Computers for Beginners:

Use the Mouse

FEB 2020 JB
Learning Outcomes
In this Class You Will:

1. Observe proper techniques of mouse handling and movement

2. Learn how to operate mouse buttons and scroll wheel
3. Review parts of the keyboard including Letters, Numbers, Backspace, Enter,
etc.
4. Practice clicking and dragging
5. Identify and understand various shapes of mouse Pointers/Cursors
6. Demonstrate understanding of techniques through completion of Mouse
Tutorials
7. Review Mouse movements such as open, close, minimize, maximize and
moving of open windows on desktop

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Pre-class Questions
What do you know about the Computer Mouse? What are you hoping to learn in
this class? Write your answer below then turn to the person beside you and discuss
(3 min)

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What other topics would you be interested in learning about?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Mouse - similar to a keyboard, a mouse helps the user communicate with the
computer. Think of it as a TV remote. With the help of a mouse, you tell the
computer what you want it to do.

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Exercise 1: Hand, Arm & Wrist Position
 Relax your wrist and hold the computer mouse loosely
 Try not to rest your wrist or forearms on the mousing surface. Your whole
arm and shoulder to move the mouse allowing larger, stronger muscles to
be activated.
 Have your upper arm hanging close into your side.
 Elbow should be bent at 90 degrees.
 Take frequent breaks!

Let’s See your Mouse Position!

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Exercise 2: Moving the Mouse
In order to navigate a screen or page you are viewing you must now physically
maneuver your mouse to the desired location.

1. Use the mouse grip you learned to get your hand in position
2. Slowly push and slide your hand forward, side to side and downward to get
comfortable with how the mouse feels in your hand

TIP: When running out of desk space for your move simply pick it up and
reposition/ place down at starting position. This will allow you to further navigate
and move around the screen. This is also known as “Mouse Hopping”, watch as
your instructor demonstrates.

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3. See how your movement changes where the location of the pointer is on the
screen

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Single Click Versus Double Click
Single Click
 Primary action of mouse
 Used when clicking the left mouse button once
 Allows for selecting or highlighting of an object

Double Click
 Clicking your mouse button quickly two times
 Used when opening a program, folder or selecting text
 To perform this hover mouse over item/object and press the left mouse
button quickly two times fast.

TIP: Imagine a quick knock on a door

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Exercise 3: Practice: Double Click

1. Locate the Microsoft Word Icon

2. Move mouse so that the cursor hovers over the Microsoft Word Icon
3. Double Click the left mouse button to open program

If done correctly, you should see a screen like the picture below
1. If you do, you have successfully completed the double click function!
2. Let’s try clicking again by closing the Microsoft word program
3. Locate the X in the top right corner and click once

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Tour: What is a Keyboard?
The keyboard is a piece of equipment used to communicate with a computer. It
allows you to enter data into a computer and is comprised of:

1. Function Keys
2. Typing Keys
3. Navigation & Special Keys
4. Numeric Keypad

Keyboarding begins with having your fingers sit lightly on the home row keys
and your thumb on the space bar.

NOTE: When you are a beginner on the keyboard, accuracy is more important
than speed. Using one or two fingers when you first start out is normal. With
practice you will get more comfortable.

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Typing practice exercises online and in books are designed for each of the 3 main
letter rows: Home Row, Top Row, Bottom Row. Let’s take a look in detail.

Home Row
Left Hand Right Hand
PF RF MF IF IF IF IF MF RF LF
A S D F G H J K L ;
PF = pinkie finger, RF = ring finger, MF = middle finger, IF = index finger
The locations of all the other keys on the keyboard are learned in relation to the
home keys. Therefore, the F and J keys often have small raised bumps that act as a
tactile aid to guide typists back to the home row.

Top Row
Left Hand Right Hand
PF RF MF IF IF IF IF MF RF LF
Q W E R T Y U I O P

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 Bottom Row
Left Hand Right Hand
PF RF MF IF IF IF IF MF RF LF
Z X C V B N M , . /

Remember: This is a new skill. With practice you will get more comfortable.

Stretch and Relax

Let’s practice:
1. Shaking our hands out gently, stretching out our fingers.
2. Standing up and stretching our shoulders.
3. Rolling our necks gently to relieve neck strain.
4. Gently massaging our wrists.

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Tour: Mouse and Pointers
The mouse is the primary input device used to interact with objects in Windows.
The term mouse can also refer to other pointing devices, such as trackballs,
touchpads and pointing sticks built into notebook computers, pens used with
Windows Tablet and Touch Technology, and, on computers with touchscreens,
even a user's finger.

Physically moving the mouse moves the graphic pointer (also referred to as the
cursor) on the screen. The pointer has a variety of shapes to indicate its current
behavior.

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Exercise 4: Mouse Tutorial
Now that you have reviewed the keyboard, read and observed the proper
techniques for mouse handling, movement and operation it is time to practice!
First, we need to use an internet browser.

Web Browsers

A web browser is a type of software that allows you view websites on the Internet.
There are many different web browsers, but some of the most common ones
include Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla
Firefox.
The Toronto Public Library offers three ways to access the internet on its
computers. You have the option to use either:
Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome

Take a look at your computer screen and see if you can locate each of these.
1. For this class we will be using the browser called Internet Explorer. To
Open the browser, move the mouse over top of the Internet Explorer. Icon &
Double click (click 2 times quickly) the left mouse button.

TIP: Imagine a quick knock on a door

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3. Take a minute and explore the web page with your mouse to see the various
pointer options.
4. Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to move up and down the page
5. Click on the address bar at the top of the page and use the backspace
button on your keyboard to delete the TPL website listed.

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6. In its place type google.ca into the web address bar and press Enter on the
keyboard.

7. In the Google search box type in Mouse Tutorial and press Enter on your
keyboard.
8. Choose the first link: Mouse Tutorial - GCFLearnFree

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OR use this URL:
https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/mousetutorial/mouse-tutorial/1/

TIP: Don’t forget to read the screen: Google has a suggest feature that can save
you time while searching. When you begin to type in a search, you may notice that
a drop box appears below it with a list of completed search phrases. If you see
one that matches the search you want to do, just click on it and the results for that
search will load.

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Rollover

In many instances, when you place the cursor over an icon, it will change its
appearance. This is called a rollover effect. It might mean that you can interact
with the icon, or maybe it's just highlighting where your cursor currently is.

1. Hover your cursor over the icons below to see some different rollover effects.

Double clicking

A double click is when you quickly click the mouse button twice. This can be used
to open folders, files, or start programs on your desktop.

1. Practice double clicking in the activity below.

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Drag and Drop
Includes fun activities giving you the opportunity to practice your newly learned
skills. You will learn that this function is frequently used when organizing your
computers desktop and adding files to folders.

You may sometimes need to drag and drop icons to move them around. This can
be used to place files in new folders, delete them, and more.

1. Practice your drag and drop skills by constructing the robot below

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Now let's try dragging and dropping things in a more practical manner.

1. To tidy up your desktop below, drag and drop the files into their appropriate
folders.

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Exercise 5: Jigsaw Puzzle
Now lets try another exercise using left click, drag and drop:

1. Use the address bar in your browser to go to Google.com

2. Type in Jigsaw Planet to the search box and hit the enter button. Or you
can type in jigsawplanet.com or visit the URL www.jigsawplanet.com

3. Scroll down the page until you see a puzzle with 6 or 12 pieces
4. For example, the Rose Puzzle has 12 pieces in total and left click to open

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5. Practice the left click, hold, drag and release functions of your mouse to
successfully piece together the Rose Puzzle.

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Mouse Review Quiz
Question #1
Circle the correct hand and finger placement when holding a computer mouse

Question #2
How do you move the cursor around the computer screen to a desired location?
a) Shake it until it lands on the proper spot
b) Slowly push and slide your hand forward, side to side and downward
c) Coax it with a piece of cheese

Question #3
Which of the Following is not an internet browser?
Circle the icon that does not belong

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Question #4
Match the proper cursor picture with its function

Question #5
When interacting or telling the computer to select which part of the mouse do you
click, press & release?

a) The Middle wheel

b) The Wire
c) The Right click button
d) The Left Click button

Question #6
True or False
A Double- Click can be used to open folders, files, or start a program.

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Practice of Your Choice
Mouse Practice
Mousercise
pbclibrary.org/mousing/mousercise.htm

Jig Zone
Jigsaw puzzles – www.jigzone.com

Mouse Exercises
intouch-2000.net/seniornet/exercises/mousepractice.html

Typing Practice
Free Keyboarding/Typing Practice on the Internet
www.typing.com

Typing Tutorial
edu.gcfglobal.org/en/typing

Website practice
Toronto Public Library – for books, events, classes – www.tpl.ca

411 - find a person, business, phone number, address – 411.ca

Grocery Gateway - order your groceries online –

www.grocerygateway.com

Toronto information from Metroland publishers – www.toronto.com

Play Solitaire online – www.solitr.com

Computer Training
Computer and Internet Training
edu.gcfglobal.org

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Quiz Answer Key
1. Middle picture
2. B
3. Third icon= Microsoft Word which is not a browser
4. C, B, A
5. D
6. True

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