Gr+4+Easybook+Publishing

Outline
The purpose of this activity is to assist the students to see themselves as published authors. The students work will be published and catalogued in the school's library. With their work being published and in the library, the hope is that the students will take extra pride and pay attention to details as the book may be read by every student in the school.

Resources
Easybook Deluxe (software) KidPix Card to print books on.

IT Skills Emphasised

 * Saving and retrieving appropriately named documents
 * Creating picture using drawing application
 * Exporting picture to a standard usable format (jpg)
 * Importing pictures into book publishing software
 * General IT skills relevant to particular application

IT
Standard 1: Basic operations and concepts 1.3 Identify and know how to use Menu options in application programs to develop text, graphic, spreadsheet, and Web documents; save, print, format, and add multimedia features; store, access, and manage files; and use dictionary, thesaurus, and spelling and grammar tools. 1.4 Know proper keyboarding position and technique to touch type using the correct hands for alphabetic, numeric, and special purpose keys (arrows, escape, backspace, delete, caps lock, and control); and know how to use these keys and the Edit Menu items to correct errors in a document. Standard 3: Technology productivity tools 3.1 Identify and apply common productivity software features such as menus and toolbars to plan, create, and edit word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Language Arts
4.1.5 Publishes and shares writing in final format with guidance while moving toward independence (e.g. typed or neatly handwritten piece using clear and eye-catching headings, color and appropriate graphics to enhance visual appearance) in designated fourth grade genre areas 4.2.3 Writes narratives (e.g. personal accounts, descriptive paragraphs, journal entries) with guidance while moving toward independence 4.2.3.1 Builds upon personal accounts while developing plot, characters, and setting 4.2.3.2 Organizes events sequentially 4.2.2.3 Uses descriptive details: strong verbs, sensory words, a variety of adjectives and adverbs with guidance while moving toward independence 4.2.2.4 Creates an identifiable beginning, middle, and end

Procedure
Students will write and edit their story during their Language Arts class.

Once the story is in it's final form, it is typed into the Easybook Deluxe program (see reflections below for an alternative option). The students will need to pay particular attention to details such as what text should go on what page and what pictures should be added to those pages. Standard formatting issues will need to be addressed by the student.

Students will either draw pictures and scan them into the computer as JPEG's, or they will create pictures in KidPix and export those pictures as JPEG's. The JPEG's are then imported as backgrounds so they can be added to the book.

When the final editing by students and their teachers has taken place, the books were be printed (not by students) on card. The students then present these to the library.

General reflection on the project

 * We experienced intermittent faults with Easybook making the process painful as students work would often be corrupted. The teachers persevered and we have established that Easybook corrupts files if they are created/edited on the new Mac's. Classroom and the large white Mac's in the lab are ok.
 * A suggestion for further use of this product would be to type the story in Word. This would allow for spell check and would mean the text could be printed on one or two pages to have it checked more easily by the teacher. The text could then be cut and pasted into the Easybook at the correct place.
 * The printed process was a little complicated and couldn't be completed by the students.
 * The children were really proud to find their work in the school library.

Outline
The purpose of this activity is to assist the students to see themselves as published authors. The students work will be published and catalogued in the school's library. With their work being published and in the library, the hope is that the students will take extra pride and pay attention to details as the book may be read by every student in the school.

Resources
Easybook Deluxe (software) KidPix Card to print books on.

IT Skills Emphasised

 * Saving and retrieving appropriately named documents
 * Creating picture using drawing application
 * Exporting picture to a standard usable format (jpg)
 * Importing pictures into book publishing software
 * General IT skills relevant to particular application

Procedure
Students will write and edit their story during their Language Arts class.

Once the story is in it's final form, it is typed into the Easybook Deluxe program (see reflections below for an alternative option). The students will need to pay particular attention to details such as what text should go on what page and what pictures should be added to those pages. Standard formatting issues will need to be addressed by the student.

Students will either draw pictures and scan them into the computer as JPEG's, or they will create pictures in KidPix and export those pictures as JPEG's. The JPEG's are then imported as backgrounds so they can be added to the book.

When the final editing by students and their teachers has taken place, the books were be printed (not by students) on card. The students then present these to the library.

General reflection on the project

 * We experienced intermittent faults with Easybook making the process painful as students work would often be corrupted. The teachers persevered and we have established that Easybook corrupts files if they are created/edited on the new Mac's. Classroom and the large white Mac's in the lab are ok.
 * A suggestion for further use of this product would be to type the story in Word. This would allow for spell check and would mean the text could be printed on one or two pages to have it checked more easily by the teacher. The text could then be cut and pasted into the Easybook at the correct place.
 * The printed process was a little complicated and couldn't be completed by the students.
 * The children were really proud to find their work in the school library.