Week 2: Spreadsheets in the Classroom!

I have worked in various jobs where using Excel spreadsheets have been key in performing my job successfully. When I worked in the marketing department for a fitness company, I used Excel for tracking membership logins and participation. The biggest thing that I did was use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to make sure that we used our monthly dollars correctly. The budget was a major part in marketing because we were always spending money, but was only allowed to spend certain amounts of money for different marketing items. The spreadsheet helped me in tracking and making sure that all budget dollars were allocated appropriately. Getting students familiar with spreadsheets and databases at an early age will only better prepare them for their future and make them more organized and successful humans.


While searching the Internet, I found many websites for teachers that explained the various ways in which spreadsheets and databases can be used in the classroom. I found way in which grades such as preschool could use them, all the way to high school classrooms. The following website was very helpful to me: http://learntech.ties.k12.mn.us/Excel_Classroom_Projects

This website referenced all different websites that teachers can go to for ideas and information on different kinds of Excel spreadsheet classroom work. A lot of times when people think of spreadsheets, they think numbers, graphs, and math. In reality, spreadsheets can be used in any subject. I found it surprising but very interesting that one idea was to use a spreadsheet in a history class. One example was a lesson on Civil War Battles. The students would talk about the different battles and then input the information in the spreadsheet. This information would include, specifics of the battle, location, date is started and ended, etc. Later, the students would be able to put it in a graph and be able to look at it that way. It is so helpful that spreadsheets really can be used in any grade and subject.

Unfortunately I am not currently teaching in a regular classroom, nor have I in the past. Although, I hope to be very soon. With that said, I don’t have any experience in using spreadsheets in my own classroom. However, after looking at the many website and readings I have already thought of many ways to use them. I think it is very important for students to learn how the weather changes over a year’s time. Of course they feel the temperatures rising and dropping, but until they can really look at it, they won’t fully understand it. Starting a spreadsheet that has the daily temperatures and weather, students will be able to track it season over season. Once they start to learn how Excel spreadsheets work, they’ll be able to find average temperatures and precipitation, and then later understand climate. I also think that giving students the responsibility of tracking their own grades will be very important and is something I plan to do as a teacher. When you let students use real life tools and resources in learning, they begin to see that what they are learning really will benefit them in the future. When students see this, it is much easier for them to learn. Students love technology and technology will only continue to become more and more important. It is our job as educators to make sure our future is prepared. I will definitely be using spreadsheets in my classroom, and so will my students. GO EXCEL! 