exemplar activities

Unit A Activity 2 - Create a pro forma - Exemplar 2

For this activity I decided to design a new daily plan. I had been using a plan formulated the previous year when I had a simpler timetable. Although I had devised the simple plan on paper the previous year I had asked my husband to type and print it for me. This year I decided to plan and prepare it myself.

My main goal was to formulate three different daily plans, as the lessons and times for days in Key stage 4 are not standardised this year, and it was proving difficult to fit my plans into the old pro forma. I wanted the main plan to be simple, look good, and be clear for myself , my staff and any supply teacher that may have to cover my class.

Once I had established my goal I spent an evening playing on the computer, working out how to create text boxes, tables and borders. I started with text boxes first, by using the insert menu and then experimented with different sizes and placements. I also experimented with different types of border and shading by going into the format menu at the top of the page. I later discovered that you could get the same result by clicking on the text box line.

After this I looked at the various ways to make a table. I started by using the insert table icon to make up standard sized cells. I found this was easy to do and also it was simple to get required sized cells by using the enter key. Once I had a standardised table I found that by clicking on table menu and then table auto format you could choose from a list of options to help change the table to the function of the piece of work e.g. a smart table for a business document. I also discovered that you could change the lines and shading to boxes made in the insert table icon by using the tool bar. After gaining confidence making tables in this format I went on to formulate tables using the table menu. Initially I found this fiddly and more frustrating as it seemed to keep doing things I didn't want it to do. However I eventually worked out how to use the pen to draw the sized table that I wanted and then to click on the pen in the toolbar and then click on the page where I wanted either the horizontal or vertical lines. I found I could create the borders, line thickness and type and any shading I wanted by using the format menu or tool bar in the learnt way.

At this stage I went on to devise the necessary daily plans. I decided to use the table menu rather than the insert table icon as I felt this would give me more options and was probably better suited to the task of devising one main plan that could then be saved and moderated to make the other required plans. Firstly I created a text box with a border so that I could have a title. Then I created as large a box as I could and gave it a bold border line. I then chose a line type and thickness for the inside boxes. It was easy to draw the lines, but a bit fiddly getting the correct spacing. I decided to shade the lunchtime box to make it stand out from the rest of the teaching day. When I was happy with it I saved the plan. I used the saved plan as a basis for the other two plans required. I discovered that to remove a given line I just had to click on a cell, press the table menu and then press delete and rows. I found the print preview icon a useful one when checking I had the correct spacing required.

I now feel happy that I have a daily plan pro forma that works well for my current needs (see examples attached). I also feel that I have the basic skills to create other types of pro forma that I may need in my day to day work.

Download example files:

Daily Plan Example 1 - Word (26 k) or RTF (24 k)
Daily Plan Example 2 - Word (25 k) or RTF (21 k)
Daily Plan Example 3 - Word (25 k) or RTF (22 k)

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