Keyboarding · Lesson Plan
Keyboarding Lesson 3: Shift Key
Lesson 3 of six. Students add t and i to their touch-typing vocabulary and learn the shift key — the first lesson where they can type a properly capitalized word.
For Teachers
Lesson at a glance
- Topic
- Keyboarding
- Grade Level
- Grades 5–12
- Resource Type
- Lesson + Worksheet
- Estimated Time
- 20–30 minutes
- Format
- Guided practice + drill worksheet
- Materials
- Keyboards, finger chart, paper to cover hands
What Students Learn
Learning objectives
- Review the home row and all letters learned in Lessons 1 and 2
- Reach up with the left first finger to type t
- Reach up with the right second finger to type i
- Reach the shift key with the left fourth finger and use it to capitalize a letter
Materials
What you’ll need
- Printable Lesson 3 practice worksheet
- Computer keyboards (one per student)
- A printable keyboard finger chart
- Paper to cover students’ hands during drills (optional, for touch-typing discipline)
Key Terms
Vocabulary
- Shift key
- A key held down to type a capital letter or an alternate symbol — it capitalizes whatever letter is struck while it is held.
For Teachers
Lesson plan
Estimated time: one 20–30 minute class period.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Keyboarding (Lesson 1).
Lesson sequence
- Review (5 min). Review typing position and the home row (a, s, d, f, j, k, l, 😉 plus e, h, o from Lesson 2.
- Introduce t, i, and shift (5 min). Have students locate and reach for the new keys: left first finger reaches up to t; right second finger reaches up to i; left fourth finger reaches to <shift>. Explain that the shift key capitalizes whatever letter is struck while it is held down.
- Drill each reach (10 min). Practice t and i as their own short drills building from nonsense combinations to real short words, then practice using shift to type one capitalized word together as a class.
- Combine and drill from the worksheet (5–10 min). Move to the full worksheet, which reviews every letter learned so far plus t, i, and capitalized words using shift.
Assessment
Watch that students hold shift with the opposite hand from the letter they are capitalizing — e.g. left shift for a right-hand letter — rather than pausing to switch hands.
Extension
Have students type their own first name using shift for the capital letter, using only keys learned through Lesson 3.
This lesson is for educational purposes only. Practice at the pace that works for your class — accuracy first, speed later.
Discussion
Discussion questions
- Which finger holds the shift key while you type a capital letter with your right hand?
- Why do you think shift is placed on the opposite side from most letters?
- What happens if you release shift too early while typing a capital letter?
Printable Worksheet
Keyboarding Lesson 3 — Worksheet
A practice drill worksheet for the t and i keys and the shift key, combined with every letter learned so far.
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