Spreadsheets and Bar Graphs

SCORE Mathematics

Standards Connections

Using Computers to Produce
Spreadsheets and Bar Graphs

A Web Activity to teach how computers can help to create and display graphs.

Dwayne Palasek

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Introduction:

The following pages help to explain the parts of a graph, various terms and some examples of spreadsheets and graphs that I use in my classroom.

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Prior Knowledge:

Some experience graphing data, basic computer skills.

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Grade Level:

4-7 and 8-12

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Objective:

The teacher will be able to better understand spreadsheets and how to use a computer to make graphs. By using some of the examples that I use in my classroom, they will may feel less apprehensive with using computers to help with graphing.

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Materials:

Computer with Internet access, printer, computer paper, pencil .

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Time:

Two or more class periods.

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Process:

Review the various terms used with graphing (mean, mode etc.).
Review plotting data points and graphing.
Teach or review how to input data into a spreadsheet.
Teach how to make a chart using a computer.

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Evaluation:

For evaluation, collect student worksheets and graphs.

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Extensions:

Brainstorm with students other situations to graph. Check out the Internet sites I found for data or search the Internet for additional sites and graph this data.

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Conclusion:

From this lesson students will learn more about spreadsheet, use a computer to make graphs and to possibly use the Internet to find additional places for data to graph.

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Related Internet Resources

Information about Spreadsheets

SCORE Mathematics | | SCORE Mathematics Lessons Index | | SCORE Mathematics Search

California Mathematics Academic Standards:

Grade 4:
Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability
1.0 Students organize, represent, and interpret numerical and categorical data and clearly communicate their findings.
1.1 formulate survey questions; systematically collect and represent data on a number line; and coordinate graphs, tables and charts
1.2 identify the mode(s) for sets of categorical data and the mode(s), median, and any apparent outliers for numerical data sets

Grade 5:
Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability
1.0 Students display, analyze, compare, and interpret different data sets, including data sets of different sizes.

1.1 know the concepts of mean, median, and mode; compute and compare simple examples to show that they may differ
1.2 organize and display single-variable data in appropriate graphs and representations (e.g., histogram, circle graphs) and explain which types of graphs are appropriate for various data sets

Grade 6:
Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability
1.0 Students compute and analyze statistical measurement for data sets.

1.1 compute the range, mean, median, and mode of data sets
1.4 know why a specific measure of central tendency (mean, median, mode) provides the most useful information in a given context

3.0 Students determine theoretical and experimental probabilities and use these to make predictions about events.

3.1 represent all possible outcomes for compound events in an organized way (e.g., tables, grids, tree diagrams) and express the theoretical probability of each outcome

Grade 7:
Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability
1.0 Students collect, organize, and represent data sets that have one or more variables and identify relationships among variables within a data set by hand and through the use of an electronic spreadsheet software program.

1.2 represent two numerical variables on a scatterplot and informally describe how the data points are distributed and any apparent relationship that exists between the two variables (e.g., between time spent on homework and grade level)

Grade 8-12:
Probability and Statistics
1.0 Students know the definition of the notion of independent events and can use the rules for addition, multiplication, and complementation to solve for probabilities of particular events in finite sample spaces.
5.0 Students determine the mean and the standard deviation of a normally distributed random variable.
8.0 Students organize and describe distributions of data by using a number of different methods, including frequency tables, histograms, standard line and bar graphs, stem-and-leaf displays, scatterplots, and box-and-whisker plots.

NCTM 5-8:

Standard 1 Mathematics as Problem Solving
Standard 3 Mathematics as Reasoning
Standard 5 Number and Number Relationships
Standard 7 Computation and Estimation
Standard 10 Statistics

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Using Computers to Produce Spreadsheets and Bar Graphs