About Spreadsheets
http://www.microsoft.com/Education/CreateTimeline.mspx
This link shows how to use the spreadsheet to creat a timeline. This is at a second grade level. This is a great way to show how you can use the spreadsheet not just for calculating things for you but for other uses as well! Enjoy! Dina Francisco
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial067.shtml
A techtorial (technology tutorial) that helps you make a spooky story using Excel. A great idea starter for using Excel across the curriculum and not just for math or numbers! (I signed somewhere that said "author" but it didn't show up I guess so I am adding that this was posted by Dina Francisco! Do I still get my points? :)
Excel is one of the best programs that I have ever had to use. I have had several (non-teaching) jobs that relied HEAVILY on Excel and I have gotten very comfortable using it. I also use it personally to keep track of my household finances. Through the reading I now see how it can be beneficial in the classroom as well. Not only can the program keep you as a teacher organized, but it can help the kids manipulate data and help them discover new correlations in the data that they enter. Here is a website that further discusses the pros and cons of using this program in the classroom: http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/excel/ -posted by Alyssa Kovach
- I was searching the internet for ideas on using spreadsheets with elementary age children and I came upon this website, http://www.amphi.com/~psteffen/excel.html. This site seems to be really helpful. It provides tutorials and guidelines, assessment/rubric examples, sample lesson plan ideas, and chart/graphing ideas. It also has ideas for all grades. I am not that familiar with EXCEL/spreadsheets and this site really simplified it for me. --Posted by Jamie Baer 10/07/06
-Spreadsheets are fairly new to me. I think they will be a good way to integrate technology in the classroom. I searched the internet and came across this website. http://edtech.boisestate.edu/bridges/tslessons.htm . This website contains many lesson plans using spreadsheets, especially those that involve math and science. This information was useful to me because it gave me ideas about how I could develop a lesson that requires my students to input data into an excel program. --Posted by Allison Huff 10/8/06
-Here is a great lesson plan for Social Studies that involves the use of Excel. It involves the dates and results of the explorations of the Spanish conquistadors. It is a very clever and fun way to teach a lesson and include spreadsheets. http://www.create.cett.msstate.edu/create/classroom/lplan_view.asp?articleID=154
--Posted by Courtney B.
I have been exploring the Tennessee Curriculum Standards. I must say that I was unaware that technology standards are included in the curriculum standards for each grade. I am interested in teaching fourth grade, so I explored the technology curriculum standards for that specific grade (proficiency in spreadsheets was included!). I encourage each of you to check out the technology Tennessee Curriculum standards for the grade you are teaching or hope to teach. Here are the fourth grade expectations--it is a lot--I was surprised! http://tennessee.gov/education/ci/standards/computer/comptech4.pdf --Posted by Dayna Baer 10/9/06
Google to Test Web-Based Spreadsheet By Ed Oswald, BetaNews June 5, 2006, 11:20 PM Google plans to release a Web-based spreadsheet application Tuesday, which, when combined with its recent purchase of online word processor Writely, seems to indicate the company is about to mount a challenge to Microsoft's Office productivity suite.
However, Google is playing down the idea that the new beta project -- first reported by the Wall Street Journal -- is somehow a threat to Office's dominance, saying the two applications would be "complementary."
The Web based spreadsheet will not require any application to be installed on the user's computer, and documents created would be saved on Google's servers. Thus, a user could access the document from any computer with a Web browser. Up to 50 spreadsheets could be saved at one time, Google says.
Additionally, the application would allow multiple people to edit the spreadsheet simultaneously. All users would see changes as they were made, with an area available to chat if needed.
When saving, the user would have the option of either saving to an Excel-compatible or comma separated value (CSV) file. While the initial beta release is said to be quite rudimentary and only a few select users would gain access initially, Google will both refine the product and invite more testers in the coming months.
Google Spreadsheet will be accessible through Google Labs.
http://www.betanews.com/article/Google_to_Test_WebBased_Spreadsheet/1149561176
posted by Cassandra Johnson 10/10/2006
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/integ_tech_lessons.htm is a great website that allows teachers to explore Integrative lesson plans from schools in different districts. Not only does it assist with spreadsheet lesson plans in excel, but also in Microsoft Word and Powerpoint. - - - posted by Wendy Harris
I was reseraching on the internet about intergrating spreadsheets in lesson plans, and I found this webpage, http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/instruct/lp_tech.htm, on technology lesson plans. The website shows teachers activities on how to introduce spreadsheets and other tecnology into the lessons. I will definitely use this webiste for ideas when I start teaching. --Posted By: Kim Zachar
THE CHANGING FACE OF THE AMERICAN CLASSROOM
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/08/14/b2s.02.overview/
I found an article about Tupelo Middle School in Tupelo, Mississippi. Apparently, they are doing some very innovative things in the way of incorporating computer technology in the classroom. Students have laptops. They also use Microsoft programs, digital cameras, scanners, Adobe Photoshop, Web site software such as FrontPage, digital video cameras, Avio video editing machines, CD burners, and Proxima projectors. Also, a group of students at the school are trained to be the in-house technical support staff for the school's computer systems. Remember, this is middle school and it’s in Tupelo, Mississippi. It certainly blows away some of the stereotypes about schools in the South.
GREAT EXAMPLES OF SPREADSHEETS USED IN LESSON PLANS
I have also found a website called C-R-E-A-T-E for Mississippi: Challenging Educators to Advance Technology in Education. This website has all sorts of detailed unit and single lesson plans that deeply incorporate technology in the classroom. They are quite sophisticated. Check it out. You will see spreadsheets used in these lesson plans.
http://www.create.cett.msstate.edu/create/classroom/lplan_view.asp?articleID=119 http://www.create.cett.msstate.edu/create/classroom/lplan_view.asp?articleID=20
Posted by Mary Easter 10/11/06