spreadsheet project updated - wordpress.com€¦ · using spreadsheets in real world middle school...

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

by

SCOTTPIERSON

AA,CommunityCollegeoftheAirForce,1992

BS,EasternConnecticutStateUniversity,2010

ASPREADSHEETPROJECTSUBMITTEDINPARTIALFULFILLMENTOF

THEREQUIREMENTSFOR

TECHNOLOGYAPPLICATIONSINMATHEMATICS(EDU556)

Instructor:Dr.HariP.Koirala

DEPARTMENTOFEDUCATION

EASTERNCONNECTICUTSTATEUNIVERSITY

August,2014

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

Introduction

Whilethereissomecontroversyovertheuseofcalculatorsintheclassroom,

thereisverylittleovertheuseofspreadsheets.Ifindthisratheroddsincethe

spreadsheetispartlyacalculatingprogram.Sincetheveryfirstelectronicspreadsheet

wasdevelopedin1961(Power,2004),theirusehasbecomemoreandmoreprolificin

today’ssociety.True,manywiseteachersstillensurestudentsdonotfallintothehabit

ofusingspreadsheetsasacrutchbuttheoverwhelmingsupportforspreadsheetsinthe

classroommustmakecalculatorsupportsscratchtheirheads.

Thechallenge,then,isthesameaswithanyotherformofeducational

technology:howtocreatealessonusingthespreadsheetthatwillassistintheteaching

ofthelessonand,moreimportantly,thelearningandretentionofthematerial.The

answerisinthedevelopmentofpracticallessonsthatusereal‐worldsituations…ones

thatstudentscanseeanadvantageinlearning.Example:IfIweretocreatea

spreadsheetlessoninvolvingtheamountofspaceavailableonaniPodandhowmany

songscanbestoredthere…oralessonthatusesaspreadsheettocalculatestudent

grades…studentsmayseetheadvantageoflearningtheselessons.Theselessonswill

alsogivestudentsabasicknowledgeofthevalueofspreadsheetsforotherlessonsand

usesdowntheroad.

Asfortunewouldhaveit,Iactuallyhavetaughtalessonusingspreadsheetsto

classesof5ththrough8thGraders.IdidsoaspartofmyMSEdTechdegreeprogram,

andalsoasthenewlyassignedTechnologyDirectorforourschool.WhileIdidnotuse

thespreadsheetlessontoteachMath,wedidlearnalittleaboutmathintheprocess.

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

AndwhileIhavenotusedaspreadsheetasagradebook,IdiduseExceltocreatethe

school’shighschooltranscripts.

InherarticleentitledCompellingSpreadsheetTipstoUnderstandingMathematics,

WendyPettinotesthat“aspreadsheetprogrammightbeoneofthemostunder‐

appreciatedassetsonnearlyeverycomputer”(2010,p.1).Shenotesthatthereare

severalbenefitsfromaddingtheuseofspreadsheetsinmathlessons,toinclude:

Empowerstudentsastheyfacilitateinquiryandanalysis. Enableexplorationandconstructionofmeaninganddynamicandcreative

ways. Studentscanexperienceelementaryalgebrainactionastheycreateanduse

formulasandfunctiontables. Studentscanmakepredictionsandformulateconjecturesastheycompare

theoreticaldatawithreal‐lifedata.

Further,shenotesthat"aspreadsheetisatoolforunderstandingand

communicatingmathematically"(Petti,2010,p.4).Othershavealsonotedthat

teacherscanusespreadsheetstohelpstudentspracticeadditionandcountingskills

(InvestInTechStaff,n.d.).

Forme,aspreadsheetisanorganizedandcolorfulwaytodisplaymathematical

calculations.Inmybudgetspreadsheet,Ihavecrunchedallthenumbersonthefirst

sheettoshowwhereallthemoneygoesandthisshowsaclearpictureofwheremy

moneyissupposedtogoandwhereitactuallygoes.However,somepeoplegetlostin

thenumbers.So,tomakeitmorevivid,onthesecondsheetIhaveapiechartthat

providesamoreliteralpictureofwhereallthemoneygoes.Ifinditagreatwayforme

torealizehowmuchmoneyisspentonfrivolousexpenses.Ithinkthesamecanand

shouldbedoneinourclassrooms.Thenumbersaregreatandthenumberstellthe

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

tale...butanassociatedgraphmaynotonlybeasharperpicturebutmayappealto

studentswhomayget'lostinthenumbers'.

Insupportofthepracticaluseofspreadsheetsintheclassroom,ArizonaState

UniversityProfessorEmeritus,Dr.AliceChristiehasnotedinherarticleDr.Christie's

UsingSpreadsheetsinK‐12Classroom,(2007),Dr.

Christieshowsseveralpracticalandeasy‐to‐follow

lessonsonhowtogetchildrenusedtocreating

spreadsheets,charts,andgraphs.Shebeginsby

creatingalessonthatcallsforcomparativestatistics.

Then,shehelpsthestudentscreatetheirowncharts

(oftenhanddrawn)thatshowtheresultsinbar,

column,orpieformat.Lessonslikethesehelpstudents

understandtherelationsbetweennumbersand

provideapractical,colorful,andfunwaytolearn.Italsoprovidesanatural

springboardforateachertothenmovechildrenfromthehanddrawncharts,tothe

creationofelectronicspreadsheets,charts,andgraphs.

Project

ThepurposeofthisprojectistoexploretheuseofExcelinteachingtheconcept

oftravelexpensesandassociatedstatisticaldata.Morespecifically,theprojecthasthe

followingobjectives:

1. TeachstudentshowtouseExceltotrackcommonexpenses

2. UseExceltoteachstudentshowtoplan,budget,andtrackexpenses

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

3. UseExceltohelpstudentstothinkcriticallyaboutwhichexpenseswouldbe

neededforatriptoanothercountry.

ProjectOverview

Thismultimediaprojectwasdesignedforstudentsin5thand6thgradebuthas

alsoincluded7thand8thgrades.Itcanbeaccomplishedbyoneclassroomormany.In

thisassignment,studentsaretoldtoresearchinformationforaoneweektripto

anothercountry.Ifaclassroomfromanothercountryisinvolved,classroomsshould

planavisittotheotherclass’scountry.Ifseveralclassroomsareinvolved,classes

shouldchooseafairmethodtoassignthevacationcountry(i.e.,byselected

participatingcountrynamesoutofabowl).

Studentsaregivensufficienttimeinclasstoresearchairfare,hotels,restaurants,

museums,activities,etc.Thisprojectcanbecompletedindividually,butitis

recommendedthatstudentscompletethisjobasaclass.Theclasscanbebrokendown

inteamswitheachbeingassignedadifferenttopictoresearch.Studentsshouldsave

picturesofaircraft,cities,hotels,attractions,restaurants,etc.forthelatercreationofa

newsletterorPowerPointpresentation.

Ofmoreconcernforthispaper,however,isthetrackingofexpenses.Expenses

shouldbekeptonpapersothatanExcelspreadsheetcanbecreatedfromgathered

material.StudentswillthenbeguidedthroughthedevelopmentofanExcel

spreadsheettoincludeasimplepiechart.

Themainbenefitofthisprojectisthatstudentswillhaveabetterunderstanding

ofhowExcelcanbeusedforcommontasks,suchasvacationplanning,expense

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

tracking,andbudgetpreparation.Studentswillwalkawaywithabasicknowledgeof

someusefulwaysspreadsheetscanbeused.

ProjectActivities

Studentswillbeguidedstep‐by‐stepthroughthecreationofanExcel

spreadsheetandanassociatedgraphbasedonfinancialinformation(expenses)that

weregatheredduringtheproject.Thisprojectcombinesmath,geography,computers,

andsocialstudiessomultipleteachersandclasstimescanbeusedforthecompletion

oftheproject.Step‐by‐stepinstructionscanbefoundattachedonWorksheet1.

ProjectAssessment

Studentswillbeassessedaccordingtotheirparticipationintheproject,aswell

asthefinalproduct.Themostimportantaspectofthislessonisn’tthefinalcostorfinal

“answer”butwhetherornotthestudentsparticipatedintheprojectandunderstand

theprocess.GradeswillbeassessedaccordingtotherubricinWorksheet2.

FinalThoughts

IactuallycreatedthislessonintheSpringof2014.Whiletheclasses’teachers

taughtandguidedthemajorityofthelesson,ItaughtstudentstheuseofPowerPoint

andExcel.Iwasabletoguidethemthroughthecreationofthefinalspreadsheet.The

entireprojectreceivedalotofpositivefeedbackandIconsiderittohavebeen

successful.TheonlyissuewehadwasintheSkypeconnectionwiththeRussianclass

andhadnothingtodowithExcelorMath.Teachersconsideringthisprojectshould

consideropeningituptostudentsfromothercountries.Thatwasactuallythebest

partofthelesson

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

Feedback

Anexitsurveywillbeconductedtogivethestudentsachancetoofferproject

feedback.Thefollowingquestionswillbeasked:

1. Whatwasyourfavoritepartoftheproject?

2. Whichpartwashardest?

3. Didthepiecharthelpyouunderstandwhereallthemoneywasspent?

4. Wereyousurprisedbyanyoftheresults?

5. Whatcouldhavemadethisprojectbetter?

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

REFERENCESCCSSStaff.(n.d.).GradeSevenStandardsforMathematicalPractice.Standard5.Retrieved

fromCoreStandards.Org:http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2710&q=322592#mathematics2

Christie,A.(2007).Dr.Christie’sUsingSpreadsheetsinK‐12Classrooms.Retrievedfrom

alicechristie.org:http://alicechristie.org/edtech/ss/InvestInTechStaff.(n.d.).TeachingTechnology:UsingMicrosoftExcelintheClassroom.

RetrievedfromInvestInTech.com:http://www.investintech.com/content/excelclassroom/

Petti,Wendy(2010,April27).CompellingSpreadsheetTipstoUnderstandingMathematics.

RetrievedfromEducationWorld:http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/mathchat/mathchat025.shtml

Power,D.(2004,August30).ABriefHistoryofSpreadsheets.Retrievedfrom

DSSResources.com:http://dssresources.com/history/sshistory.html

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

WORKSHEET1‐INSTRUCTIONS

*Note:Studentswillfollowasteachershowseachsteponanoverheadprojector.

OpenablankExcelspreadsheet

1. IncellA1,typethewordITINERARY

2. IncellA2,typethenameofthecurrencyusedinthecountryyouwillvisit.

3. QUESTIONS:

a. Doyouknowwhattheyuseforcurrency?

b. Wherecouldyoulooktofindout?

4. IncellA3,typeDOLLARS

5. IncolumnA,underITINERARY,listallyourexpenses.Iputtheminchronological

order(bydate),youmayenterthemanywayyouwish.

6. RightclickontheletterBatthetopofcolumnB.

7. SelectFormatCells.

8. UnderCategory,select“Currency”

9. NexttoSymbol,scrolldowntofindthecurrencyusedinyourvacationcountry.A

teacherwillhelpyouifyouneedassistance.Click‘OK’whenthisisdone.

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

10. IncolumnB,underthenameofthecurrency,enterthecostscorrespondingtoeach

itemyoutypedincolumn.

11. LeftclickontheletterCatthetopofcolumnC.Atthetopofthescreen,nearthe

middleselecteithercurrencyoraccounting,andthenclickonthe$signbelow.

12. IncellC2wearegoingtoconvertyourforeigncurrencytoUSDollars.

13. Findthecurrentexchangerateforthevacationcountry’scurrency.

14. IncellC2,typetheformulayouwouldusetocalculatetheUSDollaramount

correspondingtotheexpenseyou’veenteredincellA2andtheforeigncurrency

amountyouhaveenteredincellB2.

a. InmyexampleforRussia,Ihaveentered‘=B2/34.7733’

b. I’vetakentheRUBamountincellB2anddividedbythecurrentnumberof

Rublesyoucanbuyfor$1…34.7733.

15. CopycellC2,highlightcellsC3throughtheendofyourlist,andthenpaste.

16. QUESTION:Whatdidyouthinkwouldhappen?Didyouthinkyouwouldhave

alonglistofthesamenumber?

17. FACTOID:IfyoutypedanumberinC2,copiedit,andthenpastedit,youwould

havealonglistofthatnumber.Butwhenyoucopyacellthathasaformulain

it,itpastesthatformulabutmakesitapplicabletoTHATrow.

18. RESULTS:Inmyexample,IcopiedC2whichcontainedtheformula

B2/34.7733.WhenIpasteitintocellC3,itchangestoB3/34.7733.C4willbe

b4/34.7733,etc.

19. NowthatyouhavepastedtheformulaintoallthecellsincolumnC,everyamount

youenterincolumnBwillbeautomaticallyconvertedtoUSdollarsbecausethatis

whatyoutoldittodowhenyoupastedtheformulainthosecells.

20. InthenextemptycellbelowyourItineraryList,typeTOTALEXPENSES.

21. InthecorrespondingforeigncurrencycolumnB,youneedtocalculateyourtotal

expensesintheforeigncurrency.Thiscanbedoneoneoftwoways:

a. HighlightalloftheexpenseamountsincellsB2andbelow,highlightingalso

thecellthatwillcontainyourtotal.Findthe∑(AutoSum)symbolatthetop

rightofthescreenandclickonit.Thisshouldcalculatealltheitem’syou’ve

selectedintothelastcolumnyouselected.

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

b. Enterthisformula:=Sum(B2:B_),where_isthelastrowyou’veenteredan

expensein.NoticemyexamplewasB24sominewouldread=Sum(B2:B24).

22. Rightclickonyourforeigncurrencytotalandselect‘Copy’.

23. RightclickonthecorrespondingcellincolumnCandselect‘paste’.

24. QUESTION:Whathappened?

25. YoushouldnowhavetotalexpensesshownforboththeforeigncurrencyandUS

dollars.

Wewillnextbreakdownallyourexpensesintomajorcategories.FormineIhave:

Transportation(whichwillincludeplanes,trains,busses,taxis,etc.)

Lodging(Hotels)

Meals

Activities

Miscellaneous

26. IncellE1,typeEXPENSESUMMARY

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

27. HighlightcellsE1,F1,andG1.

28. ClickontheMerge&Centerbuttonnearthetopcenterofyourscreen.

29. TypeEXPENSEincellE2,yourcurrencynameinF2,andDOLLARSinG2.

30. ListyourmajorcategoriesincellsE3,E4,E5,E6,andE7.

31. Nowwewilltotaltheexpensesthatcorrespondtoeachcategory.

a. Inthesampleabove,IclickedoncellF3andentered

=B2+B10+B11+B16+B17+B23

b. IfyoulookatthecorrespondingentriesincolumnA,youwillseethatthese

areallofthetransportationexpenses.

32. RepeatthisprocessforallthecategorieslistedincolumnA.

33. Repeattheprocesslistedinsteps13and14abovetocalculatetheDollaramountfor

thesecategories.

NEXTwewillmakeagraphofourexpenses.

34. HighlightcellsE3throughF7(E3,E4,E5,E6,E7,F3,F4,F5,F6,F7)

35. Intheupperrightcornerofyourscreen,selectthe‘Insert’tab.

36. Clickonthe‘Pie’chartsymbolnearthemiddleofthetop,thenselectthetype.

a. IselectedExplodedpiein3D.

37. Apiechartwillappear.Noticethedifferentsizesofthepiepieces.

38. QUESTION:Lookatyourpiechartandtellmewhatyousee?Inonepicture,

whatdoesittellyou?

39. Clickonanyoneofthepiepiecesbutclickonlyonce.Noticehowdotssurroundall

thepiepieces?Ifonepiecehasdotsaroundit,clickoutsidetheboxandthenclick

onepieceagain…butonlyonce.Nowallthepiecesshouldhavedotsaroundthem.

40. Rightclickonthatsamepieceandselect‘FormatDataLabels’.

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

41. Makesureonlytheseareselected:Categoryname,Percentage,ShowLeaderLines.

Makesure‘BestFit’isselectedunderLabelPosition.

42. ClickonClose.Notethatyourpiepiecesarenowlabeledwiththenameofthe

categoryandthepercentageofthetotalcostforthatcategory.

43. Clickingononeofthelabelswillselectthemall,clickingonitasecondtimeselects

onlythatlabel.

44. Selectonelabel,changethefont,thesize,makeitboldandmoveitaround.

45. QUESTION:Whathappens?

USINGSPREADSHEETSINREALWORLDMIDDLESCHOOLMATHLESSONS

WORKSHEET2‐RUBRIC

SCOREMathematicalKnowledge

(DoIknowit?)

StrategicKnowledge(Howdoyouplan?)

Explanation(Canyouexplainit?)

4

Iunderstandhowtocalculatetheexpensesandpercentages.

Iusedmathwordscorrectlytoshowunderstanding.

Ididtheworkwithnomistakes.

Ihelpedtheteamtoplanwhichexpenseswouldbeneededforthetrip.

IshowedthestepsIfollowedtoreachtheexpensesprovided.

IwroteorexplainedwhatIdidandwhyIdidit.

Iexplainedthecompletedproject.

3

Iunderstandhowtocalculatemostoftheexpensesandpercentages.

Iusedmostofthemathwordscorrectly.

Ididtheworkwithonlyafewmistakes,whichIfixed.

Ihelpedtheteammostofthetime.

IcanshowmostofthestepsIfollowedtoreachtheexpensesprovided.

IwroteorexplainedmostlyaboutwhatIdid.

IwrotealittleaboutwhyIdidit.

Iexplainedmostoftheproject.

2

IunderstandhowtocalculatetheexpensesbutreliedonExceltodothemath.

Iusedsomeofthemathwordscorrectly.

Ihadtroublecompletingtheassignmentwithoutmakingalotofmistakes.

Ihelpedtheteamalittle.

Ishowedsomeofthestepsbuttheexpensesweren’tclearorwereunnecessary.

IwroteorexplainedalittleaboutwhatIdidorwhy,butnotboth.

Icanexplainalittleabouttheproject.

1 Itriedtodotheproblem

butIreallydidn’tunderstandit.

Itriedtohelptheteambutwaslostmostofthetime.

Icouldn’tshowthestepsItook.

Ididn’twriteorexplainhowIgottheanswersIgot.

Ireallydidn’tunderstandtheproject.

0

Ididn’ttrytofigureout

theproject.

Ididn’thelpmyclasstoplanortrytoshowthesteps.

Ididn’twriteorexplainanything.