Key Tip Badges

Put that mouse away!  We're going to work in Microsoft Word today using only the keyboard!

I warned them.  When we saw the skimmed-over chart in our textbook about Key Tip Badges, I warned them.  "One of these days, we're going to put the mouse away and use just the keyboard..."

Not sure if my students believed me, but I was true to my word.  I let a week go by as we finished up some other files.  Then I walked in one day, told students to open Word then put that mouse up on top of their tower.  They giggled, a few nervously.  But they knew what was coming as they rather hesitantly relinquished their mouse...and it was a cool lesson! 

Key Tip Badges are triggered by pressing the Alt Key.

First we typed our school, Maplewood.  Then pressed the Alt Key.  Then we typed the letter H (Home Tab) badges.  That triggered a whole new (humungus) set of Badges.  Then we pressed SL (Select) and A (All).

Phew!  That took a bit of sweat just to get this far!  But our text is now selected.

Time to format! First let's change the font size (Alt-H-FS-48-Enter)
      - then change the font (Alt-H-FF-Arrow Down-Enter on desired font)
      - then change the font color (Alt-H-FC-Arrow Down-Enter on desired color)
      - and finally change the font shade (Alt-H-I-Arrow Down-Enter on desired shade).

Phew, a-gain!  We laughed, we screeched, we had to repeat keystrokes, we helped each other.

And we learned that if ever our mouse ran away, we could rely on Key Tip Badges...