Word Processing & Desktop

Publishing
Edit

To make changes in a document

Save

To store information for later use on a floppy

disk, hard drive or CD

Bold

A style of text that makes a letter or word

stand out in a document

Select

To choose part of a document to work with

by dragging over it with the mouse to
highlight the text

Font

The name given to the different ways text

can look

Alignment The way the text is set up (justification) on a

page

Format

To set the margins, tabs, font or line spacing

in a document

Print

To put what is on the computer screen on

paper. It creates a hard copy of the
document

Text

The term given to the words on a page

Line
Spacing

The distance between lines of text

Divide the class into pairs. Students will work together using a
word processing program to summarize a chapter in Social Studies
or Science. Students will use bullets and make each point a
different font or font style.
Students will use a word processing program to write a letter to
an elected official encouraging them to vote for or against an
issue important to them.
Divide into pairs. Each student will use a word processing program
to create a study guide for an upcoming test. It could be in any

content area. Students will then print and switch with their
partner.
Word Process a letter to the Step Mother in the fairy tale
"Cinderella" persuading her to treat Cinderella with respect. It
should also state reasons why she should let Cinderella go to the
ball with her stepsisters.
Students will use a word processing program to publish a report on
a topic currently being studied in any subject area. Reports should
include a centered title, more than one paragraph and clip art.
All students are at a computer in a lab. Give a one sentence
prompt or story starter. Students have 3 minutes to key in as
many lines as possible to continue the story. Call time and students
move down one seat and start the time over. Alert students when
it is the last 3 minutes so the conclusion to the story can be
written. Share the stories with the class. The same activity can be
done with one computer. Students would rotate to the one
computer from their seat.
Take a topic currently being discussed in Social Studies or
Science. Each student is to design and publish an original brochure
advertising his or her topic. It should include text using different
fonts, sizes and styles. It must also include a graphic.