Data Analysis:
Introduction or Review on using Excel Spreadsheets

Team members: Audrey Smith, Lindsay Husta, and Christine Warzecha
Author: Christine Warzecha
Grade Level: Any class that needs to use the program Excel to analyze information
Concepts: Excel is a useful tool for taking data and organizing it in a way for easier interpretation. By using spreadsheets we can take data to make organized charts and graphs to make data more appealing.
Objectives:
The students will be able to:
·        Input their data into cells to make the data organized and easy to view.
·        Compute mean, standard deviation, and other functions to make use of their data.
·        Create charts and graphs to easily interpret their data.
TEKS Addressed:
(2)  Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:
        (A)  plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology;
        (B)  collect data and make measurements with precision;
        (C)  organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data; and         (D)  communicate valid conclusions.

Materials List and Advanced Preparations:
·        Transparency for engagement
·        Computer with internet access
·        Projector to enlarge computer screen in front of class
·        Access to a computer lab

 

 

ENGAGEMENT:     

How would you go about finding the total sum, mean, median, and standard deviation of this set of numbers?

Get into groups of 3 and make a list of how you would analyze this data to figure out these three numbers. (Let the students work for about 5 to 7 minutes discussing)

Now, will one of the group members tell us the ways that the group came up with and I will list them on the board. (Look for differences and similarities in each group and list each on the board)

 

EXPLORATION:

 

 

 

What the Teacher Will Do

What the Students Will Do

Ongoing Evaluation (Questions you will ask the students)

The ideas listed here are a great way to find the mean, median, and standard deviation of these numbers, but we can use a program called Excel to analyze this information and make it easier to organize and understand it.

 

Students will listen while I explain as I introduce the Excel program.

 

What if we already know how to use Excel?

Some of you might be familiar with using this program, but a few of you will not be that comfortable using this. This lesson will be a review for some of you, but for others it will help because this program is very useful for taking the data that we will collect from our project and use Excel to enter the data and to organize it to interpret it.

 

Students will listen for reason for lesson.

 

Does everyone in our group have to know how to use it?

 

 

 

 

This program is very important and you will use this for the rest your life. It is very useful for taking lots of information and organizing it.

 

 

Load the website on the projection screen so the entire class can see that computer screen.

This website here will be very useful for showing how analyze certain bits of information and make it easy to organize. You might want to take notes so that if you have problems when using the program you can look back at your notes to find how to solve. I know that all of you will not be able to catch this right away, but this program will be easier to use the more you use it.

Watch the teacher while she/he is loading the website for them to see.

 

Go through the website: http://www.k12.la.us/training/Excel_intro_2.viewlet_swf.html

Students will take notes on the website.

Can you stop and go over that one more time?

Can you explain that in more detail, I do not understand?

Do you have any questions or comments on the concepts that we have just covered.

Make responses to the question.

 

 

EXPLANATION:

Can someone explain why we use Excel with large amounts of data?

Would someone explain to me how you would take the data presented at the beginning of class to calculate the total sum?

How could I add/delete this row of cells in my spreadsheet?

ELABORATION:

Today we talked about how Excel can be used to enter data and to organize it to make interpretations easier to view, but we just used numbers. Are there other ways that we can use this program to organize information?

EVALUATION:

I have made copies of the data that was introduced at the beginning of class. Enter the information into an Excel spreadsheet and compute the sum, mean, median, and standard deviation. If you have time create a chart or graph using these numbers.

Safety: Students should be careful when using the computers for entering data.