Mouse and Keyboard Skills – EYFS/Year 1 (Teacher notes)
Pupil Activity Code: RK44 – What is it?
Progression of skills in this pack
1. Move the mouse or trackpad and left click to select an object. (Activity 1)
2. Drag and drop with mouse or trackpad to move objects around the screen. (Activity 2)
3. Use double click or double tap (Activity 3)
4. Find letters or numbers on keyboard. (Activity 4)
5. Begin touch typing with home row keys. (Activity 5)
Time
4-6 hours
Introduction
Mouse and physical keyboard skills have become more and more challenging to teach, mainly due to the increased use of tablet computers and touch screen in homes. However, they are still important skills, helping pupils use a range of computers now and in the future. The fact that Apple have now added support for a mouse to the iPad exemplifies this – many tasks just need a cursor! The same applies to keyboard skills and typing with a physical keyboard, using all fingers (touch typing) should be practised by pupils as often as possible.
If you want to make your onscreen cursor bigger to help pupils with mouse control then follow the instructions for Windows here, Chromebook here and Apple Mac here.
What will teachers/pupils need?
Internet access for the websites outlined below (note some of the websites take a few second to load) and the pupil activity pack to help find the websites quicker (see code above).
Teacher input
Watch the video below, which introduces the mouse/trackpad and how we use it.
For each of the pupil activities below, you could demonstrate the activities to your class. For the typing you may want to show pupils where some of the important keys are and what they do – home row (middle row of keys), space bar for putting a space between words, return key for starting a new line and the arrow keys, which can be used for scrolling up and down in web-pages.
Differentiation
For keyboard skills, pupils may find it difficult to recognise capital letters on standard physical keyboards – Keyboards with lower case and upper case letters can help with this. Within each of the pupil activities below, there is additional tasks for the more able to move onto and demonstrate the skill further.
Assessment
If you would like to assess the mouse skills below more than observing pupils completing the activities or photos/screenshots then you can create accounts for your pupils using the website in activity 5. This is covered in a video tutorial in our Key Stage 1 Programming Activity Pack and you could assign Course A 2019 and turn off all the lessons apart from the 2. Learn to drag and drop.
Mouse and Trackpad
Watch the video to learn about a mouse and trackpad and how we can use them to control a computer.
Monster Eyes
Move the mouse and left click the monster’s eyes to match the number! Click the arrow when you are done to try another monster.
Reveal the picture!
Left click and drag across the screen to reveal the picture. Once you have done the first one, click the arrow to try another picture.
Left click and drag the dragon around the screen without touching the walls to collect the food. The quicker you are the more points you get!
Use your left click and drag skills to complete the different jigsaws.
Use your click and drag skills to drag between the numbers to complete the dot-to-dot. Once you have completed one picture, click the arrow to try another.
Use your mouse skills to work through the different puzzles. (Click Level 1 next to Learn to Drag and Drop if needed)
Watch the video to learn about double clicking and double tapping, then try the activity.
Double click on the cards to match them up!
Find the correct letters or numbers by clicking the key on the screen or using your keyboard.
Try to type the words to make the ghosts disappear.
The home row keys are the middle row of keys. Try the activity below by going to number 1, watch the instructions and then try typing the home row letters and words.
(Try to use all your fingers and use your thumb for the space bar)