Riverside Brookfield High School
Riverside, IL

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January, 2005

 

LIT HomeCurriculum PageMedia MusingsRBHS Home

Excel Quick Start

What is Excel?

Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet software.  It is primarily used for data analysis and can do complex calculations as well as producing eye-catching graphs and charts.

How do I access Excel?

On the RBHS system, you can reach Excel by selected it from the "Microsoft" menu of the Novell Application Launcher.

Why would I use Excel in a classroom?

Excel can be extremely useful in any class that involves data collection and analysis.  Think of it as an incredibly sophisticated calculator crossed with statistical analysis software.  A science teacher might use Excel to collate data on a lab report.  A math teacher might use Excel in the teaching of different formulas and equations.

Excel can also be adapted for use in the humanities - creating timelines, concept maps, etc.

Excel is also an extremely useful teacher resource for keeping track of club rosters, activity fees, grades, parent contact information, etc.

Follow the links below for sample lesson ideas for using Excel:

The Site Why It's Useful

Microsoft Excel Interactive Projects

This site contains nine pre-created math and science activities that use Excel.  They include things like introductions to probability, rules for maximizing area in geometry, and the effect of changing coefficients in algebraic equations.

Note - each of these DOES require you to download a pre-built Excel worksheet from the site.

Everyday Spreadsheets in the Classroom

Nicely divided into two columns - one with student lessons using Excel and one with teacher utilities using Excel.

Take a look esp. at the teacher utilities - basic grade sheet templates, rubric templates, lesson plan templates, etc.

Classrooms That Excel

The "motherload" web site - more potential lesson ideas from all disciplines than you can shake a stick at.

Templates include things like Excel Hangman, gradebooks, word searches, voting pattern analysis, stock trackers, etc.

Also has a specific section of the page devoted to lessons targeted at high schoolers including solving polynomial equations, planning family budgets, and comparing prices of dream cars.

Microsoft Excel Practice Modules

Another hotbed of lesson ideas and links.  Eye catching ones include things like trip calculators, temperature converters, Excel jeopardy, etc.

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