Chapter 8

Spreadsheets and kindergartners...are you kidding me???

Before this class, I never thought of using spreadsheets with a kindergarten class, but boy was I wrong!  I found that there are many ways to integrate spreadsheets into the curriculum starting with a math lesson that I laid out and described in the following questions.

1.  Can you identify two types of data your students could collect as part of a lesson?

If I were doing a math lesson on money, I would have my students reach into a jar full or coins, pull out a handful, and organize them by type of coin collected.  Students could then list the value of each coin and total value of the quantity collected.

2.  How could your students manipulate the data to discover relationships or trends?

To extend the lesson, students could manipulate the data to determine the relationship between the written word of the money and the currency value.  They could also change the order to see what coin is worth more than others as well as manipulate the date to find that one hundred pennies equals a dollar.   

3.  Can you identify three graphs or charts your students could make that would help them develop a better understanding of the content?

Every student develops their own individual understanding of material.  Having three different ways of organizing data and showing relationships allows the students to develop a better understanding of the content presented.  The following are three examples of graphs and charts that I would use to teach my math lesson.

4.  Is it possible to create an interactive simulation or model with a spreadsheet?

Yes, a teacher can make various calculation and conversion tools to manipulate the data and make it more interactive for the students.  For my lesson, I could teach my students to learn how to add or multiply coins using quick reference tables with the addition of a calculator.  This simulation would allow students to extend their higher-order thinking skills and show how money can be added or multiplied to create a bigger total.