I am not teaching the data analysis unit this year. I like this lesson because we could use Excel. Excel is a great tool for students to learn. To begin the lesson, I would do a sample survey. Instead of using birth months, I would use 5 types of candy. I’d put a selection in a basket and pass it around the class and have each student choose one. We’d plot the data (how many chose each kind of candy) in an Excel spreadsheet and put it into a bar chart.
Extension Activity: I would have the students explore the Excel chart tools and enhance their chart.
Advice: Some students with Excel, I would assign seats, so that those who struggle would sit by someone who could help.
The candy bar data sounds yummy. I’m sure the students will love getting a treat while learning about charts in Excel. I think it is great that you’ve thought about seat assignments to help students who may need some additional help if they are new to Excel.
I decided to do an extension activity for this lesson. In this particular class, a few students are familiar with charts but most of the students are not familiar with Google Charts or Microsoft Excel. I decided to challenge the students to use Microsoft Excel and have them create a bar chart and an exploding pie chart. The students have to figure out what information is needed in order to display the desired outcome. In this case the month and how many students birthday are in that particular month.Extension Activity–Bar Graphs.docx (361.9 KB)
Thanks for sharing the extension activity and details. One thing you pointed out was - Plan, Plan, Plan. There are activities that you really have to comb through and reflect on who is in your class and what accommodations need to be made to make for a successful activity. That may mean some students have more scaffolding, some students may need more detailed instructions on what to do in a spreadsheet. Taking on the role of a lead learner yourself, helps you understand what the students are experiencing from the lesson and helps in planning.
