GoalOrganise files in folders and subfolders with clear labels.
New words
folder · a place that holds files that belong togethersubfolder · a folder inside another folderlabel · the name you give a file or folderdocument management system · a way of organising documents so they are quick to find
Explanation
A tidy cloud is easier to use. A document management system is a way of organising documents so they are quick and easy to find. Think of a school cupboard: one shelf for books, another for art, and a name on every box. Do the same with files. Make separate folders for different types of data: photos, videos, audio files and documents. Keep school and personal information apart, one folder for each. Label folders and subfolders clearly, so you can tell what is inside without opening them. Draw it as a tree: one main folder at the top, and branches below it. Remember to protect the whole tree with a strong password and multi-factor authentication. For this lesson draw your tree on paper; you do not need an account.
Worked examples
My files→School→Photos→science drawing
Farida wants her science drawing. In her tidy tree she goes from My files to School and then to Photos. Three short steps and she finds it.
Messy
Tidy
one folder: Stuff
School and Personal folders
names: new1, new2
names: Nile trip drawing
hard to find
easy to find
A messy cloud and a tidy cloud. In the messy one, 200 files sit in one folder called Stuff with names like new1 and new2. In the tidy one, folders are School and Personal, with subfolders by type and clear names.
File
Folder
maths worksheet scan
School › Documents
recording of a voice
Personal › Audio
holiday video
Personal › Videos
Where does each file go in the tree above? A maths worksheet scan goes to School, Documents. A recording of Seif’s voice goes to Personal, Audio. A holiday video goes to Personal, Videos. Clear labels make it easy to decide.
Class activity
My folder tree. Draw your own tree on paper with at least two main folders and three subfolders. Use clear labels that another person understands. Then invent three files, for example a drawing for art class, and ask a family member to find each one using only your tree. Was anything hard to find? Change the label.
Practice
1
Why keep school files and personal files in separate folders?
So each kind is easy to find and does not get mixed up.
2
Which folder in the tree does a recording of your voice go to?
Personal, then Audio.
3
What is a subfolder?
A folder inside another folder.
4
Which label is clearer: ‘Stuff’ or ‘Nile trip drawing’? Why?
‘Nile trip drawing’, because it tells you what is inside.
