Lesson Plan
Information Technology Skills:
Managing Files and Folders
Objective: Students will identify strategies and best practices for file management.
Workplace Readiness Skill: Demonstrate information technology skills.
Definition:
Demonstration includes
working with hardware, file-management techniques, and IT software/programs effectively and
on various operating systems
working with equipment and software specific to occupation
seeking additional technology to improve work processes and products.
Correlations to Other Workplace Readiness Skills:
Demonstrate positive work ethic.
Demonstrate self-representation skills.
Demonstrate effective reading and writing skills.
Demonstrate an understanding of workplace organizations, systems, and climates.
Demonstrate time-, task-, and resource-management skills.
Demonstrate telecommunications skills.
Correlations to Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL):
English: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, 6.9, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.6, 7.9, 8.2, 8.6, 8.7, 8.9, 9.1, 9.5, 9.8, 10.1, 10.5, 10.8, 11.5,
11.8, 12.1, 12.5
History and Social Science: CE.14, VUS.15
Instructional Steps:
1. Ask students what strategies they use to keep their school notebooks and/or binders organized.
Discuss the consequences of good vs. poor notebook organization. If appropriate, show example(s) of
good vs. not-so-good organizational strategies. Discussion may center around the following points:
a. It’s difficult to quickly find what you need without good organization.
b. It’s more likely that work will be misplaced or turned in late without good organization.
c. Good organization reduces stress because it gives you the confidence of knowing that you’ve
got everything you need for whatever your assignment might be.
d. Good organization communicates to teachers and others that you care about and keep track of
your responsibilities.
2. Explain that electronic file management and organization is not very different than folder and
notebook organization. Ask to see a show of hands from students with the question, “How many of you
have lost a digital file at some point in your school experiences?” [Most have likely had this experience.]
Explain that, today’s lesson is going to focus on strategies and best practices for keeping files organized
in the digital world.
3. Provide the student resource sheet entitled Electronic File Organization Tips, by the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST). Ask students to take time to read the resource, highlighting new
and/or interesting information.
4. Pair students. Ask them to discuss the strategies they already use to organize and manage files and
what tips they learned from Electronic File Organization Tips.
5. Ask students to use Handout #1, Information Technology Skills: Managing Files and Folders, to record
notes about what they learned through their research.
Formative Assessment:
Ask students to apply at least three tips from their research to their school-based files and folders. After
they’ve had time to do so, ask students to share which tips they found most helpful and incorporated
into the organization of their school files.
Assign the following as a journal reflection: Imagine that you got a job with a building contractor. Part of
that job included tracking employee time sheets, managing estimates for clients, and coordinating time
schedules and material deliveries to job sites. Why is good file management important to this position?
What are possible consequences of failing to keep digital files organized?
Options for Adaptation/Differentiation:
To offer scaffolding to students, a whole-group walk-through of Handout #1 will offer greater guidance.
To offer an enrichment opportunity, ask students to create a PowerPoint slide show demonstrating how
to apply the file management tips and best practices they’ve learned.
Suggestions for Follow-up:
Ask students to design a bulletin board with File Management Tips for Productivity to extend and
communicate their learning.
Tie an upcoming project to this lesson and ask students to apply the best practices in file management
to that project.
Ask students to interview a professional about the relationship between file organization and
productivity in the workplace. Share/discuss interviews as a class.
Teacher Resources
Soft Skills to Pay the Bills — Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success
(https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/), U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment
Policy.
Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) Assessment: Virginia Overview (https://www.ctecs.org/virginia/virginia-
overview), Career and Technical Education Consortium of States (CTECS).
Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) for the Commonwealth: Instructional Resources
(http://cteresource.org/wrs/wrs2016.html), Career and Technical Education (CTE) Resource Center.
