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Course Description — Students will understand basic computer and internet usage and obtain word processing skills as well as practice in-depth with the following: first grade, typing; second grade, Paint, Publisher; third grade, PowerPoint; fourth grade, Scratch (computer programming); fifth grade, WordPress blogs; sixth grade, HTML; seventh grade, graphic design including photo manipulation; eighth grade, spreadsheets; high school computer courses are listed on the high school page. (Equivalent free software can be used for any of the listed programs.)

Internet Review

Week 1

Welcome to your first day of school! I wanted to give you one important reminder before you begin. Many of your lessons below have an internet link for you to click on. When you go to the different internet pages for your lessons, please DO NOT click on anything else on that page except what the directions tell you to. DO NOT click on any advertisements or games. DO NOT click on anything that takes you to a different website. Just stay focused on your lesson and then close that window and you should be right back here for the next lesson. Okay?

1. If you didn’t get here through My EP Assignments, I suggest you go there and create an account.
2. Internet Safety Reminders: Do not download anything onto your computer without permission. Do not click on any advertising on a website even if it looks like a game to play.
3. You can also turn off advertising so that you don’t see bad images.
4. Don’t give out your name, age, address, phone number, email address, photo, etc., online without permission.
5. Do you remember these words: browser, desktop, window, crash, loading, refresh, download? If not, ask someone.
6. This is the end of your work for this course for today. You are allowed to move at your own pace (this is homeschooling), but it’s intended you complete one lesson each week.

Week 2

1. Internet safe search — When you want to find something on the internet, you have to be careful how you look for it. Here are some tips. Be as specific as possible in your search. Type as many words as you know that will help you find what you are looking for. That will help keep things you are not looking for from coming up.
2. Google also has a way to turn on “safe search,” though this isn’t 100% safe for sure, it works better than some other browser’s safe search features.
3. Also, use kid-friendly search engines.

Week 3

1. Internet Safety — Here are some tips for staying safe when you use the internet.
   • Never sign up for anything online without permission.
   • When a site asks for a username, you are not supposed to give your real name. Make up a pretend name for yourself.
   • Never tell anyone online your real name, address, phone number or email address unless your parents tell you it is okay.
   • Even if it’s a friend online, don’t give them information about yourself unless you have permission.
2. Internet security — There are different tools that are used for security on the internet.
   • One is passwords. A password is a secret word that you use to let the computer or website know that you are you.
     • The best passwords have letters and numbers in them.
     • I use a really good password for important websites (that you don’t use–like for my bank information) but I use a silly password for websites where it is not important, like to play a game.
     • Use only one or two passwords or you’ll forget which password you used where! So many places ask for passwords now. Choose passwords that are at least 6 letters/numbers long. Sometimes 8 is required.
   • Another tool is software that protects your computer from viruses and adware.
     • A computer virus is a command that sneaks into your computer and tells it to do something you don’t want it to do, like erase everything on your computer!
     • Adware sneaks advertisers info onto your computer.
     • You probably have anti-virus software on your computer.
       • A free program is called Avast.
   • Your computer should block ads that are called “pop-ups.”
     • Sometimes you’ll see a note that says a “pop-up” was prevented from opening.
     • This was a website trying to force their advertisement on you. Sometimes worse.
     • Most of the time you don’t want to see the pop-up that was blocked, but sometimes you need that pop-up for whatever you are doing.
     • If you want to see the pop-up that was blocked, go and ask a parent if it is okay.
   • If something should pop up, just look for an X to close it down. It is often hidden. Look in the top right corner. Sometimes you have to click on “No Thanks.” It’s usually written in smaller letters and in a font that makes it harder to see. They don’t want you to close it and refuse their offer. But you can outsmart them.

Week 4

1. Your browser’s cache (say: cash) is a memory of a website. You can view the cache of a webpage even if you aren’t connected to the internet. It won’t be updated. It will be an old image of that webpage. Some browsers use the cache to open web pages more quickly, bringing up a previous version of the page.
   • If you expect a change on a page and you reload it but don’t see the change, it’s likely that you are seeing an older version of the page from the cache. If you need to see the change on the page, you can try hitting (ctrl and f5, or ctrl R).
   • If that doesn’t work, go to your browser’s tools or settings and look for a “clear cache” option.
2. Another piece to your browser’s memory is called cookies. Cookies are what enable your browser to remember your usernames and passwords, what things you normally search for, etc.  Companies follow what pages you look at on their websites to know what you might be interested in.
   • Go look at all of the cookies stored on your computer. There are lots and lots probably. I don’t know what browser you are using but try looking for them under tools and privacy. Search for how to find them if you can’t.
     • In Chrome you go to settings, under the hood, then content settings to find your cookies.
   • Warning: if you delete all of your cookies, sites won’t remember your usernames and passwords for you anymore. We get so used to having them filled in for us that we forget what they are.
   • Don’t delete anything without your parents’ permission.

Word processing review

Week 5

1. Open up a new document in your word processing program. Make a mini poster for your mom (or someone else.) Use photos, clip art, shapes, color, word art, different fonts, etc. Tell Mom thanks. Write “Thanks” on your poster. Use the photos and clip art to show her what you are thankful for. Save and print.

Week 6

1. Open up a new document in your word processing program. Make a mini poster for dad (or anyone else). Use text boxes and in each box write a word that describes your dad, or whomever you have chosen. Choose portrait or landscape layout.

Create a blog

Week 7

1. This year in computer class you are going to create a blog. Today you are going to decide what your blog will be about.
2. Decide what you are going to share about. It can be a place where you share what you learn in school, a place where you share a hobby, a place where you share your artwork or photographs, it can be a place where you share what normal things you do each day, it can be a place where you share what you believe. Think about it.
3. Think of a title. Write down your title and a description of your blog’s purpose.

Week 8

• • Go to WordPress. Click on “Get Started” and then then follow the steps to add a new site.
    • With your parents’ permission, fill out the information to secure a blog all of your own.
    • Choose your domain — don’t get a paid plan, see this picture for help
      • When you find a place to choose a free domain, write in the title you decided on. That will be your domain name, mytitle.wordpress.com. If it is not available, play with it until you find one that’s available. Don’t just pick randomly. It will help people find your blog address if it relates to your blog!
      • Pick a FREE domain and choose Start With A Free Site.
    • Click Start with Free
    • Choose Other
    • Choose Skip for Now for Design
    • Click Launch Your Site

Week 9

1. Log In
2. If you haven’t yet, you will need to find the email that WordPress sent to the email address you provided and click the “Activate Account” link.
3. Go to http://www.WordPress.com. Make sure you are logged in. Go to “My Sites” (on the top left).
4. Click on Posts from the menu on the left.
5. If WordPress started a post for you titled “Hello World.” Click the … to open the menu and click “Trash” to delete that post.
6. Click on “Add new post” (on the right).
7. Title a Title.
8. Go to the body and write something. Anything. Click on “publish.” Ta da!

Week 10

1. Make sure you are logged onto wordpress.com.
2. Go to your first post you left the other day. To do that just click on My Sites under the title of your blog on any page. Click on Posts. Click on your post.
3. Click on the post and then click on “Leave A Reply” at the bottom.
4. Now leave a comment under your post.
5. Click to post your comment.
6. Look at your first post again and make sure your comment is there.

Week 11

1. Go to your “My Sites” (make sure you are logged on.)
2. Click on Appearance (on the left).
3. Click on themes.
4. Browse the themes. Make sure View is set to “free” not “all.”
5. Type in the search, Barnsbury, and use that one to get started. You can change it later. Click on the … and choose Demo Site. Choose Activate.
6. Make sure you pick a theme that is free.

Week 12

1. Let’s customize our site today.
2. Go to My Sites.
3. Click on Customize under Appearance.
4. Click the arrow next to Site Identity.  Fill in the information for Site Title and Tagline.  Click on Save Changes at the top.

Week 13

1. Today let’s make a post. On the My Sites menu, under Site, click on “Posts.”  Then click “Add New Post” on the right side of the page.  (You can also click the +Write button in the top menu bar.)
2. Write a title for your post.
3. Type your post. It can be very short. Write about what your blog is going to be about.
4. Add a picture. Click the black box with a plus sign.  Click on “Image,” then click “Upload.”
5. Choose a picture off of your computer to put in the post. If there isn’t a good one, then search clip art Wikipedia online and save a picture to your computer first. (Right click on the picture and click on “save as.”)
6. Publish your post when you are done.

Week 14

1. Today we are going to edit your post. From the My Site menu, click on “Posts.”  Click on the title of your last post.  This should open the post in edit mode.  OR you can click the three dots to the right and then click edit.
2. If your Post settings menus are not on the right side of the page, click the “Settings” button (split rectangle shape next to Update) on the top of the page. Look at the settings on the “Post” tab.  Click to check box next to “Stick to the top of the blog”. This means that post will always be first on your page.
3. Click to open the menu for “Tags”. Type in the tag box some words that describe your post: school, photography,… it helps people searching for things on that topic to find you.
4. Click on “update.” That’s your save button.

Week 15

1. Let’s edit your post again. Remember how? Click on “My Site,” “Blog Posts,” then click on your blog post title to open it in edit mode.
2. When you are in the body text block, there is an edit text box that shows.
3. In the edit box are symbols. B stands for Bold. I stands for Italic. ABC is for striking out something.
4. Test each button to see what it does.
5. Click the ∨ to see more text edit buttons. Test them out.

Week 16

1. Let’s edit your post again. Remember how? Click on “My Sites,” “Posts,” and then click on the blog post title to open it in edit mode.
2. Today we are going to insert media. Click the black box with a plus sign.   Click on “File.”  Click “Upload.”
3. Find your certificate or flyer that you made or something you wrote. Type in a title for it. Then click on “insert” into post.
4. Now click on “update.”
5. Then click on “view post.” (Square with an arrow, next to update)
6. Click on that link to the media you inserted. What happened?

Week 17

1. Let’s edit your post again. Remember how? Click on “My Sites,” “Posts,” and then click your blog post title to open the post in edit mode.
2. Today we are going to insert a quote. Find a quote about your site’s topic.  Be sure you have the quote and who said it.
3. Click the black box with a plus sign.   Click on “Browse All.”  Click “Quote.”
4. Where it says “Type / to choose a block,” type your quote.
5. Click where is says “Add Citation” to add the name of the person you are quoting.
6. Now click on “update.”
7. Then click on “view post.” (Square with an arrow, next to update)

Week 18

1. Add an “about” page. On the My Site menu, click on “Pages.”  Then click the “Add New Page” on the right side of the page.  Choose “Blank Page”
2. Write “About this blog” (or something similar) in the Title box.
3. In the main text box, write a description of your blog’s purpose. Remember not to share your name or photo without permission from your parents.

Week 19

1. Explore some other blogs. Note how they are using them — purpose.
2. Note extras on the page — links, calendars, blogroll, about, sign up, twitter, tags, share this, ads?…one, two, three, four.

Week 20

1. Go to My Site and click on “X” at the top to open the Block Inserter, then click “Blocks.”
2. Scroll down to “Theme” and click “Site Tagline.” Change your “Tagline” to fit your blog.
3. Now go to “Blocks” and add anything you noticed and liked while blog-hopping.

Week 21

1. Go to My Site and click on “Appearance,” then “Customize.” Click on each heading underneath to see what it does.
2. Use one of these to change something on your blog.

Week 22

1. Today add a contact form. I use this for my registration forms.
2. Add a new page.
3. Choose “contact.”  Choose one of the Contact form choices.
4. Change the fields. You can make people click on check boxes or write in answers. What would you want them to answer?
5. Publish if you like.

Week 23

1. Add a new post. In the main text box type Easy Peasy Homeschool.
2. Highlight it.
3. Click on the paperclip/chain link in the menu above the typing box.
4. Copy and paste this address into the top line. http://allinonehomeschool.com
5. Hit enter.
6. Click on the text for your link “Easy Peasy Homeschool.”  In the box that opens, click the box next to “open in a new tab”. Publish and view your post. Click on the link to make sure it works.

Week 24

1. Today delete your posts if they weren’t serious. My Sites, Blog Posts, Trash.
2. Write your first real post, what you want to share with the world.
3. When you are done, it will save automatically for you. You should leave it as a draft and not publish it yet.  You can click on “Save draft” at the top of the page near the Publish button.

Week 25

1. Reread your post. Go to My Site and click “Posts.”
2. Up at the top you have the option to view the list of Published posts and Drafts. Click “Drafts” and click the title of the post you created last time to edit it.
3. Fix what you want to fix.
4. Does it have a picture? It should. Find one and add it. But, you need to take your own or find a public domain photo.
5. Does it have any links? Try and add one.
6. You should add something to each post. Try to keep from just writing with nothing extra.

Week 26

1. Add tags for your post.
2. They describe your post so that people searching the internet can find you.

Week 27

1. Email the link to your blog to a few people and ask them to leave comments. In My Site under settings, click on “Comments.”
2. Decide on your settings. You probably want to approve comments before they appear on your blog.

Week 28

1. In your dashboard, click on “settings,” click on “general,” “writing,” and “reading” and adjust them as you wish.
2. On the General tab (under Settings) choose who you want to see your blog.
   • Decide whether your site is invite only or you want people to share it freely all over the world.

Week 29

1. Create another page or sticky post, something that will always be there.

Week 30

1. Under Appearance, click “customize” and then click on “Menus.”
2. Create a menu for your sidebar, options for people to choose from to help them get around your blog.  Follow the prompts to create a menu.

Week 31

1. Explore any other options on the left hand menu of the dashboard.

Week 32

1. Write a post draft.

Week 33

1. Edit your post. Make sure you include a picture. Publish.

Week 34

1. Make sure your blog reflects you and what you want to share. Now is the time to change it if it doesn’t. Write a draft post.

Week 35

1. Edit your post, finalize it and publish it.

Week 36

1. . Keep it up and let the world know what you are up to. Remember to use pictures in your posts and to always start with a draft.

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