Text Formatting Focus

Overview

Students learn to create and format a short piece of text in Microsoft Word Online using common digital conventions. They will select appropriate fonts, sizes, colours, emphasis (bold/italics/underline) and alignments, then check their formatting against a success checklist.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• select and use Word Online tools to format text for a specific audience and purpose
• identify how formatting choices affect readability and meaning
• locate and apply formatting options (font, size, colour, bold, italics, underline, alignment) accurately

Success criteria

Students can:

• choose an appropriate font, font size and colour for readability
• apply bold, italics and underline correctly to highlight key information
• align text using left, centre and right options appropriately
• present a finished paragraph that matches the formatting checklist

Curriculum links

• Digital Technologies: select and use appropriate digital tools to create, locate and communicate content, applying common conventions
• Digital Technologies: demonstrate agreed behaviours when sharing or collaborating on digital work (if used for peer check)
• (Optional link during reflection) Design thinking and iteration in planning/creating designs using steps and revisions is supported through teacher feedback on the formatted paragraph (AC9TDI6P07 elaborations)

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and model. Teacher displays two short paragraphs: one with no formatting and one formatted with readable fonts, emphasis and alignment. Students notice differences and share which one is easier to read and why.

2. 5–12 min · Direct teach (Word Online tools). Teacher demonstrates, live on the screen, how to change: font type, font size, font colour, bold, italics, underline, and alignment. Students hold up fingers for each tool as it is shown, then repeat the name of the tool and its effect.

3. 12–20 min · Quick guided practice (micro-task). Teacher gives a prepared “draft paragraph” template on screen or on a handout for students to open in Word Online. Students work in pairs to apply only three changes first: set font + size, then make one sentence bold, then underline one phrase.

4. 20–32 min · Practical task (independent formatting). Students format their own paragraph (or the provided draft) to match the checklist. Teacher circulates and uses “show me” prompts (e.g., “Show me your alignment tool,” “Point to your colour choice and tell me why it helps readability”). Students save their work and prepare for a quick peer check.

5. 32–37 min · Peer check using success checklist. Students swap documents with a partner (or use teacher-directed sharing settings). Each student ticks the checklist items for the other person: readability choices, correct emphasis, and correct alignment.

6. 37–40 min · Exit reflection. Students complete a 1-minute written response in their book or chat to the teacher: “One formatting choice that improved readability was…” and “One thing I would fix next time is…”

Resources

• Computers/tablets with access to Microsoft Word Online
• Prepared paragraph template (print or digital) for students to format
• Teacher display showing font, size, colour, bold, italics, underline and alignment examples
• Student success checklist sheet (1 per student)
• Headphones optional for quiet independent work
• Timer visible to support pacing

Assessment

• Formative observation during guided practice: correct use of formatting tools and tool location in Word Online
• Peer checklist evidence: students accurately identify applied formatting (noting errors without editing for marks)
• Exit reflection: identifies one improvement and one next step linked to readability and purpose

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters on the checklist (“I used bold to…”, “I chose size/colour so…”), and a “formatting cheat sheet” showing where tools are located
• Support: small-group teacher check at minutes 20–25 for students who need help finding the toolbar options
• Extension: ask students to improve their paragraph by changing one formatting choice for style and justifying it (e.g., different alignment or an additional emphasis choice)
• EAL/SEN: allow use of a shorter paragraph length; pre-highlight key phrases so emphasis choices are clearer

Success checklist (student-facing)

• I used a readable font and appropriate font size.
• I used a sensible text colour (not overly bright or hard to read).
• I used bold to highlight an important sentence/idea.
• I used italics to highlight a key term or phrase.
• I used underline to emphasise only one or two key parts (not everything).
• My paragraph uses alignment intentionally (left, centre or right) and is easy to read.
• My final result matches the teacher’s paragraph requirements.