencies rephrase written directions preferential seating provide additional time to complete project during or after school hours peer coaching Extensions Create a multi-page web site using roll over buttons for navigation. List of Applicable NJCCS and Standards/CPIs 1.1.12.D.1,2 1.3.12.D.2,4 1.4.12.B.1 8.2.12.E.1 8.2.12.F.1 8.2.12.G.1 Teacher Resources Adobe Creative Team, Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 Classroom in a Book, June 2010 www.htmlcodetutorial.com or some suitable on-line html reference documentation
7 UNIT 3: DESKTOP PUBLISHING (10 DAYS) Why Is This Unit Important? This unit will enable the student to explore the composition of visual and written communication in advertisement. Enduring Understandings Students will: 1. recognize the power of visual stimulation in advertisement through desktop design 2. understand, appreciate, evaluate and implement features and elements of desktop publishing 3. learn and understand how to apply elements of desktop publishing applications Essential Questions: 1. How can we use visual and written elements effectively and efficiently to reach a target audience? Acquired Knowledge The student will: 1. understand what is generally considered a good desktop published piece 2. use color scheme, use of visual elements, readability, the use of white space, audio, handicapped issues, etc. to increase the overall user experience Acquired Skills The student will learn to critically review and rate various aspects of a desktop publishing application: 1. overall user acceptance 2. appearance 3. color scheme 4. visual elements 5. readability 6. use of white space 7. audio 8. handicapped issues
8 Benchmarks or Major Assessments Formative Assessments Demonstrate the ability to use desktop publishing applications such as, but not limited to, formatting text boxes, shading, special effects and page borders Summative Assessments Desktop Publication Project: Create flyers (i.e., public service flyers, newsletter for afterschool club) Interdisciplinary Connections Create flyers or posters of an historical event Social Studies Create a daily newspaper for a specific time period in history Social Studies Create posters or flyers to advertise a music or art event - Art Accommodations/Modifications IEP and 504 plans will be met on an individual basis Other modifications: modify proficiencies rephrase written directions preferential seating provide additional time to complete project during or after school hours peer coaching Extensions Create a price sheet (using tables) for selling a product. List of Applicable NJCCS and Standards/CPIs 8.1A 8.2A 8.2C Teacher Resources Hoggatt, Jack, Jon Shank and Jerry Robinson. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Seventh Edition, South-Western, 2002 Hoggatt, Jack and Jon Shank. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Eighth Edition, Thomson South-Western, 2006 Lumgair, Christopher. Desktop Publishing (Teach Yourself). 2003 Parker, Roger C. Desktop Publishing and Design for Dummies. 1995 Simmons, Jason. The Designer s Desktop Manual. 2007 http://freelanceswitch.com/designer/desktop-publishing-resources/ http://www.desktoppublishingforum.com/
9 UNIT 4: APPLICATIONS OF MS POWERPOINT (10 DAYS) Why Is This Unit Important? This unit introduces the student to elements of a presentation. It is important to understand how a visually-supported presentation can effectively enhance the message presented to an audience. Enduring Understandings The students will: 1. build on their knowledge and skills in designing an effective presentation 2. improve public speaking skills by presenting PowerPoint project to peers 3. provide graphic elements of presentation Essential Questions: 1. How can we increase the effectiveness of an oral presentation through visual stimulation? Acquired Knowledge The student will: 1. understand how to MS PowerPoint to create a presentation 2. recognize good and bad design techniques 3. understand how to use and manipulate graphics and custom animation Acquired Skills At the completion of this module, the student will be able to design, build and deliver a presentation using MS PowerPoint: 1. create and add slides 2. layouts and formats 3. insert and manipulate graphics and charts and diagrams 4. slide design 5. slide transitions 6. custom animation 7. edit the slide master 8. improving presentation skills Benchmark or Major Assessments Formative Assessments Create new slides and transitions Create custom animations
10 Insert pictures, audio and video Insert tables and charts Apply shadows and 3-D effects Summative Assessment Unit Project: My Favorite Three Colleges presentation Unit Project: Select a career and present information on positives and negatives of that career Select a Fortune 500 company: Prepare a presentation on the successes of that company to potential investors Interdisciplinary Connections PowerPoint can be used for any course that asks students to provide a visual presentation of content. Accommodations/Modifications IEP and 504 plans will be met on an individual basis Other modifications: modify proficiencies rephrase written directions preferential seating provide additional time to complete project during or after school hours peer coaching Extensions Prepare a presentation on the topic of persuasion. Persuade someone to join a club, travel to a selected destination, purchase a home in a new community or move to a different part of the country. Teacher Resources Lowe, Doug. PowerPoint 2003 for Dummies. 2003 Muir, Nancy. Teach Yourself VISUALLY. PowerPoint 2003 http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line_powerpoint.htm http://classroom.jc-schools.net/la/activities/pptresources.html
11 UNIT 5: APPLICATIONS OF SPREADSHEETS AND STATISTICAL FUNCTIONS (20 DAYS) Why Is This Unit Important? The use of spreadsheets to evaluate data and to present information in a graphical format is a major component of public information, science and statistics. Enduring Understandings Students will recognize: 1. the different types of charts 2. statistical functions 3. appropriate graphical application of MS Excel Essential Questions: 1. How can numerical data be analyzed, evaluated and presented to address issues and problems of scientific and public interest on a large scale? 2. Which graphical representations of numerical data can be designed to communicate information on a broad scale? Acquired Knowledge Students will be able to: 1. create pivot tables 2. create and modify existing charts 3. create graphs using Excel formulas 4. determine appropriate graphs for specific projects 5. use data to create graphs 6. determine when to use AutoFilter and Advanced Filters 7. demonstrate appropriate printing features Acquired Skills Students will be able to: 1. create income/payroll sheets 2. create Excel worksheets - enter labels and values, apply text wrapping, apply formulas, use auto sum, merge cells 3. create column, bar, line and pie charts - analyze statistical data, identify the data range, identify the chart type, create and modify the chart, add header and footer 4. change the visual representation of a chart 5. insert images into the charts 6. link and embed Excel charts into Word documents
12 Benchmark or Major Assessments Formative Assessments Analyze statistical data and apply formulas Create various charts (bar, column, pie) Change visual representation of a chart Link and embed data from Excel charts into Microsoft Word document and create a mail-merge document Summative Assessments Thailand Tour Cost Analysis Project Downtown Internet Café Sales Forecast Project Children s Sports Participation Project Passenger Loading Patterns, Rush Hours Trains Project Interdisciplinary Connections Spreadsheets can be infused in either science or social studies classes. Science teachers can incorporate them into labs and social studies teachers can use data bases to track trends from specific historical events such as war, political campaigns, or social or economic conditions in a specific historical era. Accommodations/Modifications IEP and 504 plans will be met on an individual basis Other modifications: modify proficiencies rephrase written directions preferential seating provide additional time to complete project during or after school hours peer coaching Extensions Create a spreadsheet to track fund-raising sales for club or sport team Create a price list to build a computer, engine, house, picnic table Create an expense chart for a vacation trip Teacher Resources Frye, Curtis. Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Step by Step. 2003 Harvey, Greg. Excel 2003 for Dummies, 2003 Hoggatt, Jack, Jon Shank and Jerry Robinson. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Seventh Edition, South-Western, 2002
Hoggatt, Jack and Jon Shank. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Eighth Edition, Thomson South-Western, 2006 Johnson, Chiri and Sweeney Cotton. MS Office XP Professional Edition. Glencoe, 2003 Maran, Ruth. Teach Yourself VISUALLY, Excel 2003. 2003 http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/cr006183114.aspx 13
14 UNIT 6: APPLICATIONS AND DATABASES (15 DAYS) Why Is This Unit Important? Students are growing up in the information age and will be finding work in a global knowledge-based economy. Because of this, it is more critical than ever that students know why and how to use tools that help them sort, organize and explore the vast amounts of information that is being created and shared every day via the Internet. Enduring Understandings Students will recognize: 1. the similarities and difference between spreadsheets and databases 2. how spreadsheets and databases can be utilized for sorting, organizing and sharing information Essential Questions: 1. What is a database? 2. How can databases help organize data? 3. How can spreadsheets and databases be useful in my life? Acquired Knowledge Students will understand: 1. how databases can identify unique characteristics of the data 2. how to find qualities of the data to compare and contrast 3. that databases can be use to rank the importance of data Acquired Skills 1. Creating a simple database 2. Creating and using tables 3. Using data fields, records, data types, field sizes, primary key 4. Importing data 5. Creating a mail-merge for invoices 6. Creating and using queries 7. Creating forms from a table 8. Creating forms from a query Benchmark or Major Assessments Formative Assessments Demonstrate the ability to: create a database table and fields and enter records
15 edit and add database records insert new fields hide/filter records, change margins and sort database tables create queries, design forms, reports and macros Summative Assessments Students will design a spreadsheet and database project based on their area of interest. The project can be based on content from a course that they have had or are currently taking or from a different field. Interdisciplinary Connections Spreadsheets/databases can be infused in either science or social studies classes. Science teachers can incorporate them while using laboratory experiments and social studies teachers can use data bases to track trends from specific historical events such as war, political campaigns, or social or economic conditions in a specific historical era. Accommodations/Modifications IEP and 504 plans will be met on an individual basis Other modifications: modify proficiencies rephrase written directions preferential seating provide additional time to complete project during or after school hours peer coaching Extensions Investigate where databases can be utilized within the school community. Contact appropriate staff/administration to provide your proposal and then generate data and create a database that will be shared with staff member/administration. Teacher Resources Hernandez, Michael. Database Design for Mere Mortals. Addison-Wesley, 2003 Hernandez, Michael. SQL Queries for Mere Mortals. Pearson, 2000 Hoggatt, Jack, Jon Shank and Jerry Robinson. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Seventh Edition, South-Western, 2002 Hoggatt, Jack and Jon Shank. Century 21, Computer Applications and Keyboarding, Eighth Edition, Thomson South-Western, 2006
Johnson, Chiri and Sweeney Cotton. MS Office XP Professional Edition. Glencoe, 2003 CNET's Beginner s Center- http://www.help.com All Experts Database Q&A- Volunteer experts answer online and emailed questions about All Types of Databases. http://www.allexperts.com/browse.asp?meta=109 FunctionX Access Tutorial- Introductory-level MS Access tutorial covers topics ranging from creating databases to beginning VBA development. http://www.functionx.com/access/ 16