Webtasks for Adult Learners

Funded by CDE Adult Education and Family Literacy, Center for At-Risk Education (CARE),
and the Unlimited Learning Center, Cortez, CO, 2002. Developed, written and published by Leecy Wise, Four Corners Virtual Resource Center.


A WebTask is an invention designed by the Four Corners Virtual Resource Center for adult learners. It is an online assignment for students who want to learn how to do something in a short amount of time while learning related reading, writing and math skills.

Generally speaking, tasks are listed in order of technical difficulty. For example, if a student has never used MS Word, assign the Title Page Task first since it teaches the basics of opening the program and using the tools in Word. Instructors should review the skills needed to complete the task before assigning it to students. Most tasks require some assistance, depending on the computer and functional literacy of the students. Other tasks require more help. All of the tasks listed are written between the fifth and sixth-grade reading level.

NOTE -> Students are encouraged to ask for help. Computers are different and students may be confused when they see a screen that doesn't look like the image shown. Also, there are things like "pop up" windows and links that open new windows on the Internet. The may discourage users. Instructors need to be available to encourage students to complete each task.

You feedback is essential. Please send us your comments as you use these 
modules with your student, using the Friendly Feedback Form.


WEBTASKS ARE DESIGNED TO TEACH READING/WRITING AND, IN MOST CASES,  MATH  ALONG WITH CONTENT. EACH INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE PROJECT. SOME ALSO INCLUDE SCIENCE. SELF-SCORING RUBRICS FOLLOW ALL TASKS.

Click on a topic OR scroll to read a description of skills covered in each, before visiting the Task.

Developed with MS Office 2000

Computer Literacy Learning Applications Learning about Self with Technology

EXCEL

POWER POINT

WORD 
( Be sure to complete the Word Title Page, Stationary, and Table tasks on the left before going to the following tasks if you are new to computers.)

ACCESS

THE WEB

WebTasks: Basic Computer Literacy (In order of technical difficulty)
 

 

 

Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing

Project

Create Your Own Desktop

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Reading Instructions to complete project Working with the control panel to modify the desktop; saving a file     Customize the desktop
Computer Jigsaw  

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How computers work and their major parts

Complete sentences with related vocabulary

Label major parts of a computer; shift between sites and local screen;   Write vocabulary words in context Create a jigsaw puzzle
Create a Title Page in MS Word  

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Reading Instructions to complete project Opening MS Word and using basic  text and formatting features (word 2000 or above)     Create a title page for a document
Create My Own Stationery in MS Word

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Read and follow instructions on creating and using stationary Opening, modifying, and saving  MS Word templates Expressing decimals and fractions Commenting on what was learned; writing a letter Create a stationary page for repeated use as a template; write a short letter following a model
Create A Life Table in MS Word

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Read and follow instructions on  creating tables;  Create a table in MS Word; add text and attributes to table Computing numbers of cells in rows and columns; measuring area; solving word problems Filling in blanks in word problems Create a table showing different times in your life
Create My Own File Cabinet in Windows

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Read and follow instructions on working with MS Windows Explorer Study MS Windows Explorer and manipulate files among folders   Write a short description and complete sentences Create your own folder and place files in it
My Own Song  

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Read song lyrics and follow instructions on exploring music sites Apply features of a musical Website; shift windows during the process   Write a song Create a song using a simple model
Search, Find, and Keep

MSWORD

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Read and follow instructions on finding and using online dictionaries; looking up words Processing an online search for dictionaries and looking up words online; copy and paste definitions Work with digits Write sentences with new words Create a personal dictionary in MS Word
Create a Word Picture

MSWORD

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Read and follow instructions on evaluating two pieces of art;  Observe two works of art on a Website; shift windows Solve word problems; figuring price of art Describe an image following a model; describe another image; describe art in own words Create a Word Picture
Create a Comparison Chart  

MSWORD

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Read and follow instructions on assessing the value of microwaves online; read and interpret chart information Create a chart in MS Word; observe templates on the Internet; shift among windows open Work with cubic feet measurements and converting figures   Create a comparison chart of two microwaves

WebTasks That Teach Applications 
 

 

 

Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing

Project

Create a simple  budget sheet in EXCEL

Part 1 Back to top

Read and follow instructions on opening Excel formatting  and manipulating data within each cell; adjectives and vocabulary building. Create a simple budget spreadsheet in Excel; use online forms. Apply math formulas to add, subtract and calculate a running total. Change decimal figures. Define and explain terms Set up a budget spreadsheet
Calculate budget figures in EXCEL

Part 2

Read and follow instructions on adding calculations to the budget; adjectives and vocabulary building. Add automatic calculations to budget categories in each month. Apply sum formulas to different loan data.  Define and explain terms Create a Personal Budget Sheet with automatic calculations
Calculate Interest in EXCEL

Part 3 Back to top

Read and follow instructions on calculating interests on loans; adjectives and vocabulary building. Apply Excel formulas; enter data for interest calculations. Apply interest calculations to different loan information; solve problems. Define and explain terms; calculate and express comparisons. Create a Loan Page with automatic interest calculations
Run  Balances  in EXCEL

Part 4

Read and follow instructions on creating a balance sheet for checking  or other accounts;  vocabulary building. Apply Excel formulas and enter appropriate data to run a balance. Apply positive and negative numbers in an account in order to keep a balance. Define and explain terms. Write sentences about formulas learned Create a check-balance page with automatic calculations

Power Point

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Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing

Project

About Myself PP Presentation Part 1

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Read and follow instructions on creating a four-slide presentation on interests and plans. Practice the basic functions of Power Point. Create a time management chart and interpret time slots into percentages. Define and explain terms. Write a paragraph describing interests and adding examples, following a model. Create a basic three-slide PP presentation.
Introduction to Myself in Power Point, Part 2

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Read and follow instructions on creating a four-slide presentation on interests and plans. Add slides and graphics to a PP presentation Intro to ratios and proportions using PP Define and explain terms. Write a paragraph describing how you feel about learning Power Point. Create a four-slide PP presentation with graphics.
Introduction to Myself in Power Point, Part 3

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Read and follow instructions on creating a four-slide presentation on interests and plans. Add animation to a PP presentation Change ratios and proportions in PP shapes Define and explain terms. Write a paragraph describing how you use animation in your everyday life. Create and present a four-slide PP presentation with animated text.
Introduction to Myself in Power Point, Part 4

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Read and follow instructions on creating a four-slide presentation on interests and plans. Add transitions to slides and play a PP show Working with and measuring dimensions of a circle using PP Define and explain terms. Write a paragraph describing a period of transition in your life. Final Project: Create and present a four-slide PP presentation that includes slide transitions, animation, graphics and text.

Word

 

Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing

Project

Create a professional letter (Template)

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Read and follow instructions on creating a professional letter from a template Open and modify templates, practice basic WORD skills Find areas. Solve problems using decimals and fractions (multiplication). Write a letter inquiring about a job opening Write and send a business letter

Create and send a personal letter

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Read and follow instructions on creating a personal letter from a template and from scratch. Open, modify and copy a letter template. Compute writing and margin areas using graph paper. Write and send  a personal letter describing learning and growth. Write and sent a personal letter

 

Create a one-page flyer

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Read and follow instructions on how to create a sales flyer. Write and post and original flyer. Open and modify a flyer template  and copy information for a flyer. Insert images. Learn from Web links. Find areas dividing fractions and decimals Write information for a flyer Create a flyer for a community event

Create a Valentine's Announcement

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Read and follow directions on how to create and announcement from scratch and introduce an art border. Add an art border and modify font sizes, alignment  and color. Learn from Web links. Finding and interpreting percentages from other measurements. Write important information to announce an event Create an announcement for a community event

Send Letters using Mail Merge

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Read and follow directions on how to use Mail Merge to send letters to different recipients. Create a database and apply Mail Merge features in Word. Calculate the height and width of the text space in documents with different margins, by adding and subtracting fractions. Write a process paragraph using a model. Write an original business announcement to send to different recipients. Create and send a letter to different recipients using Mail Merge.

Access

 

Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing

Project

Personalize a short address list

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Read and follow directions on how to create fields and records in Access. Apply and explain vocabulary. Open Access; create fields and records in table view. Express ratios, fractions,  and percentages using database information. Define terms; respond to comprehension questions; write a short paragraph following a model. Create records for an address list.

Expand a personal database

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Read and follow directions on entering fields and data from table and design views. Enter fields and data from table and design views. Calculate % discounts and total charges after discounts. Answer comprehension questions about Access; write a short paragraph following a model. Expand a personal database.

Change data in a business model

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Read and follow directions on how to work with forms and tables using an existing business database Use aspects of the database window; work with existing forms and tables; add and delete a record. Calculate tax amounts for different products. Answer comprehension questions; write a short description of a process. Change a model database for a large export business

The Internet

 

Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing

Project

Create a short list of favorite sites  Read and follow directions on how to conduct a basic search using keywords. Conduct a search on the Web and save URLs  in folders. Read and interpret graph and chart information. Respond to comprehension and interpretation questions. Create a short list of favorite sites in Explorer or Netscape.

Astrology Tasks
Be patient as each page loads. The interactive nature of the pages sometimes slows the page.

 

 

Reading
(Vocabulary building and exercises
in all tasks)
Technical Skill
(All tasks include completing and printing online forms)
Math
Writing
Science

Project

Astrotask
(Intro)

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Intro to Astrology

Exercises:
Comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Circles: diameters, degrees, rotations, and angles

Using a protractor

Write definitions; defend an opinion Difference between science and art

Create an image of the Zodiac with your Sign

Aquarius

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Aquarius Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Prefix :UN

Exercises:
Comprehension and discussion questions

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Liquid measurements and equivalents.

Writing comprehension answers; describing self  

Create a Collage of Yourself

Create a model showing a scaled representation of the distances of planets to the sun.

Aries

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Aries Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Synonyms and Antonyms

Exercises:
Comprehension and discussion questions; writing equal and opposite meanings

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Building models to scale; relationships and equivalents

Metric measurements.

 
Describe self and give examples of traits Planet positions and distances in the solar system Create a Collage of Yourself
Cancer

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Cancer Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Discovering the Salinity Ocean Water

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Percentages; interpreting graph information

 

Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Salt Water and Salinity Create a Collage of Yourself
Capricorn

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Cancer Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Discovering facts about the Earth.

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Measuring percentages of Earth elements Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Elements and their meaning Create a Collage of Yourself
Gemini

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Gemini  Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Description of different measurements and their conversions

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Measurement and  conversions Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Temperature scales in Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin Create a Collage of Yourself
Leo

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Leo Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Description of earth's elements

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Measuring percentages of elements in fire and air Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Elements of fire and air Create a Collage of Yourself
Libra

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Librta Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Descriptions of different weight measurements

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Converting weight units Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Weight units Create a Collage of Yourself
Pisces

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Pisces Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Characteristics of a good aquarium

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Measuring liquid weights and volume. Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Light/temperatures and growth in plants and fish Create a Collage of Yourself
Sagittarius

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Sagittarius Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Word problems 

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Word problems with basic algebra Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Relative speed Create a Collage of Yourself
Scorpio

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Scorpio Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Geography vocabulary

What is financial management

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

 

Create an expenditure sheet and balance the figures Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Geography terms and applications Create a Collage of Yourself

Label geographical parts of a map

Taurus

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Taurus Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Description of how musical notes are timed

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Fractions in music Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks.   Create a Collage of Yourself
Virgo

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Virgo Sign Intro w/ Situations and Suggestions

Exercises: Comprehension and discussion questions

Facts about water

Move between windows, printing,  online form completion of comprehension and discussion questions; definitions; check boxes for decisions

Web Navigation

Solve problems related to water and its use Short essay questions on topics; fill the blanks. Facts about water Create a Collage of Yourself

©  CDE Adult Education and Family Literacy, Center for At-Risk Education (CARE), and the Unlimited Learning Program, Cortez, CO, 2002

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