Spreadsheets!

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For many of us, thinking of spreadsheets generally conjures up thoughts of a fancy grade book. That's fine. However, think about ways you can integrate spreadsheets into your curriculum. There will be times when integrating Excel or some similar spreadsheet will enhance the overall learning of the student.

Spreadsheets and the NETS

Developing and executing a lesson plan that integrates the use of spreadsheets directly addresses several of the NETS Standards for both teachers (NETS*T) and students (NETS*S). Generally, the main purpose for learning and using application software is to increase your level of production-that is, to do things faster, better, or both. NETS Standards (NETS*T Standard V and NETS*S Standard 3) help us focus on these productivity objectives for both teachers and students. There are other technology standards, however, that may also be potentially addressed through your knowledge and use of spreadsheet software. Reflect on the following questions and consider the potential impact of spreadsheet integration: 1. How could the integration of spreadsheets improve the collection, analysis, and assessment of data collected by the teacher and/or the students? Could the enhanced data collection and analysis capabilities increase levels of problem solving? (NETS*T IV.B & V.B; NETS*S 5 & 6) 2. How can the use of spreadsheet software help develop students' higher order skills and creativity? Is there something about the use of spreadsheets that may enhance the exploration of alternative problem analyses, data comparisons, predictions, and ultimate solutions? How does the "what if ..." capabilities afforded by spreadsheets allow for increased levels of creative problem solving? (NETS*T III.C; NETS*S 3) 3. In what ways could spreadsheets be used to facilitate the communication and collaboration between teachers, students, parents, and subject matter experts on specific projects that ultimately impact student learning? Are there alternative means of displaying data (e.g., charts) that would allow for diverse audiences to better grasp the meaning of the information? (NETS*T V.D &V.I; NETS*S 4)

Using a Spreadsheet as a Learning Tool

These ideas are to help you generate your own thoughts of what could be done. Don't let it bother you it they are not the right content or grade level; use the idea and adapt it to be helpful within your own situation. These are meant to be a stimulus for additional ideas. Here are a few ideas that may help you see how a spreadsheet might be beneficial: 1. Provide or generate a set of data, and have students analyze and summarize the data by developing different formulas (e.g., means, standard deviations) to compare the results. 2. Have the students develop a survey, then collect, record, and analyze the data using statistical functions within the spreadsheet. Moreover, use the chart feature to report the data that they collected. 3. Collect, store, and compare monthly temperature averages for key cities in strategic locations of the world. Compare those averages with the average temperatures of the students' hometown. 4. Have the students collect data on the growth (e.g., height, loss of teeth) of their classmates over the course of a school year. Compare that data with students in other classes, other grades, other schools, or other countries. 5. Have the students compare the amount of soda, juice, and water purchased from the school's machines during different times of the day, on different days of the week, and/or different months of the year. They can also calculate the amount of money earned by the school from these machines given the cost of the repair and maintenance. 6. Have students develop a personal budget for their current standard of living. Also have them budget for when they go to college, volunteer for the military, or enter the work force. 7. Have students create a sign-up chart for using specific items within the classroom (e.g., a special learning center, the computer, a special place to sit and read). 8. In a business class, have students monitor the price of specific stocks and note trends that may suggest optimal buying or selling times. 9. In a physical education class, have students create a spreadsheet that collects and analyzes weekly efforts in speed, endurance, strength, and so on. 10. Have students maintain a statistical record of their favorite professional sports star and compare performance levels across several years. 11. Have students design a judge's rating sheet for a club or sport (e.g., gymnastic, dancing, skating, diving). 12. Have students guess what the most popular color of car or truck is, and then have them count the different colors that pass on a street near the school during a twentyminute time period. Also have them count and record the colors of M&M candies (or any other multicolored candy), socks, eyes, whatever, and analyze what they find.

13. Using the rows and columns of a spreadsheet, have the students design a signup sheet for use of the computer lab. This could also be converted to a work assignment sheet for various jobs in the classroom on different days of the week. 14. With the rows and columns as a guide, have students develop crossword puzzles covering key words in a history, geography, science, or other school subject lesson.

Using a Spreadsheet as an Administrative Tool

1. Grade Book. Student scores can be recorded, edited, sorted, summarized, and reported with relative ease. 2. Life Organizer. With all of those columns and rows, a spreadsheet is a good tool to develop a calendar or a daily meeting or work schedule. If you need to develop a set schedule for the lab, the spreadsheet can be formatted easily to display the times in a clear manner. It also works well to create quick and easy seating charts. 3. Estimator. Use it to record the current state and progress, and then estimate where goals should be set. For example, a teacher in a high school weight lifting class can record a student's name, current weight, and lifting capabilities, and then project what future goals for lifting should be set. The charting function allows these goals to be shown in a visual manner. Note: This is also a good thing for personal weight management programs (those things we refer to as "diets" and "watching our weight"). 4. Personal Budgets. 5. Calculator. Calculation of mortgage rates and monthly cost of a home. 6. Schedule. Develop time sheets for a small business and the work schedules of the employees. This can also be adapted for work schedules for individuals on school projects. "# Money Tracker. Use it to account for all fund-raiser money sales, book order sales, lunch money, and so forth.!