Year 4 Ebook Creation (Teacher notes)
Pupil Activity Code: BC4W – What is it?
Progression of skills in this pack
1. Choose a suitable page shape and add a title and subtitle.
2. Change the background colour/texture of a page.
3. Add, resize and change the colour of a shape then copy and paste it.
4. Search for and add suitable images then resize and position them.
5. Create another page with a background, image, shapes and text.
6. Add an audio recording of the page text.
7. Use hyperlinks for navigation between the pages.
National Curriculum Content
Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals.
3-5 hours
👨🏫 Teacher input
There are many benefits to making eBooks in education. Ebook creation allows teachers and pupils to use a range of different content/tools (text, audio, drawings, video etc) and communicate this in a singular document. Watch the video introduction below (in the teacher view of the pupil activity pack) together and pause the video at about 30 seconds and ask pupils to think of the disadvantages of traditional paper books. Then pause again around 1 minute 50 seconds so pupils can think of the advantages of ebooks. You may also want to watch the other tutorials together with pupils and discuss the skills.
Pupils can also create ebooks to share their learning in many different ways, giving them the confidence to communicate their knowledge.
eBook creation can knit together many aspects of the Computing curriculum. On its own it would fit into the Key Stage 1 objective to “use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content” and the similar Key Stage 2 objective to “create content to accomplish goals.”
🛠 What will teachers and pupils need?
This activity pack uses Book Creator, which works online on any device (there is also an app but the web-version is better for assessing pupil ebooks). Teachers can create an account, then make a library for pupils books. Pupils can join the library by being invited by the teacher. Pupil can use either Google, Microsoft or other accounts to join but if pupils do not have email addresses then can use a QR Code. There is information about this here but we have also made a video showing how to setup a library and pupils logins below.
🚦 Differentiation
Books can also be assigned to pupils, such as template books to give pupils a structure. For the activity below, for less able pupils teachers could make a book with the prompts for the book review. There is info about assigning books here. The final activity below (hyperlinks) is very much an extension task for the more able.
✅ Assessment
The assessment grid below includes outcomes from each of the activities in the pupil activity packs to match pupils against.
🏅Certificates
Below is a certificate of completion for pupils that can be edited in Microsoft Word and printed. This could be awarded if you feel pupils have demonstrated the skills taught in the pupil activity pack.
Pupil Activity Pack (Teacher view)
The activity pack guides pupils through creating an interactive book library of book reviews so pupils may want to think about what books they would like to review before they start.
(You may want to watch these videos below together as a class before pupils try the activity pack themselves – see pupil activity code above)
What is an ebook? Introduction tutorial
Watch the video to learn about ebooks, including the advantages and disadvantages over traditional paper books.
1. Start your book and add text
Watch the video to learn how to start your ebook and choose the page shape. Then add text to your front cover, position it then change the size, colour and alignment.
2. Page background
Watch the video to learn how to change the background of your page, such as colour or texture. This will be the background of your bookshelf.
3. Shapes
Watch the video to learn how to add shapes to your page, then change their shape and colour. The video also demonstrates how to copy and paste the shapes to speed up the process.
Tip
When moving the shapes, use the guidelines (below) to position the shapes in the centre of the page.
4. Images
Watch the video to learn how to add images of book front covers to your page using the built-in Google images. Try to fill your shelf with books you have read that you could review.
5. Book review page
Click on the arrow on the right-hand side of the page to add a new page. On the new page, add a book front cover using the images and then use the text tool to added your review. Try to include a:
– Summary of the plot.
– Your review, including what you like/dislike and who you would recommend it to.
– Use the shapes tool to add a star rating. 5 = amazing, 1 = terrible.
– Change the colour/texture of the page to suit the book.
Repeat this for the books you have on your shelf on your front cover.
6. Adding sound (optional)
Watch the video to learn how to add an audio recording of your review. The video also demonstrates how to hide the audio icon to use an image to play it. (You will need a microphone on your device or computer to do this)
7. Hyperlinks
Watch the video to learn how to add hyperlinks to the images on your front cover, so that when they are selected, the reader goes to the correct book review page. Then add a hyperlink back to the front cover.
Once you have done this for one book review, can you repeat the steps for the other book covers, making sure you link to the different pages?
