Keyboarding · Lesson Plan
Keyboarding Lesson 5: R and C Keys
Lesson 5 of six. Students add r, c, and the right shift key, and continue building typing speed on everything learned so far with quick, snappy finger-action reaches.
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, drill worksheets
What Students Learn
Learning objectives
- Review typing position and the home row
- Reach up with the left first finger to type r
- Reach down with the left second finger to type c
- Use the right shift key to capitalize letters typed with the left hand
- Type with quick, snappy upward reaches, increasing speed on easy words and slowing slightly for harder ones
Materials
What you’ll need
- Printable Lesson 5 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
- Right shift
- The shift key on the right side of the keyboard, used to capitalize letters typed with the left hand so the right hand stays free.
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 (fingers curved, wrists low, back straight) and the home row. Remind students to type with quick, snappy upward reaches and finger-action reaches to the bottom row — increasing speed on easy words and slowing slightly for harder ones.
- Introduce r, c, and right shift (5 min). Have students locate the new keys and watch their fingers as they reach: left first finger reaches up to r; left second finger reaches down to c; right shift capitalizes a letter typed with the left hand.
- Drill each reach (10 min). Practice r and c as short separate drills, then practice a word capitalized with the right shift key while the left hand types the letter.
- Full worksheet (5–10 min). Complete the printable worksheet, combining r, c, and right shift with every key learned in Lessons 1–4.
Assessment
Watch for students using the correct shift hand — right shift for a left-hand letter, and vice versa — so the typing hand never has to pause.
Extension
Time students on one drill line and have them try to beat their own time on a second attempt, without losing accuracy.
This lesson is for educational purposes only. Practice at the pace that works for your class — accuracy first, speed later.
Discussion
Discussion questions
- Why use the right shift key for a letter typed with the left hand, instead of the left shift key?
- What does ‘finger-action reach’ mean, and why does it help with speed?
- How does slowing down slightly on harder words actually help your overall speed?
Printable Worksheet
Keyboarding Lesson 5 — Worksheet
A practice drill worksheet for the r and c keys and the right shift key, combined with every letter learned so far.
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