In this activity the students use Excel to create a chart using data they obtain from a story problem. After they create their chart the students use the chart to answer questions about the data that they entered. The story problem and questions are contained in an Excel template.

Getting Started
Before you go to the computer lab, open the Excel template, and save it to the Student Shared Directory so that all of your students can access it. You also want to make them read only so that more than one student can access the document at the same time. Right click on the document, and choose properties. When the box opens, click in the box next to read-only. Click Apply and then click OK.

You can either look at the story problem in class on your multimedia computer or in the lab using the projector. After you read the story problem, discuss with the students how to create and label the chart. Your chart will probably have 4 rows and 4 columns. Starting in cell A13 and going through cell A16 label each column Guests, Toys, Candy, and Cookies. In cells 14A through 16A type the number of students. (4,6, and 8) After the initial chart is set up, the students can then fill out the chart on their own. When they finish the chart, they can click on the tab labeled Sheet2 Questions at the bottom of the page and use the chart that they created to answer the questions presented to them.

Extension
As an extension you can have the students change the font size, color, and style in their chart. You can also allow them to add some clip art pictures that would go along with the chart. In order to do this you will probably want the students to see the Standard, Formatting, and Drawing toolbars. To view them, click on View, then Toolbars, and finally make sure there is a check next to Standard, Formatting, and Drawing.

                  1. To change the size or style of the font, click on the cell that you want to change and then play with the
                      size or style until you find the one that you like.
                  2. To change the color of the font click in the cell and then click on arrow next to the letter A in your   
                      formatting toolbar. When you click on the down arrow you will be given some color choices. To
                      see even more click on More Colors and a palette of multiple colors will be available.
                   3. To insert pictures to the students Excel chart, have them click on Insert--Picture--Clip Art or they can
                       click on the "clip art man" located in the drawing tool bar. Once they have the clip art open they
                       can either search by name or category for their clip art. To search by name, have the students type in
                       the name of the object that they are looking for in the search bar. To look by category, have the
                       students click on the folders provided and they will be able to view all of the clip art available in those
                       categories. Once they have their clip art, they can double click on it and it will be inserted into the
                       document.