Building Keyboarding Schedules

Building Keyboarding Schedules

Changes are happening for 2021-22, we are now using Typing Club.  Please refer to the curriculum map for your grade for updates.  Updates will be coming shortly on this page and the rest of the Keyboarding course.  

 

Each elementary teacher in grades 3-5 will conduct 20 consecutive days of Keyboard Chatter, Craze, or Connection instruction Mondays through Thursdays during the first six weeks of school.

On each of these 20 days, each teacher will conduct 30 minutes of Keyboard Chatter/Craze/Connection instruction. Once the 20 days of Keyboarding instruction are completed, each teacher will conduct at least 10 minutes per week of follow-up keyboarding instruction through the end of the school year. More follow-up instruction is even better!

Checkered FlagThe Schedule

The following are links to each grade level's keyboarding schedule. These schedules can also be found in the Keyboarding curriculum maps.

 

Checkered FlagBuilding a School Schedule

Since all classes in grades 3-5 in your school will be teaching Keyboard Chatter/Craze/Connection during the same 20 days, it is important to work together to build a schedule for sharing computer labs. Please work with your school's principal, Ed Tech Coach, and Achievement Coach to build a school keyboarding schedule. 

Questions to consider when planning your keyboarding schedule:

  • Which labs are available to use for keyboarding?
    • Mac, Chromebook, MacBook, etc.
    • Mobile devices like iPads can be used if external/bluetooth keyboards are connected to them.
    • Any computer with a basic word processing program and a keyboard can be used for Keyboard Chatter/Craze/Connection.
    • Any computer with Internet access and a keyboard can be used for follow-up keyboarding instruction:
  • Which lab(s) will you be working in?
  • Will you keyboard in your own room with a mobile lab, or will you go to a stationary lab?
  • If moving to a separate location, how will you plan for travel/login time?

There are a couple ways this schedule can be created:

In schools that have 1:1 devices in grades 3-5, the keyboarding schedule can obviously be much more flexible. Some 1:1 schools choose to keyboard on Fridays as well to complete the required 20 days of instruction more quickly. However, in schools where labs must be shared, time is much more tight and schedules need to be created:

  • Common grade-level computer lab:
    • All classes in a grade teach keyboarding using the same lab.
    • In schools where each grade level has their own assigned mobile lab, this tends to be the preferred schedule.
    • This schedule does not allow teachers to have a common daily keyboarding time, however teachers can schedule keyboarding for various times during a common literacy block.
    • Grade levels have more control over their computer lab and schedule because they only need to coordinate with their own grade-level team.

Option 1.png

  • Common grade-level keyboarding time:
    • All classes in a grade teach keyboarding at the same time.
    • In schools where grade levels do not have their own assigned mobile labs, this tends to be the preferred schedule.
    • This schedule allows teachers in the grade level to keep a common daily schedule with a common keyboarding time.
    • This requires that a school have enough labs to accommodate all the classes in a grade level. (So if there are four 5th grade classes, your school must have at least four labs that can be used for keyboarding.)
    • Grade levels have less control over their computer lab and schedule because they need to coordinate with other grades.

 Option 2.png

 

Checkered FlagSample Schedules

View the Download Sample Keyboarding Schedules

pdf in this module to see examples of both of these types of schedules.

Download the Download Blank Keyboarding Schedule

Excel file in this module to help build your school's keyboarding schedule.