Spreadsheet
The following project was a
collaborative effort between Lucie Capuano and me. We had to create a simulations for a class in which they
demonstrate critical thinking skills.
In this project, the students would use a spreadsheet to collect and
analyze data for an imaginary vacation.
This is a project that
would be best used in upper-grades, as it requires constructing multiple
mathematical formulas in a single spreadsheet.
It also requires that students have knowledge of how to use a spreadsheet
and how to create and manipulate formulas and data in order to produce a final
cost for the trip. An introduction or review of spreadsheet basics would be
necessary in order for students to complete the project. This project would take time as well, since
students are collecting and comparing data before putting it into a
spreadsheet.
Overall, this was a fun
project. I believe that students would
enjoy planning their own simulated vacation; giving them the freedom to choose
a destination that interests them as well as activities that they find
exciting.
Travel Project Guidelines
Students will work in
partners to research and plan a trip according to the following requirements
and specifications. The students will
be provided with a $3,500 budget for a seven-day, six-night trip for 2 people. The students may spend the money any way
they want to, the goal is to research three different travel destinations
within a radius of 800-1200 miles. They
shouldn’t spend more than 90% of the budget.
They can sleep and drive economy or splurge a little as long as it is within
their budget.
As a class, the students will create a concept map to
brainstorm the various expenses that occur when planning a trip. These ideas will be used as the fields in
the spreadsheet. Suggestions for the
fields include: destination, distance in miles, number of travelers,
transportation cost per person, total transportation cost, hotel name &
address, hotel cost per night, number of hotel night, total hotel cost, car
rental, total food cost, entertainment cost, miscellaneous cost, total trip
cost, budget (which is pre-set at $3,500), and percentage of budget used. Using the spreadsheet the students will set
up formulas and algorithms to calculate total costs and percentage. Upon completion of the spreadsheet they will
compare and contrast the three trips to determine their best buy. In class the students can work on critical
thinking problems such as: What would be the cost of the hotel if there were a
5% increase in the rate per night? How
much would the percentage of the budget used have gone up? How much will sales tax cut into heir
budget? What if their budget increased
or decreased what effect would this have?
The teacher can continue to propose higher order thinking questions of
this type. The students will write a
reflection on the process of researching and developing the spreadsheet, they
will reflect on what destination they think is most practical.
Future Development
This simulation can be used for future development. Having the students use the spreadsheet to
calculate the percentage of budget used for hotel, car rental, food, etc. can
extend this activity. The teacher can
also set parameters indicating the percentage permitted for each category.
(What if they could only spend 15% of the budget for the hotel, would they
economize?) The distance and the length
of the trip can be shortened or lengthened.
(How would they spend their surplus of money, or how would they
conserve?) Students can use the spreadsheet information to create a graph (bar,
line, pie, etc.) to display the distribution of funds. There are endless
possibilities and many variables that can be manipulated throughout this
spreadsheet. The main goal of
manipulating the spreadsheet is to engage the students in critical thinking
skills and use algorithms to calculate the new information.