Questions / instructions:
Students first worked through a practice programme, MacMoves, which gave practice with pointing using the mouse, clicking, scrolling, and closing windows.
Start up the computer so that the 'Home page' is showing on the screen. Set the timer for 8 minutes. Do NOT start the timer yet.
In this activity you are going to use the New Zealand Encyclopedia on the computer. You are going to look for information about some animals.
Here is a cue card with hints about using the encyclopedia. [see MacMoves]
Hand student the encyclopedia cue card and read the yellow words in boxes 1 & 2.
Have student put on headphones.
Now click on the yellow "Encyclopedia" button and follow the instructions.

Wait (and help) while student works through introduction to scrolling, etc. Start timer.

1. Using the topic button, can you find information on bees?
Hand student card with word "Bees".
Tell me when you've found information on bees.

Always allow time for them to figure it out themselves.
Prompt if student doesn't:

• click on topic button:
   Click on the topics button.

• scroll to find topic:
   Type the word "bees".

• click on word "bees"
   Click on the word "bees".

Hand student card with word "Crabs". Always allow time for them to figure it out themselves.

Commentary:
About half of the year 4 students were able to use the hardware and software without help, after practice with the basic operations (pointing the mouse, clicking, scrolling, closing windows). Most of the remainder succeeded with limited teacher prompts. About 5 percent did not reach the second task (crabs) because of lack of understanding and/or the time limit.