Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 1

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Create and edit text documents.
• Format text with Bold, Italics, and Tables.
• Use tools like Find & Replace and Format Painter.
• Understand the importance of respecting intellectual property.

Lesson summary

In today's world, we have moved from writing everything by hand ('writowrito') to typing on computers. Whether you are preparing an assignment for your Core Science teacher, writing a letter to the SRC, or one day applying for a job at a company in Accra, how you present your information matters. A neat, well-organized, and error-free document is taken more seriously than a messy and confusing one. This lesson will give you the fundamental skills to use word processing software to make your documents look professional, clear, and impressive. These are not just computer skills; they are life skills for your future academic and professional success.

Lesson notes

A. Why Do We Create, Edit, and Format Documents?

Before we learn the *how*, we must understand the *why*. A plain, unformatted block of text is difficult to read and understand. Clarity and Readability: Proper formatting (like using headings, bold text, and paragraphs) breaks down information into manageable parts. It guides the reader's eye and makes the document easier to understand. Imagine reading a whole textbook with no chapters or headings! Professionalism and Credibility: A well-formatted document shows that you are careful, serious, and professional. An essay full of spelling mistakes and inconsistent formatting might make your teacher think you did not put in much effort. In the business world, a poorly formatted proposal or CV will likely be ignored. Efficiency and Organisation: Editing tools like 'Find and Replace' save a huge amount of time. Using 'Styles' helps to keep your document's structure organized, which is very useful for long reports or projects. B. Core Skills in Word Processing

We will use Microsoft Word as our main example, but these tools work very similarly in other programs like Google Docs. Creating and Editing Text Cut, Copy, and Paste: This is the foundation of editing. Copy (Ctrl + C): Duplicates selected text without removing the original. It's like taking a photocopy. Cut (Ctrl + X): Removes selected text from its original position to be placed elsewhere. It's like physically cutting a piece of paper out to move it. Paste (Ctrl + V): Inserts the last text you cut or copied into the new location where your cursor is.

*Example:* You wrote a sentence in the wrong paragraph. You can *select* the sentence, Cut it, move your cursor to the correct position, and then Paste it. Find and Replace (Ctrl + H): A powerful time-saving tool. Purpose: To search for a specific word or phrase in a document and automatically replace it with another. Example (Ghanaian Context): Imagine you wrote a report about your school and mistakenly typed the former Headmaster's name, "Mr. Ansong," throughout the 10-page document. The new Headmistress is "Mrs. Ofori." Instead of reading through all 10 pages, you can use Find and Replace. Find what: `Mr. Ansong` Replace with: `Mrs. Ofori` Click "Replace All," and the software will fix it instantly. Spelling & Grammar Check (F7 key or Review Tab): Purpose: To identify and help correct mistakes in spelling and grammar. How it works: A red wavy line indicates a potential spelling error (e.g., `techer` instead of `teacher`). A blue wavy line indicates a potential grammar error (e.g., "He go to school" instead of "He goes to school"). Important Note: The dictionary may not recognise Ghanaian names or local terms (like `kelewele` or `Waakye`), so it might mark them as errors. You must use your own judgement to "Ignore" the suggestion or "Add to Dictionary." Formatting Text and Paragraphs Bold (Ctrl + B) and Italic (Ctrl + I): Bold: Makes text thicker and darker. Used for headings, subheadings, and strong emphasis. Italic: Slants the text to the right. Used for emphasis, titles of books, foreign words, or scientific names. *Example:* Introduction to ICT The term *Information and Communications Technology* covers a wide range of tools. Format Painter: Purpose: To copy the formatting (font, size, colour, bold, etc.) from one piece of text to another. It's a massive time-saver for making your document look consistent. How to use: Select the text that has the formatting you like (e.g., your first heading). Click the Format Painter icon (looks like a paintbrush) on the Home tab. Your cursor will change to a paintbrush. Now, select the text you want to apply the formatting to. Styles: Purpose: A pre-defined set of formatting options for titles, headings, and normal text. Using styles ensures your entire document is consistent. How it works: Instead of manually making each heading Bold, size 16, and blue, you can just apply the "Heading 1" style. If you later decide all headings should be green, you only need to change the style once, and all your headings will update automatically! Find the Styles gallery on the Home tab (e.g., Normal, Heading 1, Heading 2, Title). Organising with Tables Purpose: Tables are used to present information in an organized grid of rows and columns. They are perfect for data, schedules, or comparisons. How to create a table: Go to the Insert tab. Click on Table. Drag your mouse over the grid to select the number of rows and columns you need. Example: Creating a simple timetable.

Evaluation guide

• Create, Edit and Format text and paragraphs (Cut, Copy, Bold, Italic,
• Tables, Find and Replace, Format Painter, S pelling & Grammar check,
• Styles) using desktop/online computing tools (word processing software
• e.g., MS W ord, Google D ocs) keyboard, mouse etc.