Teacher: Ms. Kenya Akins

School: John R. Griffin Middle School
Grade: 6th
Week of: Jan 19–23, 2026
Subject: Technology (Keyboarding Basics)

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Weekly Focus

Build foundational keyboarding skills emphasizing ergonomic posture, home row mastery, and finger reach to top and bottom rows aimed at moving 6th graders from "hunt-and-peck" to confident muscle memory typing.

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Tuesday, Jan 20: Foundation & Home Row

Learning Objective

Students will master proper hand placement on the home row keys (ASDF, JKL;) and demonstrate ergonomic posture to improve keyboarding accuracy and fluency.
Aligned Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6.6: Use technology, including keyboarding skills, to produce and publish writing.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions, emphasizing practice and repetition.

Success Criteria

• Demonstrates correct posture: feet flat, back straight, elbows at 90°
• Identifies tactile "bumps" on F and J keys
• Types "asdf jkl;" 20 times without looking at the keys

Materials Needed

• Keyboards for each student
• Ergonomic posture poster
• Whiteboard or projector for modeling finger placement

Lesson Breakdown (4 minutes)

Time	Activity
0:00–0:30	Posture Check: Quick reminder and demonstration of ergonomic posture using visual aids.
0:30–1:30	Introduction to Home Row: Show students the F and J "bumps," explain fingers assignment, and model.
1:30–3:30	Typing Drill: Students type "asdf jkl;" repeatedly 20 times while keeping eyes on the screen.
3:30–4:00	Reflection & Recap: Students share one “I can” statement: “I can find the home keys without looking.”

Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Visual hand overlays on keyboards for tactile learners; pairing students to model
• Extension: Challenge advanced typists to increase drill to 30 repetitions focusing on speed without errors
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Use high-contrast, dyslexia-friendly fonts on poster materials; limit visual clutter

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Wednesday, Jan 21: Reaching Higher (Top Row)

Learning Objective

Students will use correct finger movement to reach the top row keys (QWERTYUIOP) without lifting wrists and return “home” to the base position.
Aligned Standards:

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7: Look for and make use of structure (muscle-memory patterns).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: Participate in discussions using oral rehearsal to reinforce learning.

Success Criteria

• Demonstrates “reach and snap back” finger movement without wrist lifting
• Accurately identifies finger assignments for top-row keys during "Human Keyboard" activity

Materials Needed

• Floor space to organize students by finger
• Visual aids chart of finger-key mapping
• Verbal prompts for “Human Keyboard” activity

Lesson Breakdown (4 minutes)

Time	Activity
0:00–0:30	Review Home Row Anchors: Reinforce finger positions on home row.
0:30–1:00	Direct Instruction: Demonstrate finger reach to top row keys and snapping back with wrists still.
1:00–3:30	Human Keyboard Game: Students assigned finger roles respond quickly to letter calls (e.g., R, P, Y).
3:30–4:00	Wrap-Up: Students verbalize "I can use my fingers to reach top keys without wrist movement."

Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Smaller group sizes for the Human Keyboard game to reduce wait times
• Extension: Students create their own “finger workout” drill sequences
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Clear, auditory instructions and repeated practice to reduce decoding stress

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Thursday, Jan 22: Bottom Row & Timed Test

Learning Objective

Students will introduce bottom row (ZXCVBNM,.) typing while maintaining wrist posture and complete a timed 3-minute typing test to measure WPM and accuracy.
Aligned Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6.6: Use technology, keyboard skills to publish writing with increasing fluency.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.MP4: Model with mathematics: track WPM and percent accuracy as data points.

Success Criteria

• Correctly locates and types bottom row keys maintaining wrist position
• Completes 3-minute typing test logging WPM and accuracy accurately in tracker

Materials Needed

• Computers with Typing.com or EduTyping access
• Typing Tracker spreadsheet (printed and digital)
• Wrist positioning reminder posters

Lesson Breakdown (15 minutes total, can be broken into parts)

Time	Activity
0:00–2:00	Introduction: Instructor models bottom row keys and wrist positioning.
2:00–3:00	Warm-up: Students practice bottom row keys with short drills.
3:00–15:00	3-Minute Timed Typing Test: Students complete a timed test, then immediately enter WPM and accuracy.
15:00–16:00	Sharing: Students pair-share their WPM and accuracy, discussing posture or strategies for improvement.

Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Extended time or simplified text for students who struggle
• Extension: Challenge to maintain 95% or higher accuracy over two tests
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Display dyslexia-friendly fonts during timed test and use color-coded finger guides

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Friday, Jan 23: Keyboarding Games & Review

Learning Objective

Students will reinforce typing speed and accuracy through engaging keyboarding games, fostering motivation and collaborative learning.
Aligned Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions and feedback loops.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6.6: Use technological tools to review work and increase fluency.

Success Criteria

• Demonstrates increased accuracy over initial WPM baseline
• Participates actively in class-wide keyboarding challenge emphasizing accuracy first

Materials Needed

• Access to NitroType or Keyboard Jump
• Projector to display live class leaderboard
• Accuracy-focused scoring rubric for games

Lesson Breakdown (4 minutes)

Time	Activity
0:00–0:30	Quick Review: Recap home, top, and bottom rows.
0:30–3:30	Gameplay: Students play keyboarding games focusing on accuracy, with friendly competition.
3:30–4:00	Reflection: Students declare “My accuracy improved because…” and set a personal goal for next session.

Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Allow slower-paced games or paired gameplay with peer coaches
• Extension: Track and graph personal WPM/accuracy weekly to visualize growth
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Use adjustable game font sizes and colorblind modes where available

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Posture Reminders: Use a visual poster with clear ergonomic postures visible all week.
• Positive Reinforcement: Frequently acknowledge “effort milestones” to motivate students new to keyboarding.
• Assessment for Learning: Collect typing tracker logs to inform instruction and individual support needs.
• Classroom Setup: Arrange keyboards to allow arms space and proper elbow angles to reinforce posture.
• Technology Use: Ensure all devices are charged and pre-logged into typing platforms prior to class start to maximize session time.

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“I Can” Statements for Students

• I can sit with correct posture to protect my wrists and back while typing.
• I can find and type the home row keys without looking down.
• I can reach the top row letters using the correct fingers without lifting my wrists.
• I can type the bottom row keys while keeping my wrists low and straight.
• I can increase my typing speed while maintaining accuracy using keyboarding games.

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This highly focused, Common Core-aligned, and age-appropriate plan combines mini-lessons with interactive activities and technology integration in 4-minute bursts perfect for 35 students, helping you transform keyboard novices into confident, ergonomic typists!