Designing Web Pages
Updated: July 16, 2004
What's in this Lesson:
Lesson Overview
Teacher Technology Tutorials
Teacher Guide (including How to Begin)
Resources
Lesson Overview
Curriculum Connections: Social Science, Science, Language Arts
Standards Connections: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards
| • | National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS): | • | I.A: Teachers demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology. | | • | II.A: Teachers design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners. | | • | III.A: Teachers facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards. |
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| • | National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS): | • | Grades 3-5 NETS Performance Indicator 5: Use technology tools (for example, multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools, digital cameras, and scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. | | • | Grades 6-8 NETS Performance Indicator 6: Design, develop, publish, and present products (for example, Web pages, videotapes) using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom. | | • | Grades 9-12 Performance Indicator 8: Select and apply technology tools for research, information analysis, problem solving, and decision making in content learning. |
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Required Software: Microsoft Word 2000, Microsoft PowerPoint 2000
Teacher Technology Tutorials
Teacher Guide
Summary:
Overarching Question: How can the "instant publishing" capabilities of Web pages be used to share original projects and ideas or communicate important information?
The Internet has become a daily part of most students' lives and is used increasingly to gather information. The ability to design their own Web page to deliver information empowers students to think critically about this resource.
It is not necessary to be able to format HTML data to create a Web page. In fact, you can turn a document created in most Microsoft Office programs into a Web page by selecting the Web Page option found in the File menu. This tutorial teaches you how to create basic Web pages in Microsoft Word.
Objectives:
| • | Knowledge | • | Students will gain knowledge of how Web pages are constructed and navigated. | | • | Students will gain appreciation for linking of text and images to enhance the sharing of information. |
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| • | Skills | • | Students will develop skills in creating and editing information in a manner that is suitable for Web delivery. | | • | Students will develop skills in linking text and images, and creating other visual or interactive elements to enhance delivery of information. |
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Prerequisite Skills:
| • | Use of basic Microsoft Word features. |
| • | Familiarity with word processing and copying and pasting of text and images. |
| • | Comfort with saving files to shared folder on computer or network. |
Time Allotted:
| • | Preparing the project (2-3 class periods) |
| • | Creating the project (2-3 class periods) |
| • | Finalizing the project (1-2 class periods) |
| • | Presenting and reflecting (2 class periods) |
How to Begin:
1. | Preparing the Project (2-3 class periods) | • | Select a curricular area or overarching question that will be the emphasis of the project. | | • | Decide on assessment of the project and create a rubric. | | • | Demonstrate a sample Web page project and share how tools within Word will be used to create final product. | | • | Teacher and students create guiding questions to help create a focus for inquiry. | | • | Teams research and gather information (text and images). |
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2. | Creating the Project (2-3 class periods) | • | Project text is drafted in Word. All documents should be saved in a folder within the student's network folder (students can also back up files to disk). This project folder will contain all the files used in this project and should have a simple name (lower case letters with no spaces). | | • | Images should be gathered and saved in the same project folder. Student-created images should be encouraged (photographs, maps, icons, charts, and other image forms). These should be digitized and saved in the student folder for later use. |
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3. | Finalizing the Project (1-2 class periods) | • | Students format and finalize text and images to use in their Web page. | | • | Students add functionality to their Web page by adding links that will enhance the user's interaction and experience with the topic. | | • | Upon final review by team and teacher, projects are prepared for class viewing. | | • | Students present their Web page to the class. |
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4. | Assessments | • | Checking for Understanding-Ask Your Students | • | How did you select the information or images you decided to include? | | • | How do you think images and other graphical elements change the way the audience perceives your content? | | • | Why did you place text and images where you did? How did you compel visitors to view all your pages? | | • | Does placement, size, or color change the understanding or credibility of certain messages? | | • | Do you consider information more or less trustworthy if you find it on the Internet? | | • | What ethical issues need to be taken into consideration when publishing information on the Internet? |
| | • | Project Rubrics Project rubrics are an essential evaluation tool. Ideally, rubrics are available to students at the start of a project and they are used to evaluate projects created by teachers. They are also used to evaluate other projects so that students can have a context for what is expected of them. Rubrics should be discussed frequently throughout the project and used as an on-going evaluation tool for self, peer, and teacher assessments. A good source for rubrics is Rubistar. Visit the Rubistar Web site at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php. | | • | Student Reflection Student reflection is a vital element in any assessment. Make sure that time is allocated at the end of the project to reflect on processes and products. Some questions you can ask are: | • | How have Web pages and the Internet changed the way people communicate and find information? | | • | Compare and contrast how text formatting and page layout designs for printed text and Web pages. Do people read Web pages in the same way they read a book? | | • | What did I learn? What did I do well? What would I change? Next time I want to... |
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Teacher Tips
| • | Create a project of your own to use for demonstration then share the process with the class. |
| • | It is also helpful to display student projects from prior years if they are available. |
| • | Align your project to your curriculum and state standards and create an assessment rubric for your project. (Visit the Rubistar Web site at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php for more information.) |
| • | In the week prior to project have students look over the layout of Web pages. Students can save and open pages from Word to see how they are constructed. Discuss about the use of tables in Web pages and have students sketch the page layout (table) of a favorite site with pencil and paper. |
| • | Help students set up their calendar by "backtracking" from the final due date and setting deadlines for separate project elements. |
| • | Send out a message to parents letting them know of project expectations and due dates. |
| • | Create a series of mini-lessons to address skills and knowledge needed to complete the project. |
| • | Allow time to meet with individuals or teams 2-3 times each week to assess progress and assist in problem solving. Make this an assessment time by checking off and scoring completed elements. |
| • | Be sure to plan for differentiation or modification as needed for your diverse group of learners. |
| • | Consider uploading the projects to your classroom Web site to share with parents and community. |
Grade Level Ideas
For Elementary Students
| • | Create a class Web page that describes current class activities, lessons, and accomplishments. |
| • | Create a Web page that describes the role of rules and laws in our daily lives. |
| • | Create a Web page that examines a significant scientific discovery. How did this discovery affect people of the time and what is its continued impact in our world today. (Hint: Provide Web site links to any products or services that have resulted from this scientific discovery.) |
For Middle School Students
| • | Create a Web page that advocates the preservation of an endangered species, including descriptions of its habitat and threats to its survival. |
| • | Create a Web page to review a novel. Include sections about the main character, themes, information about the author, and your opinion. |
| • | Create a Web page comparing and contrasting government branches at local, county, and national levels. |
For High School Students:
| • | Create a Web page that analyzes the use of archetypes drawn from myth and tradition in literature, film, political speeches, or religious writings by authors from three different centuries. |
| • | Create a Web page that discusses the meaning and importance of each of the rights guaranteed under the United States of America's Bill of Rights. |
| • | Create a Web page that describes the genetic basis for Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment. |
Resources
Pictures for Desktop Publishing
Offers clip art and photographs.
Free Graphics
Provides a range of graphical images.
Microsoft Encarta Reference Library
Offers photographs, historical timelines, graphics, and text on virtually any subject.
National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T)
This Web site provides technology standards and information about technology integration.
