KBasic KeyboardingVirginia CTE Elective

Teacher pages

Lesson Plans & Virginia Documentation

Course: Learning Basic Keyboarding · Grades 6-8 · 9 weeks · 0.5 elective credit equivalent · 15-20 minutes per instructional day, approximately 45-60 hours of total seat time including documents and assessments.

Lionel E. Bryant, course teacher

Lionel E. Bryant

Virginia licensed teacher · Business & Information Technology

Teaches Intro to Game Design, Make It Your Business, and Discovering Business & IT

Virginia home instruction alignment

  • Criteria for providing instruction: Option II — the parent-instructor meets the qualifications of a teacher as prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education (holds a Virginia teaching license). Option III is also satisfied, since this course is a defined program of study delivered through a distance/online program.
  • Notice of intent: file annually with the local school division by August 15, listing "Keyboarding (Career & Technical Education elective)" among the subjects to be studied.
  • Evidence of progress (due August 1): submit an evaluation letter from a person licensed to teach — this course generates the supporting data (pretest baseline, weekly speed test scores, module checkpoints, posttest, and student documents) that the letter references.
  • Records retained by the instructor: printed pretest and posttest score pages, the weekly practice log, the Module 4 letter and report, and the completed competency checklist below.

Course competencies (CTE keyboarding)

Check each competency when the student demonstrates it at the module checkpoint.

Module 1 — Weeks 1-2

  • Demonstrate proper keyboarding posture and technique.
  • Identify the parts of the keyboard and the home row key positions.
  • Apply touch keyboarding to alphabetic keys.

Module 2 — Weeks 3-4

  • Apply touch keyboarding technique to all alphabetic keys.
  • Key text with increasing speed and accuracy.
  • Proofread and correct keyed text.

Module 3 — Weeks 5-6

  • Key numbers and symbols using correct technique.
  • Apply correct punctuation and spacing rules to keyed text.
  • Key business data such as figures, dates, and addresses accurately.

Module 4 — Weeks 7-9

  • Key continuous copy with speed and accuracy appropriate to grade level.
  • Produce and format basic business and personal documents.
  • Assess personal progress and set improvement goals.
  • Demonstrate safe, ergonomic, and ethical use of technology.

The four lesson plans

Lesson Plan 1 · Weeks 1-2 · Goal 15 wpm

Home Row & Correct Technique

Objectives — the student will

  • • Place both hands on the home row without looking at the keyboard.
  • • Name the finger that controls each home row key.
  • • Demonstrate correct posture: feet flat, back straight, wrists level, eyes on screen.
  • • Type home row letter groups with at least 90% accuracy.

Materials

Computer with a physical keyboard, this online course, on-screen keyboard map (Module 1 only), practice log, and a printed copy of this plan.

Instructional sequence (15-20 minutes per day)

  1. Warm-up and posture check (30 seconds): Posture check (30 seconds): feet flat, hips back in the chair, elbows near your sides, fingers curved. Rest index fingers on F and J and feel the raised bumps.
  2. Direct instruction (2-3 minutes): demonstrate the new reaches — a s d f j k l ; and the space bar — naming the controlling finger for each.
  3. Guided drills: Anchor Drill (3 min, Index and middle fingers); Full Home Row (4 min, All eight fingers); Words & Spacing (5 min, Thumb on the space bar).
  4. Independent one minute speed test: One Minute: Home Row Sprint.
  5. Closure (1 minute): student logs score and writes one sentence on what got easier.

Assessment

Automatic capture of words per minute and accuracy on each drill and speed test, plus the checkpoint: Type the Full Home Row drill with 90% accuracy or better, without looking down at your hands.

Differentiation & accommodation

Accuracy before speed — a student below 90% accuracy repeats the drill at a slower pace instead of advancing. Extend the module by one week if the checkpoint is not met. Allow extra breaks, larger on-screen text, or a keyboard cover for students who peek. Advanced students may retype their own writing as bonus copy.

Virginia competencies addressed

  • • Demonstrate proper keyboarding posture and technique.
  • • Identify the parts of the keyboard and the home row key positions.
  • • Apply touch keyboarding to alphabetic keys.

Lesson Plan 2 · Weeks 3-4 · Goal 20 wpm

Top & Bottom Rows

Objectives — the student will

  • • Reach to top and bottom row keys and return to home row by touch.
  • • Type complete sentences using all alphabetic keys.
  • • Maintain 90% accuracy while typing without looking at the keys.
  • • Track personal words-per-minute progress across sessions.

Materials

Computer with a physical keyboard, this online course, no on-screen keyboard (removed after Module 1), practice log, and a printed copy of this plan.

Instructional sequence (15-20 minutes per day)

  1. Warm-up and posture check (30 seconds): Home row reset (30 seconds): type asdf jkl; four times with your eyes closed, then open your eyes and check what you typed.
  2. Direct instruction (2-3 minutes): demonstrate the new reaches — q w e r t y u i o p and z x c v b n m — naming the controlling finger for each.
  3. Guided drills: Upward Reaches (3 min, Top row); Downward Reaches (4 min, Bottom row); Whole Alphabet Sentences (5 min, All rows).
  4. Independent one minute speed test: One Minute: All Rows.
  5. Closure (1 minute): student logs score and writes one sentence on what got easier.

Assessment

Automatic capture of words per minute and accuracy on each drill and speed test, plus the checkpoint: Reach 20 words per minute at 90% accuracy on the one minute test.

Differentiation & accommodation

Accuracy before speed — a student below 90% accuracy repeats the drill at a slower pace instead of advancing. Extend the module by one week if the checkpoint is not met. Allow extra breaks, larger on-screen text, or a keyboard cover for students who peek. Advanced students may retype their own writing as bonus copy.

Virginia competencies addressed

  • • Apply touch keyboarding technique to all alphabetic keys.
  • • Key text with increasing speed and accuracy.
  • • Proofread and correct keyed text.

Lesson Plan 3 · Weeks 5-6 · Goal 25 wpm

Numbers, Symbols & Punctuation

Objectives — the student will

  • • Key the number row by touch using correct finger reaches.
  • • Use the shift keys for capitals and symbols without breaking rhythm.
  • • Apply correct spacing after punctuation marks.
  • • Key addresses, prices, dates, and email addresses accurately.

Materials

Computer with a physical keyboard, this online course, no on-screen keyboard (removed after Module 1), practice log, and a printed copy of this plan.

Instructional sequence (15-20 minutes per day)

  1. Warm-up and posture check (30 seconds): Shift practice (30 seconds): type Aa Ss Dd Ff Jj Kk Ll using the opposite-hand shift key each time.
  2. Direct instruction (2-3 minutes): demonstrate the new reaches — 1-0, shift, caps lock, . , ? ! ' " @ # $ % & ( ) - — naming the controlling finger for each.
  3. Guided drills: Number Row Reaches (3 min, Numbers 1-0); Punctuation Rhythm (4 min, Shift and punctuation); Real World Data (5 min, Symbols and figures).
  4. Independent one minute speed test: One Minute: Mixed Keys.
  5. Closure (1 minute): student logs score and writes one sentence on what got easier.

Assessment

Automatic capture of words per minute and accuracy on each drill and speed test, plus the checkpoint: Key the Real World Data drill with 95% accuracy, then proofread and correct any remaining errors.

Differentiation & accommodation

Accuracy before speed — a student below 90% accuracy repeats the drill at a slower pace instead of advancing. Extend the module by one week if the checkpoint is not met. Allow extra breaks, larger on-screen text, or a keyboard cover for students who peek. Advanced students may retype their own writing as bonus copy.

Virginia competencies addressed

  • • Key numbers and symbols using correct technique.
  • • Apply correct punctuation and spacing rules to keyed text.
  • • Key business data such as figures, dates, and addresses accurately.

Lesson Plan 4 · Weeks 7-9 · Goal 30 wpm

Speed, Accuracy & Document Basics

Objectives — the student will

  • • Key continuous paragraph copy for one minute at 30 wpm with 95% accuracy.
  • • Use tab, enter, and backspace efficiently while composing.
  • • Format a short personal business letter and a one page report.
  • • Evaluate personal progress from pretest to posttest and set a next goal.

Materials

Computer with a physical keyboard, this online course, no on-screen keyboard (removed after Module 1), practice log, and a printed copy of this plan.

Instructional sequence (15-20 minutes per day)

  1. Warm-up and posture check (30 seconds): Accuracy first (30 seconds): type one sentence slowly with zero errors before you attempt any speed work.
  2. Direct instruction (2-3 minutes): demonstrate the new reaches — Review of all keys, plus tab, enter, backspace, and editing keys — naming the controlling finger for each.
  3. Guided drills: Common Word Chains (3 min, High frequency words); Paragraph Endurance (5 min, Continuous copy); Document Lines (5 min, Business formatting).
  4. Independent one minute speed test: One Minute: Final Sprint.
  5. Closure (1 minute): student logs score and writes one sentence on what got easier.

Assessment

Automatic capture of words per minute and accuracy on each drill and speed test, plus the checkpoint: Complete the posttest at 30 wpm or better with 95% accuracy, then write two sentences about your growth.

Differentiation & accommodation

Accuracy before speed — a student below 90% accuracy repeats the drill at a slower pace instead of advancing. Extend the module by one week if the checkpoint is not met. Allow extra breaks, larger on-screen text, or a keyboard cover for students who peek. Advanced students may retype their own writing as bonus copy.

Virginia competencies addressed

  • • Key continuous copy with speed and accuracy appropriate to grade level.
  • • Produce and format basic business and personal documents.
  • • Assess personal progress and set improvement goals.
  • • Demonstrate safe, ergonomic, and ethical use of technology.

Pacing guide

WeekModuleFocus
1Module 1Pretest, posture, home row anchors (f, j, d, k)
2Module 1Full home row words, first one minute speed test
3Module 2Top row reaches, return-to-home-row habit
4Module 2Bottom row reaches, whole alphabet sentences (goal 20 wpm)
5Module 3Number row by touch, shift key control
6Module 3Punctuation, symbols, real world data (goal 25 wpm)
7Module 4Word chains, paragraph endurance, proofreading
8Module 4Tab and enter, personal business letter, short report
9Module 4Posttest, progress reflection, portfolio of saved work

Grading & benchmarks

  • Daily drills completed (logged automatically)30%
  • Weekly one minute speed tests20%
  • Module checkpoints20%
  • Documents produced in Module 415%
  • Posttest growth from pretest baseline15%

Benchmarks by module: 15 wpm (M1), 20 wpm (M2), 25 wpm (M3), 30 wpm (M4) — each at 90% accuracy or better, with 95% expected on the posttest. Growth from the pretest baseline, not raw speed, is the primary indicator of adequate educational progress.