10 KiB
10 KiB
Weeks 4–6: Word Processing (Microsoft Word)
Hours: 6 (3 lectures)
Learning Objectives
- Create, save, and open Word documents
- Format text (fonts, sizes, styles, colors, alignment)
- Use paragraph formatting (spacing, indentation, lists)
- Insert and format images, tables, and other objects
- Use headers/footers, page numbers, and page layout settings
- Use spelling/grammar check, Find & Replace
- Print and export documents (PDF)
Lecture 4: Creating a Document
Key Concepts
The Word Interface
- Ribbon: Tabbed toolbar at the top (Home, Insert, Design, Layout, etc.)
- Quick Access Toolbar: Customizable shortcuts (Save, Undo, Redo)
- Ruler: Shows margins and tab stops
- Status Bar: Word count, page number, zoom
- Views: Print Layout (default), Read Mode, Web Layout
💡 Teaching idea: Do a "ribbon tour" — click through each tab and briefly show what lives there. Students follow along. This builds familiarity without memorizing.
Creating & Saving
- New blank document vs templates
- Save (Ctrl+S) vs Save As (new name/location/format)
- File formats: .docx (default), .pdf, .txt, .rtf
- AutoSave with OneDrive — explain what it is and when it helps
- File naming conventions: descriptive, no special characters, include date if versioning
Entering & Selecting Text
- Typing, Enter for new paragraph (not new line — Shift+Enter for line break)
- Selection techniques:
- Click and drag
- Double-click = select word
- Triple-click = select paragraph
- Ctrl+A = select all
- Cut (Ctrl+X), Copy (Ctrl+C), Paste (Ctrl+V)
- Undo (Ctrl+Z) and Redo (Ctrl+Y) — "your best friends"
💡 Common student mistake: Pressing Enter multiple times to create space instead of using paragraph spacing. Address this early.
Diagram Ideas
- Word Interface Labeled Screenshot — Annotated screenshot with callouts for Ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, Ruler, Status Bar, Document Area.
- Save vs Save As Flowchart — "First time saving?" → Save As. "Already saved and just updating?" → Save.
Slide Concepts
| Slide | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Title: "Getting Started with Word" |
| 2 | The Word Interface — labeled screenshot |
| 3 | Creating & Saving — Save vs Save As, file formats |
| 4 | Typing Tips — Enter vs Shift+Enter, selection shortcuts |
| 5 | Essential Shortcuts — table of Ctrl+S, C, V, X, Z, Y |
| 6 | Live Demo: Create a document from scratch |
Lecture 5: Formatting a Document
Key Concepts
Character Formatting (Home Tab → Font Group)
- Font family: serif (Times New Roman) vs sans-serif (Calibri, Arial)
- Font size: measured in points (12pt standard for body text)
- Bold (Ctrl+B), Italic (Ctrl+I), Underline (Ctrl+U)
- Font color, highlight, text effects
- Strikethrough, superscript, subscript
- Format Painter (paintbrush icon) — copy formatting from one selection to another
💡 Design tip: Limit to 2 fonts per document (one for headings, one for body). This is a real-world design principle worth teaching early.
Paragraph Formatting (Home Tab → Paragraph Group)
- Alignment: Left, Center, Right, Justify
- Line spacing: Single, 1.5, Double (and custom)
- Paragraph spacing: Space Before / Space After (use this instead of extra Enter keys!)
- Indentation: First line indent, hanging indent
- Bullets and numbering — and how to customize them
- Borders and shading
Styles
- Pre-built formatting combinations (Heading 1, Heading 2, Normal, etc.)
- Why styles matter: consistency, easy changes, accessibility, and they power the Table of Contents
- Modify existing styles or create custom ones
💡 Teaching idea: Give students an ugly, inconsistently formatted document. Have them fix it using ONLY styles (no manual formatting). Teaches the "right way" from the start.
Page Layout (Layout Tab)
- Margins (Normal, Narrow, Wide, Custom)
- Orientation: Portrait vs Landscape
- Paper size (Letter = 8.5" × 11")
- Columns (for newsletters, brochures)
- Page breaks vs section breaks
Diagram Ideas
- Serif vs Sans-Serif — Side-by-side examples with the serifs highlighted/circled.
- Paragraph Spacing Visual — Show the difference between "extra Enter keys" vs proper paragraph spacing.
- Styles Cascade — Heading 1 → Heading 2 → Heading 3 → Normal body text, showing the visual hierarchy.
- Margin Diagram — Page outline showing top, bottom, left, right margins with measurements.
Slide Concepts
| Slide | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Title: "Making It Look Good" |
| 2 | Font Basics — serif vs sans-serif, sizes, "2-font rule" |
| 3 | Bold, Italic, Underline — when to use each |
| 4 | Format Painter — demo |
| 5 | Paragraph Formatting — alignment, spacing, indentation |
| 6 | "Stop Pressing Enter!" — before/after of paragraph spacing |
| 7 | Styles — why they exist, how to use them |
| 8 | Page Layout — margins, orientation, columns |
| 9 | Activity: Fix the Ugly Document |
Lecture 6: Finalizing a Document
Key Concepts
Inserting Objects
- Images: Insert → Pictures (from file, online, stock). Resize, crop, text wrapping (inline, square, tight, behind text).
- Tables: Insert → Table. Add/delete rows and columns. Merge cells. Table styles.
- Shapes & Text Boxes: For callouts, diagrams, pull quotes.
- Headers & Footers: Consistent info on every page (name, date, page number).
- Page Numbers: Insert → Page Number (top, bottom, current position).
- Hyperlinks: Link to websites, other documents, or places in the same document.
Proofing & Review
- Spelling & Grammar Check: Review tab or red/blue squiggly lines. Right-click for suggestions.
- Find & Replace (Ctrl+H): Powerful — can replace text, formatting, special characters.
- Word Count: Status bar or Review → Word Count.
- Thesaurus: Right-click a word → Synonyms.
- Comments: Review → New Comment. For collaboration/feedback.
- Track Changes: Shows edits made by collaborators. Accept/Reject changes.
Printing & Exporting
- Print Preview (Ctrl+P) — always preview before printing!
- Print settings: pages, copies, double-sided, collate
- Export to PDF: File → Save As → PDF, or File → Export
- Why PDF? Looks the same everywhere, can't be easily edited, professional standard.
💡 Teaching idea: Have students peer-review each other's documents using Track Changes and Comments. Teaches the tool AND the skill of giving constructive feedback.
Diagram Ideas
- Text Wrapping Options — Same image shown with different wrapping styles (inline, square, tight, behind text) to show the visual difference.
- Track Changes Example — Before/after showing insertions (underlined color), deletions (strikethrough), and comments.
- Print Preview Checklist — Visual checklist: margins correct? Page breaks in right places? Headers/footers showing? Images not cut off?
Slide Concepts
| Slide | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Title: "Finishing Touches" |
| 2 | Inserting Images — resize, crop, text wrapping |
| 3 | Tables — creating, formatting, when to use them |
| 4 | Headers, Footers, Page Numbers |
| 5 | Spelling & Grammar — demo of proofing tools |
| 6 | Find & Replace — live demo with a real example |
| 7 | Track Changes & Comments — collaboration demo |
| 8 | Exporting to PDF — why and how |
| 9 | Print Preview Checklist |
Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ribbon | The tabbed toolbar at the top of the Word window containing commands organized by function |
| Quick Access Toolbar | Small customizable toolbar above the Ribbon for frequently used commands |
| Font | A set of characters with a consistent design (e.g., Calibri, Times New Roman) |
| Serif | Small decorative strokes at the ends of letter strokes (e.g., Times New Roman) |
| Sans-serif | Fonts without serifs; clean, modern look (e.g., Arial, Calibri) |
| Point (pt) | Unit of font size measurement; 72 points = 1 inch |
| Format Painter | Tool that copies formatting from one selection and applies it to another |
| Style | A named set of formatting attributes that can be applied to text for consistency |
| Line Spacing | The vertical distance between lines of text within a paragraph |
| Paragraph Spacing | Space added before or after a paragraph (measured in points) |
| Indentation | The distance text is offset from the margin (first line, hanging, left, right) |
| Margin | The blank space between the edge of the page and the document content |
| Orientation | Page direction: Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide) |
| Text Wrapping | How text flows around an inserted image or object |
| Header / Footer | Content that appears at the top/bottom of every page |
| Find & Replace | Tool to search for text (or formatting) and replace it throughout a document |
| Track Changes | Feature that marks all edits so they can be reviewed, accepted, or rejected |
| Portable Document Format; preserves exact layout across all devices and platforms | |
| Template | A pre-designed document with placeholder content and formatting |
| AutoSave | Automatic saving feature when working with OneDrive/SharePoint |
Activities & Assignments
In-Class
- Ribbon Scavenger Hunt: List of 15 features (e.g., "Where do you insert a table?" "Where is double spacing?"). Students race to find each one.
- Fix the Ugly Document: Provide a poorly formatted document. Students apply styles, fix spacing, add headers/footers, and export to PDF.
- Peer Review with Track Changes: Students swap documents and use Track Changes + Comments to review each other's work.
Homework / Projects
- Professional Letter: Write a formal business letter using proper formatting: block style, appropriate font, date, addresses, salutation, body, closing. Export as PDF.
- Newsletter or Flyer: Create a one-page document using columns, images, text wrapping, a table, and at least 3 different styles. Must include a header with a title and page border or shading.
- Resume Draft: Create a basic resume using tables or tabs for alignment, consistent styles, and appropriate formatting. This is a real-world artifact they can keep.
Discussion Questions
- Why does Microsoft default to Calibri (a sans-serif font) instead of Times New Roman?
- When would you use Track Changes vs just editing directly?
- Why should you export important documents as PDF instead of sending the .docx?
- What's the difference between pressing Enter and using paragraph spacing? Why does it matter?