Manual for Lesson Plan

Version 1.0

 

Note: This manual assumes that you have a working knowledge of the Palm OS, including launching applications, using menus, etc. Please see the documentation that came with your handheld for help with these types of questions.

Installation

For installation instructions, please see the README file that comes with the Lesson Plan application.

Entering the Application

When you select Lesson Plan from the application laucher, the first screen you see depends on several factors:

One-Time Setup

The first time a Lesson Plan database is opened, there are several one-time setup steps that must be done before you can start creating lesson plan entries:

  1. Select the school days for your school at the School Days Screen. By default, Monday through Friday are set as school days.
  2. Enter the start and end time for each period at your school at the Periods Screen.
  3. Enter the list of classes that you will be teaching at the Classes Screen.
  4. Enter your schedule at the Schedule Screen.

Please see the important warnings regarding these steps in the section describing each screen.

School Days Screen

This is the first of four setup steps that must be done once for each lesson plan database. You get to this screen by selecting "School Days" from the Setup menu at the Day Screen. This screen allows you to select the days of the week during which classes are held at your school. Select any day for which you wish to create lesson plans entries.

Tapping the Done button will return you to the Day Screen.

Functions Available On Menus

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Periods Screen

This is the second of four setup steps that must be done once for each lesson plan database. You get to this screen by selecting "Periods" from the Setup menu at the Day Screen. This screen allows you to specify start and end time for each period at your school. You can specify up to 20 periods.

Enter any time period for which you want to be able to create lesson plan entries. This may include homeroom, study hall, lunch, etc. according to your specific needs. Make sure to enter periods in chronological order.

Note: It is very important that you set these periods correctly and not leave any gaps before you create any lesson plan entries! Each lesson plan entry you create refers to a specific period. Therefore, if you insert or delete a period, lesson plan entries you've already made will refer to the wrong period. You can change the start or end time of a period or add a period at the bottom without causing any problems. The periods you use should always be together at the top of the list (i.e., if you have 7 periods, they must be in slots 1 through 7).

Functions Available At This Screen

Tapping on a period will let you modify the start and end times for that period at the Select Time Range Screen.

Tapping the Done button will return you to the Day Screen.

Tapping the Previous button will display periods 1 through 10. Tapping the Next button will display periods 11 through 20.

Functions Available On Menus

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Select Time Range Screen

This screen allows you to specify the start and end time for a class period. To change the highlighted time's hour, minute, or am/pm setting, simply tap on the desired value.

Tapping the Done button will set the period being edited to the range of times being displayed.

Tapping the Clear button will set the period being edited back to "Not Used".

Tapping the Done, Cancel, or Clear button will return you to the Periods Screen.

Functions Available On Menus

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Classes Screen

This is the third of four setup steps that must be done once for each lesson plan database. You get to this screen by selecting "Classes" from the Setup menu at the Day Screen. This screen allows you to enter the classes that you teach. Scroll bars are displayed on the right to allow you to scroll through the list. The hardware Page Up and Page Down buttons can also be used to scroll through the list. Class names can be up to 15 characters in length. You should make one entry per class, regardless of the number of times a class meets per week.

Enter any class for which you want to be able to create lesson plan entries. This may include homeroom, study hall, lunch, etc. according to your specific needs. Do not worry about the order in which you enter classes. When setting up your schedule, classes will always be listed in alphabetical order. When looking at a day's lesson plan entries, classes will always be listed in chronological order. Note how entering a leading zero in "Algebra-09" allows all of the Algebra classes to be listed in the correct order on the Schedule Screen.

Note: It is very important that you list the classes correctly before you create any lesson plan entries! Once you start entering lesson plans, do not move any classes! If you need to add a class, always add it at the bottom of the list! Each lesson plan entry you create refers to a specific class. Therefore, if you insert a class, lesson plan entries you've already made will refer to the wrong class. You can change the name of a class (e.g., from "Algebra" to "Algebra-10") or add a class at the bottom without causing any problems. If you need to delete a class, simply blank out that line. Do not move others up to fill that empty line.

Tapping the Done button will return you to the Day Screen.

Functions Available On Menus

The Edit menu contains the standard editing functions: Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, Keyboard, and Graffiti Help.

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Schedule Screen

This is the fourth of four setup steps that must be done once for each lesson plan database. You get to this screen by selecting "Schedule" from the Setup menu at the Day Screen. This screen allows you to set your schedule for each school day that is checked on the School Days Screen, and each period you set on the Periods Screen.

Functions Available At This Screen

In the top right corner is a push button for each school day. The schedule being displayed is for the selected day. To switch to another day, tap on the desired day's button. Next to each period's start time is a popup trigger, and each one is initially set to "Open".

To set the class for a particular period, tap on the name. This will pop up a list of the names you entered on the Classes Screen. In addition, "Open" will always be the last item in the list. Simply tap on the desired class.

Note: It is very important that you set the classes in your schedule correctly, before you create any lesson plan entries! Each lesson plan entry you make refers to a specific class. Therefore, if you change a class, lesson plan entries you've already made will refer to the wrong class.

Tapping the Done button will return you to the Day Screen.

Functions Available On Menus

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Day Screen

This is the first screen you will typically see when running the application. It displays a day's lesson plan entries. In the top right corner is the day of week indicator and the weekly arrows. Below that is the date. Each period's start time is listed in a column on the left. If there are more periods than can fit on a single screen, scroll bars are displayed on the right to allow you to scroll through the list. The hardware Page Up and Page Down buttons can also be used to scroll through the list. Next to each period is one of the following:

  1. If the period does not have a class scheduled, "Open" is displayed.
  2. If the period does have a class scheduled, but no lesson plan entry has been created, the name of the class is displayed.
  3. If the period does have a class scheduled, and a lesson plan entry has been created, as much of the lesson plan as will fit is displayed.

Functions Available At This Screen

To switch to another day in the current week, tap on the desired day's selector trigger in the top right corner. Tapping on the left or right weekly arrow will move 7 days backwards or forwards, respectively.

Writing a backspace or space in the graffiti area will move 1 school day backwards or forwards, respectively. That is, non-school days are skipped.

Tapping on a period will display the Lesson Plan Screen for the lesson plan entry for that period.

Tapping on the Today button will display the current day's lesson plan entries.

Tapping on the Go to button will display the Go To Screen, which allows you to select a specific date whose lesson plan entries you want displayed.

Tapping on the Find button (magnifying glass) will allow you to enter a search string at the Find Screen, which will search for that string in your lesson plan entries. Tapping on the Find Again button (magnifying glass with plus sign) will search for the next occurrence of the string.

Functions Available On Menus

The Setup menu contains the following item(s):

The Database menu contains the following item(s):

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Lesson Plan Screen

This screen displays a particular lesson plan entry. At the top of the screen is the current date. Below that is the range of times for the period and the name of the class to which this lesson plan entry applies, or "Open" if you do not have a class scheduled on this day and period. At the right edge are up and down scrollers, which will switch to the previous and next period's lesson plan entry, respectively.

The bottom half of the screen displays the lesson plan entry itself (if any has been entered). Lesson plan entries can be up to 1024 characters. If the lesson plan entry will not fit on the screen, scroll bars are displayed on the right to allow you to scroll through the text. The hardware Page Up and Page Down buttons can also be used to scroll through the text.

If the lesson plan entry being displayed is not for an open period, left and right arrows are displayed at the bottom of the screen. Tapping on the left and right arrow will switch to the lesson plan entry for the previous or next time the current class meets, respectively.

Tapping on the Find button (magnifying glass) will allow you to enter a search string at the Find Screen, which will search for that string in your lesson plan entries. Tapping on the Find Again button (magnifying glass with plus sign) will search for the next occurrence of the string.

Tapping the Done button will return you to the Day Screen.

Functions Available On Menus

The Edit menu contains the standard editing functions: Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, Keyboard, and Graffiti Help.

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

Go To Screen

This screen displays the standard Palm OS date selection dialog box.

Tapping on a date will return you to the Day Screen, with the selected date displayed.

Tapping the Cancel button will return you to the Day Screen, with the date unchanged.

Tapping the Today button will return you to the Day Screen, with the current date displayed.

Find Screen

This screen prompts you to enter a string for which you wish to search. The string search is not case-sensitive.

Tapping the Done button will start a search, in chronological order, through all lesson plan entries. If a match is found, that lesson plan entry is displayed. Otherwise, you will hear a beep and stay at the same screen.

Tapping the Cancel button will return you to the Day Screen.

Functions Available On Menus

The Edit menu contains the standard editing functions: Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, Keyboard, and Graffiti Help.

List of Lesson Plans Screen

This screen lists the Lesson Plan databases that you have thus far created. If there are more databases than can fit on a single screen, scroll bars are displayed on the right to allow you to scroll through the list. The hardware Page Up and Page Down buttons can also be used to scroll through the list.

You will need to create a new Lesson Plan database anytime the class periods at your school change, or the set of classes that you teach changes. It is also recommended that you create a separate plan for each school year.

Functions Available At This Screen

Tapping the New button will let you create a new Lesson Plan database at the New Lesson Plan Screen.

When you tap on a Lesson Plan in the list, the function currently selected at the bottom of the screen is executed for the item on which you tapped. The following functions are available:

Functions Available On Menus

The Options menu contains the following item(s):

New Lesson Plan Screen

This screen prompts you to enter a name for the new Lesson Plan database.

Tapping the Done button will create a Lesson Plan with the name you've entered.

Tapping either the Done or Cancel button will return you to the List Of Lesson Plans Screen.

 

Rename Lesson Plan Screen

This screen prompts you to enter a new name for the selected Lesson Plan database.

Tapping the Done button will rename the Lesson Plan to the new name you've entered.

Tapping either the Done or Cancel button will return you to the List Of Lesson Plans Screen. The Rename selector will stay enabled until you tap on another one.

Functions Available On Menus

The Edit menu contains the standard editing functions: Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, Keyboard, and Graffiti Help.

Delete Lesson Plan Screen

This screen asks you to confirm that you wish to delete the selected Lesson Plan database.

Tapping the Yes button will delete the database.

Tapping either the Yes or No button will return you to the List Of Lesson Plans Screen. The Delete selector will stay enabled until you tap on another one.

Registration Screen

This screen prompts you to enter your personal registration code. Make sure to enter all 10 digits of the registration code, including leading zeros, if any. Even though you only have to enter you registration code once, you should save it in case you ever need to re-install the application (e.g., if your batteries die).

Tapping on the Done button will validate the registration code you enter. You will be shown a message letting you know whether or not the registration code you entered was accepted.

Tapping the Cancel button will return you to the screen from which you came.

Functions Available On Menus

The Edit menu contains the standard editing functions: Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, Keyboard, and Graffiti Help.

About Screen

This screen displays the current version number, followed by a letter in parentheses. If the letter is "R", you have entered the correct registration code for Lesson Plan. Otherwise, it is the letter "U" for Unregistered.

Contacts

Please send all problems, questions, and suggestions to: tapperware@netscape.net