Spreadsheets in Language Arts

While I am in my practicum my Grade 3/4’s are doing a novel study on Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. The story consists only of journal or letter entries so I thought I could get the student to make a timeline of important events happening to the main character, Leigh Botts. Although this can be easily done on paper, I think using a spreadsheet to make the time line would be a great way to integrate the ICT outcomes into Language Arts. During each section of the book the students could discuss the important events happening to Leigh and note the dates to input it into their spreadsheet. The great thing about using spreadsheets is that you can save your data and the next time you need to access it you will not have to go searching for it like when on paper. Additionally you can make the time line as long as you want very easily. The spreadsheet would look much like the one on this website: http://www.microsoft.com/education/AmazingAutobiographies.mspx. The only change would be that it is a time line of Leigh’s life instead of their own.