Today you will
- practise every kind of mouse click, and drag-and-drop
- use six keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl or Cmd with C, V, X, Z, S and A
- open, close, minimise, maximise and switch windows
- rate yourself on ten basic operations
Warm-up
Think about the last time you copied something and pasted it somewhere else. Did you use a menu or a keyboard shortcut?
A click selects something. A double-click opens it. A right-click opens a short menu of actions, like Rename.
Drag-and-drop means you hold down the button on an item, move it, and let go.
A keyboard shortcut is a key combo that does a job for you. On Windows and Chromebook you use {{kbd:Ctrl}}. On a Mac you use {{kbd:Cmd}}.
Window controls let you minimise, maximise, switch and close apps.
Example
Press {{kbd:Ctrl+S}} halfway through your Work Experience thank-you note, and your work is saved.
You will practise clicks, shortcuts and window controls in a simple text app. Watch your teacher's demo first. Then open the tab for your computer and follow the steps in the box below.
This is the practice sentence you will type:
If something doesn't work, look at Common issues in the next step.
Common issues
- Right-click does nothing on a trackpad. Tap with two fingers. On a Chromebook, you can also hold {{key:Alt}} and click.
- A shortcut does nothing. Click inside the window first. On a Mac, use {{kbd:Cmd}}, not {{kbd:Ctrl}}.
- A file went into the wrong folder. Press {{kbd:Ctrl+Z}} or {{kbd:Cmd+Z}} straight away, or drag it back.
- There's no Text app on your Chromebook. Open a blank cloud document instead.
Independent Practice
- Go to {{code:onedrive.com}} or {{code:drive.google.com}} and open {{code:Project_Portfolio}}.
- Click {{btn:New}} and make a Word or Google Docs document.
- Name it {{code:01_fluency_check}}. Your teacher will check the name.
- When your teacher starts the timer, do the ten operations below once, in order.
- Paste the list into your file and write a rating after each one.
Fluency check: ten operations Rate each: confident / getting there / need practice 1. Single-click to select: 2. Double-click to open: 3. Right-click for a context menu: 4. Drag-and-drop to move an item: 5. Copy (Ctrl/Cmd+C): 6. Paste (Ctrl/Cmd+V): 7. Cut (Ctrl/Cmd+X): 8. Undo (Ctrl/Cmd+Z): 9. Select all (Ctrl/Cmd+A): 10. Save (Ctrl/Cmd+S): One operation I will keep drilling: (If every rating is confident, write one sentence, e.g. I use these daily on my phone and school laptop.)
- {{code:01_fluency_check}} is saved in {{code:Project_Portfolio}}.
- All ten operations have a rating.
- My ratings are honest.
- The last line names one operation I will keep practising.
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