From the Editor of Instructor/Electronic Learning in Your Classroom

Dear Technology Leader:

What you’re holding in your hands is a tool for bringing together three of your school’s most pressing instructional priorities -- math, science, and technology -- in a way teachers are sure to love: well-crafted, classroom tested lesson plans.

The eight lesson plans in this workbook use today’s most popular desktop applications, such as Microsoft Office 97 (with Microsoft Word 97, Microsoft Excel 97, Microsoft PowerPoint 97 and Microsoft Access 97), Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, Microsoft Publisher 97, and Microsoft Encarta 98 Deluxe Encyclopedia. These lessons include step-by-step instructions for using this software, which will add to the guidance teachers and students already get from the intuitive new Office Assistant and other Help functions Microsoft is known for.

Developed by the editors of Instructor and Electronic Learning in Your Classroom in partnership with Microsoft, this workbook is meant to be used as a resource for staff development and as a working idea bank for classroom teachers.

We hope that you and the teachers you work with find lots to be excited about within the covers of this book, and that it sparks a wave of technology-based lesson planning in your classrooms.

Sincerely,

Mickey Revenaugh Editor, Instructor/Electronic Learning in Your Classroom P. S. More teacher activity guides for Microsoft products are available online at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm

Acknowledgements

Microsoft would like to thank all of the educators from the United States and Australia who provided tested lesson plans for this book. Permission is granted to reproduce all or part of this document for staff development and educational purposes. © 1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Companies, names, and/or data used in screens and sample output are fictitious, unless otherwise noted. Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), Microsoft Encarta, Microsoft Encarta Virtual Globe, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Publisher, Windows, and the Windows logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Program Manager, Microsoft K-12 Staff Development: Susan Spezza Product Manager, Education, Microsoft Desktop Applications Division: Katie Jordan Scholastic: Project Editor, Mickey Revenaugh; Windows 95 Desktop Publishing, Rob Tyler; Illustrations, Drew Hires Table of Contents classroompr o d u c t i v i t y in the LESSONS AT A GLANCE ...... 4 A matrix of lessons, subjects, and software connections

IT’S IN THE (CHOCOLATE) CHIPS ...... 6 Investigating the chocolate quotient of your favorite cookie

ENDANGERED SPECIES ...... 9 Exploring imperiled animals and their habitats

THREE SQUIRRELS AND A PILE OF NUTS ...... 12 A fiendishly fun story problem to solve

SPACE CASE ...... 16 Selling the public on a new planetary mission

CODE CRACKERS MATH GAME ...... 19 Creating a “rule machine” to test operations

TRAITS R US! ...... 22 Celebrating diversity in the classroom community SO L VING POLYNOMIAL EQUA TI O N S ...... 24 Smart spreadsheet strategies for finding x and y

CAMPAIGN HOT BUTTONS ...... 27 Defining the issues, from poll to presentation

MORE RESOURCES ...... 31 Free new materials from Microsoft classroompr o d u c t i v i t y in the Lessons at-a-Glance

LESSON GRADE LEVELS TIME ALLOTTED

IT’S IN THE (CHOCOLATE) CHIPS Intermediate/Middle School Two class periods

ENDANGERED SPECIES Intermediate/Middle School One week

THREE SQUIRRELS AND A PILE OF NUTS Middle School One or two class periods

SPACE CASE Middle School Three to four class periods

CODE CRACKERS MATH GAME Middle School One class period

TRAITS R US! High School Three to five class periods

SOLVING POLYNOMIAL High School Two class periods EQUATIONS

CAMPAIGN High School Three to six class periods HOT BUTTONS

4 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Curriculum Connection Icon Key

Math Science Language Arts Social Studies

SOFTWARE NEEDED PAGE CURRICULUM CONNECTION

Microsoft Excel 97 Microsoft Word 97 6 Microsoft PowerPoint 97

Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia Deluxe Microsoft Encarta Virtual Globe, 1998 Edition Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 9 Microsoft Word 97 Microsoft PowerPoint 97

Microsoft Excel 97 12 Microsoft Word 97 or Microsoft Publisher 97

Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia Deluxe Microsoft Publisher 97 16 Microsoft PowerPoint 97

Microsoft Excel 97 19

Microsoft Access 97 21

Microsoft Excel 97 24

Microsoft Excel 97 Microsoft Word 97 27 Microsoft PowerPoint 97

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 5 INTERMEDIATE/ REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® EXCEL 97 MIDDLE SCHOOL ◆ MICROSOFT® WORD 97 ◆ MI C R O S O F T ® PO W E R P O I N T ® 97 IT’S IN THE (CHOCOLATE) CHIPS Teacher Guide

SUMMARY HANDS-ON MATERIALS NEEDED Is it taste? Size? Amount of chocolate? Explain that today ◆ Students will investigate Chocolate chip cookies the class will investigate two which brand of chocolate from two different brands, brands (A and B) of chocolate chip cookies contains the five cookies per team chip cookies to determine most chocolate; they ana- ◆ Paper towels which contains the most lyze and compare data using chocolate. Half the class will ◆ Food scale or other scale to M i c rosoft Wo rd and M i c ro s o f t experiment with Brand A and weigh in grams E x c e l, and then use M i c ro s o f t the other half with Brand B. PowerPoint to communicate their findings. TIME ALLOTTED Before you organize the class into teams, tell students they Two class periods OBJECTIVES will be conducting their experiment using the Office tools. ◆ To provide students with HOW TO BEGIN They will use Word to write hands-on practice in the sci- Ask students which brand of their hypothesis and results; entific process: establishing chocolate chip cookies they Excel to analyze their data; hypotheses, investigating, consider best and why. and PowerPoint to present recording data, comparing, Consider different criteria for their findings in a slide show and writing conclusions determining the best cookie: and on the Web. ◆ To help students make the connection between the study of math and science and their real-life concerns (such as making consumer choices) ◆ To build students' communications skills

PREREQUISITE SKILLS ◆ Understanding of the con- cept of mass and the use of metric weights ◆ Basic familiarity with Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint

6 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm IT’S IN THE (CHOCOLATE) CHIPS Student Activity DESCRIPTION What's your favorite brand of chocolate chip cookies? Is it the one with the most chocolate per bite? In this activity, you will uncover the chocolate quotient in several popular cookie brands. STEP A Preparing Your Spreadsheet SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l WH A T TO DO: You'll be using a spreadsheet to track and with an educated guess analyze your chocolate chip called a "hypothesis," which STEP C data. Here's how to set it up: they then test against re a l 1. Open Excel and create a data. Here's how to cre a t e Collecting Data new worksheet, and save it your own hypothesis: SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l under a unique file name. WH A T TO DO: Now roll up 1. Open Wo rd , c reate a new 2. In cell A1, type the name of your sleeves and get ready for document, and save it as the brand you're investigating. lab work. Here's what to do: H y p o t h e s i s . 3. In cells A2 through E2, type 1. Choose one cookie, weigh it 2. Choose an average cookie these column headings, to find its mass, and enter this f rom your set and estimate respectively: Total Mass, Mass fi g u r e into spreadsheet cell A3. how much of it is chocolate. of Chocolate, Mass of Cookie, Weigh a sheet of paper Number of Chips, and Mass of 3. R e c o rd your estimate as a 2. Towel. hypothesis: "Our team towel, and enter this mass in hypothesizes that Brand X E3. Since this figure will be 4. Highlight A2:E2. On the cookies contain an average the same for every cookie, Format menu, click Cells, XX pro p o rtion of chocolate select E3, click on the “fill choose Alignment, then check handle” in the corner of the per cookie." Express your Wrap Text. Save again. cell, and pull down to cover estimate as a fraction, a per- as many cells as you have centage, or a ratio. STEP B cookies. When you release, 4. Add notes about how you the figure will fill each cell. reached your estimate. To Making Your 3. On a towel, pick out the include a sketch, pull down Hypothesis chocolate chips from the the View menu, click cookie. SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Wor d Toolbars, choose Drawing, WH A T TO DO: S c i e n t i s t s and use the oval AutoShape. 4. Place the chips on another begin their investigations Save your file. towel and weigh them. In cell

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 7 IT’S IN THE (CHOCOLATE) CHIPS

B3, create a formula, =X-E3. ◆ Click Data Labels tab and Replace X with the weight of STEP D choose Show Percent. Click the chocolate you just found, Crunching Your Finish. press Enter, and the true Mass Data 3. Select the whole chart and of Chocolate will appear. Copy it. Then open your SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l , Hypothesis Wor d document and 5. Now let Excel calculate the Mi c r osoft Wor d Mass of Cookie based on the Paste the chart there. Compare other figures you’ve entered. WH A T TO DO: Here's how to results to your estimate. make sense of your data. Go to cell C3 and type =A3-B3. Press Enter. Copy the formula 1. Calculate the average of STEP E by clicking on the fill handle each of your cookie columns. on the corner of the cell and To do this, click cell A8 and Comparing and dragging down through C7. type in this formula: Communicating =Average(A3:A7). Press Enter. When data is entered for each SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t Click on the fill handle and cookie, Mass of Cookie will Power P oint automatically be calculated. drag through cell E8. WH A T TO DO: You're about to 2. Make a pie chart that decide once and for all which 6. Count the chips and enter shows Mass of Chocolate and cookie brand has the highest this number in cell D3. Mass of Cookie as percentages chocolate quotient – and then 7. Repeat steps 1-6 for all five of the Total Mass. To do this, tell the world! Here's how: cookies. Save all your piles of ◆ Highlight cells B8:C8. 1. Compare your results with ◆ Hold down the CTRL key, chips and crumbs, labeling those of the other teams ana- and highlight B2:C2. the towels to keep each lyzing the same brand. If ◆ On the Insert menu, click cookie's data separate. results differ significantly, Chart, choose Pie Chart, and reweigh and recalculate. 8. Weigh each pile of crumbs select a type. and see if this mass matches ◆ Click Next two times to go 2. Put together a PowerPoint what you've calculated in col- to Step 3 of the Chart Wizard. presentation summarizing umn C. How do you explain ◆ Click the Titles tab, and type your results. Import spread- any differences you see? Chocolate Quotient. sheet data and graphs, or create new ones as needed. For extra dazzle, try the PowerPoint Animation option. 3. Make your presentation to the other half of the class; they’ll do the same. Which cookie brand rules?

4. Combine your results into a whole-class PowerPoint presentation that you can deliver to other classes or the entire school.

5. Save your team and class PowerPoint presentations as HTML documents to post on your school or classroom Web page.

8 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm INTERMEDIATE/ REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® ENCARTA 98 MIDDLE SCHOOL ENCYCLOPEDIADELUXE ◆ MICROSOFT® ENCARTA VIRTUAL GLOBE ◆ MICROSOFT® INTERNET EXPLORER ◆ MICROSOFT® WORD 97 EN D A N G E R E D ◆ ® ® MICROSOFT POWERPOINT 97 OPTIONAL SOFTWARE SP E C I E S ◆ MICROSOFT® GREETINGS WORKSHOP Teacher Guide

SUMMARY In this cros s - c u r ricular activity, students will res e a r ch the issue of species endangerme n t by exploring threatened animals, their habitats, and the environmental challenges associated with them.

OBJECTIVES ◆ To explore the relationships between living things and their environment ◆ To guide students toward understanding of the causes The Biodiversity collage in Encarta 98 offers a vivid overview. of species endangerment ◆ To build students' research your volunteer to circle these and explore different aspects and communications skills with guidance from the class. of life on Earth. Then ask: What are some of PREREQUISITE SKILLS the reasons these species are Finally, guide students to threatened? Answers should Microsoft Encarta Virtual Globe ◆ Basic research skills include: human encroach- for an overview of habitats. ◆ Basic computer skills ments on natural habitats; From the home page, click the pollution damage to habitats; LEARN ABOUT THE EARTH head- TIME ALLOTTED oversupply of natural preda- ing. Scroll though to WORLD Approximately one week tors; poaching and hunting. THEMES, then to ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES. Choose HABITAT AND Next, using a PC viewer dis- HOW TO BEGIN WILDLIFE DESTRUCTION to show play system or large monitor, the wealth of articles, videos, Start by asking your students open Microsoft Encarta 98 and related material there. what they know already about Encyclopedia Deluxe. Click on endangered species. Ask for a MEDIA FEATURES and choose Now divide the class into volunteer to record the class's BIODIVERSITY under COLLAGES. gr oups of three or four, and tell thoughts on the board. Most Discuss the meaning of biodi- students they will be develop- likely, students will list a num- versity with your class. Then ing a res e a r ch project about ber of specific species; ask click on some of the "jumps" one endangered species.

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 9 ENDANGERED SPECIES Student Activity DESCRIPTION In this activity, you will work in a group to research one endangered animal species. You’ll find out and explain why it is endangered and recommend measures humans can take to protect the species from extinction. STEP A Start your research with the Endangered Species article in Encarta 98. Selecting Your Species 1. Open a new Word docu- tool. Explore several arti c l e s ment, go to the Table menu, about diffe r ent animals; use SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t En c a r ta 98 Encyclo p e d i a and choose Insert Table to the Pinpointer to track down De l u x e, Mi c r osoft Wor d create a quick table for listing additional choices. your endangered species pos- WH A T TO DO: With your 3. Talk about various species, sibilities. Record what your group, pick two or three and choose one to res e a rc h . group knows about each endangered animals you're species and what factors particularly interested in (use threaten its existence. Save STEP B the list on the board if you your document. need ideas). You'll be finding Doing You r out a little more about each 2. Next, open En c a r ta 98, go to one before you make your Encyclopedia Articles, choose Re s e a rc h final choice for your research Find, and type “endangered SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t project. Here's how: species” into the Pinpointer En c a r ta 98 Deluxe (or En c a r ta 98 plus Micros o f t Word ) , Mi c r osoft Encarta Vir tual Globe, Mi c ro s o f t In t e r net Explorer WH A T TO DO: Start digging into your research and recording your findings.

1. In Encarta 98 Deluxe, go to Encyclopedia Articles. Choose Research Organizer from the toolbar. Open a New Project, Save it, and create a card for each piece of information (text, pictures, your own notes) you find. Research Organizer will ask you to

10 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm ENDANGERED SPECIES name each card and cite its source. It will add the card to an outline you can organize any way you want. (If you don’t have the Deluxe version of Encarta 98, you can copy and paste notes into your Word document.)

2. Focus your research on questions like these: How do the needs of this species con- flict with those of humans? What other factors are endan- gering this species? Here are some other angles to explore for research: such as the Conservation sure you have all the data you ◆ Use the InterActivities In t e r national Web site above need. Reorganize your outline Population section of En c a rt a (h t t p : / / w w w. c o n s e rv a t i o n . o r g). if necessary. Then go to File 98 to study how the human and and Export as an RTF file. Do animal/plant populations have STEP C one of the following: changed. Create a graph in ◆ Open your Word document Ex c e l to show population pat- Presenting Your from Step A, import your te r ns in your species' location. Findings Research Organizer material, and use it to write a report in ◆ SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t Using Virtual Globe, locate your own words. Include En c a r ta 98 Deluxe, Mi c ro s o f t your species' habitat. Import graphics, maps, and charts. maps for your report. Word , Mi c r osoft Power Po i n t , Mi c r osoft Gree t i n g s End with recommendations ◆ In Encarta 98, use the More Wor kshop (optional) for preserving the species. Information button to connect WH A T TO DO: Go back to ◆ Open a new PowerPoint pre- to related Internet resources Research Organizer and make sentation, select Outline View, and import your Research Organizer RTF file. Edit the material to create a slide presentation. Be very selective about what you’ll show on screen, and copy the rest into Notes View as your script. ◆ Save either your Word or PowerPoint file as HTML to create a class Web site on endangered species. ◆ Open Greetings Workshop and choose Cards; create a design and text that tell the world about your species and how it can be saved.

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 11 MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® EXCEL 97 ◆ MICROSOFT® WORD 97 or MICROSOFT® PUBLISHER 97 THREE SQUIRRELS AND A PILE OF NUTS Teacher Guide

SUMMARY story problem. For example: testing out numbers for differ- Sami has twice as many CDs ent variables. (Answer: Jamal Students learn to solve as Maria. Jamal's CD collec- has 54 CDs.) s t o ry problems using a tion is one-and-a-half times s p readsheet in combination Now tell students they are the size of Sami's and three with various pro b l e m - about to tackle a much tricki- times as big as Maria's. If solving strategies. er story problem, but that Maria could load her 6-CD they can use the computer changer three times without OBJECTIVES and Excel software to help repeating, how many CDs ◆ To provide students with an them find solutions. Note that does Jamal have? engaging opportunity to exer- you also have manipulatives cise problem-solving skills Ask the class: What are the (in this case, nuts) for hands- unknowns? What information on problem solving. ◆ To demonstrate Mi c ro s o f t does the problem give us? Ex c e l as a problem-solving tool Divide your class into teams s=2m j=1.5s m=6 x 3 ◆ To provide a model for solv- of three, and give each team a ing and constructing story With your class, set up alge- copy of the Student Activity problems braic equations based on the pages. Assign one third of problem's unknowns and your teams to start with PREREQUISITE SKILLS givens; for example: j=1.5 X Strategy X (trial-and-error; see ◆ Familiarity with various (2m). Have half the class answer key below), one third pr oblem solving strategies, solve the problem algebraical- with Strategy Y (algebra), and including trial and error ly, while the other half uses the last third with Strategy Z trial and error, plugging in and (hands-on). ◆ Basic understanding of how to use Excel

HANDS-ON MATERIALS NEEDED ◆ Six dozen nuts in the shell (optional)

TIME ALLOTTED One or two class periods

HOW TO BEGIN Review problem-solving strategies, then pose a simple Here are the formulas students should figure out. One answer for B2 is 25.

12 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm THREE SQUIRRELS AND A PILE OF NUTS Student Activity

1. Take turns stating the prob - DESCRIPTION STEP A lem in your own words. If you and your teammates have dif- How many ways can three Analyzing the fe r ent ideas about what the sneaky squirrels divvy up one Problem pr oblem is asking for, talk it pile of nuts? The story prob- SO F T WA R E : No n e over until you can agree . lem below will give you a Your first step chance to find out. It will also WH A T TO DO: 2. On a piece of scrap paper, in solving any story problem give you practice using differ- jot down the unknowns in this is to analyze it – in other ent strategies for solving pr oblem. What don't you words, take it apart, and make problems, and show you how know? What is the prob l e m sure you understand all of its asking for? you can use the computer and pieces. Look carefully at the Excel to help solve them. In "Three Squirrels and a Pile of 3. Next, write down any bits of the end, you’ll have a chance Nuts" problem below, and specific information the prob - to make up and trade fun have one member of your lem may give you. What do story problems of your own. team read it out loud. Then: you know?

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 13 THREE SQUIRRELS AND A PILE OF NUTS

Now you're ready to move on 3. N o w, figure out form u l a s number into B2. You may end to a problem-solving strategy. for all the cells that will let up with a lot of weird - l o o k i n g All the teams in your class you plug in and test out num- fractions – and you know will be trying Strategies X, Y, bers. Remember to make these squirrels aren't going and Z, but not necessarily in each cell relative to the oth- to settle for anything less that order. Ask your teacher ers, so that a number you than whole nuts! Keep try i n g which strategy you should plug into one cell's form u l a numbers until you find one start with. will affect the rest. Here are a that gives you whole num- few hints: bers throughout. What pat- t e rns do you see? STRATEGY X ◆ The formula in cell C2 should be =B2-1, because the 5. Print your spre a d s h e e t Trial and Error s q u i rrel eats one nut fro m twice, once showing the for- SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l the pile in B2. mulas and once with your whole-number solution in WH A T TO DO: In this step, ◆ The formula for D2 is place. (Ask Office Assistant you'll be setting up a spread- =(C2/3)*2, because Squirrel 1 for help if you need it.) Then sheet that will let you try out leaves two-thirds of the pile move on to another strategy. various combinations of num- b e h i n d . bers to solve the problem. ◆ The formula for B3 is =D2, 1. Following the sample because Squirrel 2 finds the STRATEGY Y b e l o w, label your rows for pile the way Squirrel 1 leaves Algebra Power S q u i rrel 1, Squirrel 2, and i t . S q u i rrel 3. Label your SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l columns "No. of nuts in pile," 4. Once all your formulas are WH A T TO DO: With this prob- "No. of nuts after s/he eats in place, test out your lem-solving strategy, you'll be 1," and "No. of nuts s/he s p readsheet by plugging a leaves behind." setting up an algebra equation to solve. 2 . Highlight cells B1:D1, go to the Format menu, choose TIP: Remember, to enter a 1. Open the Excel worksheet Cells, click on the Alignment formula in a spreadsheet used for Strategy X, go to the tab, and check Wrap Te x t . cell, always type in an Edit menu, and choose Move Then adjust the cell width so equal sign (=) first. or Copy sheet, and click the text fits on two lines. Create A Copy. In your new worksheet, highlight B2:D4 and press Delete, leaving the column and row headings. Now you have plenty of room to create a table for defining your variables (see sample, next page).

2. The variables you most need to solve for are: x= nuts in original pile y= number of nuts each squirrel gets in the end. Record these at the bottom of your worksheet.

3. Here are some hints: Put in

14 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm THREE SQUIRRELS AND A PILE OF NUTS

several sentences (with pictures if you'd like) describing the steps and numbers that finally gave you the right answer. Then move to another strategy (by the end of this activity, you will have tried all three!). STEP B Cr eate a Prob l e m ! SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t x as Squirrel 1's "No. of nuts in you have). Put these in your Pu b lisher or Microsoft Wor d pile." When it comes to solv- starter pile. Open a Word doc- WH A T TO DO: Here's your ing for y, remember that it is ument and make a note of the chance to make up a story one-third of however many number. problem as tricky as "Three nuts are left in the end, so Squirrels and a Pile of Nuts." 2. Make one member of your y=1/3 (last entry in table). team Squirrel 1, and have him 1. With your team, think of a 4. After you fill in your table, or her tackle the pile of nuts problem that has at least put together an equation. You the way the first squirrel in three steps and requires at can type this in your work- the story did. Warning: No least two of the four basic sheet below your table. Show fractions of nuts allowed! Let math operations (addition, steps for simplifying the equa- Squirrel 1 take several tries subtraction, multiplication, tion. Then test it out with sev- until she or he ends up with division). eral numbers. whole amounts after each 2. Create a story to go with step. Record these numbers. the problem. For extra zip, 5. Make sure your worksheet use your classmates' names shows all the steps you fol- 3. Now the teammate who's and some familiar settings, lowed to write and solve the playing Squirrel 2 should work like your classroom or school equation. Then move on to through the steps. Again, no cafeteria. another strategy. fractions – so both Squirrel 1 and 2 may need to go back 3. Solve the problem on a sep- and adjust their piles. Record arate sheet of paper, and STRATEGY Z the numbers that work. check your work. 4. Launch Microsoft Publisher, Hands-On 4. Finally, Squirrel 3 should choose the Flyer PageWizard, take his or her turn. Adjust as Thinking and type in your problem. (As needed, and record the results an alternative, you can use SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Wor d in your Word document. Word.) Add graphics and a few PLU S : 3 dozen nut s 5. When Squirrel 3 is through, hints to help people solve the WH A T TO DO: With this strat- divide the nuts that are left. If problem. Print and proofread. egy, you'll be solving the prob- the pile doesn't divide by 5. Make a separate flyer with lem the way a squirrel would three, adjust all the way back the solution. Print it and proof – one nut at a time! through the problem. Record it, then hide it away! your tries and your final 1. Count out the number of 6. Exchange problems with answers. nuts your group would like to another team. Stump or be start with (not necessarily all 6. From all your notes, write stumped!

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 15 MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® ENCARTA 98 ENCYCLOPEDIA ◆ MICROSOFT® PUBLISHER 97 ◆ MICROSOFT® POWERPOINT® 97 OPTIONAL SOFTWARE SPACE CASE ◆ MICROSOFT® WORD 97 Teacher Guide

SUMMARY This activity asks students to to design, write, edit, and pub- lish a brochure to "sell" a space research project.

OBJECTIVES ◆ To build understanding of the social impact of scientific advances ◆ To inspire students to "design" and "sell" a space mission that will advance the overall cause of space exploration ◆ To develop students' skills From the “Exploring the Heavens” collage in Encarta 98, you can in written, visual, and oral launch into multimedia articles on key topics in space exploration. presentations sion to the Challenger disaster benefits might we see in terms to the recent remote-robot of technology advances and PREREQUISITE SKILLS exploration of Mars. product development? ◆ Basic research skills Encourage students to think Talk about how public senti- imaginatively but also to ◆ Basic knowledge of ment has changed over the remember the monumental Microsoft Publisher and decades of space exploration. challenges of space travel in Microsoft PowerPoint Why might people's interes t terms of cost, time, distance, wax and wane? Does the public and technical capacity. TIME ALLOTTED have a clear sense of the "why" Next, have students pair up Three to four class periods of space travel today? How im p o r tant do your students into space mission planning teams. Assign each team to HOW TO BEGIN think the space program is? conceptualize a mission that Use Microsoft Encarta 98 As a class, brainstorm a list of would accomplish both scien- Encyclopedia along with a PC three to six objectives for tific and social goals – one attached to an overhead pro- space exploration in the 21st that the public could enthusi- jection device to take a jour- century. What new frontiers astically support, with the ney through the history of should we be aiming for? right encouragement. Then space exploration, from the What social problems could have students follow the steps Sputnik days of the 1960s be solved through successful on the next two pages to "sell" through the Apollo moon mis- space missions? What side their space mission.

16 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm SPACE CASE Student Activity DESCRIPTION People jump on the science bandwagon when they understand its relevance to their lives. Successful scientists offer ideas that count, and they communicate their ideas to the public. In this activity, you and your partner will imagine an important space mission and communicate with the public about it in a persuasive, informational brochure and presentation.

STEP A Create a Microsoft Publisher brochure that makes your space case.

Planning Your most exciting features? What 1. Choose the format you Brochure are its vital statistics: time think will best get your mes- frame, mechanical require- sage across, then fill in infor- SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Wor d ments, personnel, costs? How mation as PageWi z a rd asks you for it. Substitute your WH A T TO DO: With your part- will the project benefit sci- team name and school ner, make some decisions ence and the public? a d d ress for the business about your imaginary space Open a Word document, name and addre s s . mission. What are the goals of answer these questions and your mission? What are its outline what you'll want to 2. In the spaces provided, create persuasive headlines and say about the mission in your text that sells. Replace graph- brochure. Decide what main WEB SITES TO CHECK OUT ics with selections from the points the text should cover, The Space Center Science and Technology cate- and what graphics and other http://www.imasof.com/tsc/tscmain.html gory of the Clip Art Gallery, or A fascinating look at the past, present, visuals you'll need. Then split import some from Encarta 98. and future of space exploration, with up the work of creating and links to photos, videos, illustrated time - assembling these materials. 3. Inside your bro c h u re, cre- line, and a very cool space shop. ate messages that explain Explore Space with SEE your mission, promote its http://www.sni.net/explore STEP B benefits, and lay out its vital Billions and billions of links to the who, statistics. You and your part- what, when, where, and how of space Creating a Draft ner should swap off writing exploration. If you’ve ever worn a SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t and editing. pocket protector, you’ll love this site. Pu b lisher or Microsoft Wor d Decide what action you National Space Society 4. WH A T TO DO: Use the http://www.nss.com want the public to take to B ro c h u re PageWi z a rd in Want to help shape a spacefaring show support for your mis- future? Beam up to this site and make P u b l i s h e r to create your basic sion. Should citizens write to your voice heard. Or just listen. b ro c h u re layout, or Wo rd. their Congressional re p re s e n-

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 17 SPACE CASE tatives? Should they plan a trip to witness the launch? Should they send fan e-mail to mission control? Whatever your call to action, use the back cover of the bro c h u re to clearly communicate it.

5. Print out a draft of your b ro c h u re, pro o f read it, then fine-tune it before printing a final version. If your teacher a p p roves, you may want to make copies to hand out to your classmates.

TIP: By saving your bro c h u re as an HTML document, you can post it on your school’s Reread your brochure and Under the Insert menu, intranet or Internet Web site. 1. pick out three or four of your choose Hyperlink, and link to STEP C most important points. These your brochure file. will form the basis of your slide show. 4. On one of your slides, add Presenting Your a picture from Encarta 98 by Mission 2. Open PowerPoint, select the going to the encyclopedia arti- Outline view, and type in your SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t cle, selecting the picture, key points as slide headings, Power Po i n t pulling down the Options beginning with the name of Now it's time to menu, and selecting Copy WH A T TO DO: your mission and team name. bring your brochure to life as Image. Paste it into your a persuasive, attention-getting 3. Go to your title slide and PowerPoint slide. PowerPoint slide show. highlight your team name. 5. Continue adding text, and tr y Word A r t to create eye- catching titles. Insert graphics fr om the Of fice 97 Clip Gallery, ch a r ts, and more. Just rem e m - ber not to put too much information on each slide.

6. When your slides are complete, go to Slide Sorter view and add Transitions, such as a slow dissolve or a quick wipe. Save your work.

7. Now show your finished PowerPoint slide show to the public (your classmates) and get ready for the countdown to launch!

18 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® EXCEL97 CODE CRACKERS MATH GAME Teacher Guide

SUMMARY

This engaging and challeng- ing math game provides students with opportunities to work with math operations and simple algebraic equations by creating a spre a d- sheet-based "rule machine."

OBJECTIVES

◆ To build students' skills in math operations and algebraic thinking In, Out, Rule. Tell students to try stumping the class that what you've created is an using your old-fashioned Code ◆ To put spreadsheets in stu- old-fashioned Code Cracker Cracker. dents' hands as problem-solv- math machine. Write the num- Then, using a large monitor or ing tools ber 2 under In; under Out, LCD projector, demonstrate write 14; leave Rule blank for ◆ To promote cooperative how to set up a modern Code now. math learning Cracker using Excel. (Follow Ask students for three or four the model above, and check PREREQUISITE SKILLS possible formulas you might the Student Activity directions have used to get from 2 to 14; ◆ Understanding of Mi c ro s o f t on the next page for set-up when they all call out 2 x 7, Ex c e l sp r eadsheet use details.) Run through a few tell them that your formula, or practice rules, showing stu- ◆ Fluency in math operations rule, uses two math opera- dents how to create and copy and basic algebraic thinking tions, not just one. Write their the formula in column B and guesses under Rule. what happens when you type TIME ALLOTTED Next, write several other Ins different variables in column One class period and Outs based on the same A. Ask students: How is Code rule, such as 4, 24 and 7, 39. Cracking different with this HOW TO BEGIN Ask students to keep guessing machine? until they figure out that your Introduce the game by demon- Have each student choose a rule is 5 x (In) + 4. strating how math operation partner, hand each team a "rules" work. On an overhead Give students a few minutes copy of the Student Activity or the chalkboard/whiteboard, to write and test their own page, and let the code crack- write the following headings: rules, then ask for volunteers ing begin!

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 19 CODE CRACKERS MATH GAME Student Activity DESCRIPTION With this math game, you and your partner will take turns posing math rules and trying to guess them using a worksheet "machine" you create with Excel. Whoever guesses the most rules quickest, wins! STEP A Make Your Create and hide rules in column B for your partner to guess! Machine 4. In cell B3, type a rule (for- What rule, using more than mula) that uses the number in one math operation, could SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l cell A3. Remember to start turn A into B? Click cell C3 WH A T TO DO: With your part- your formula with an equal and type in your main guess ner, decide who should go (=) sign. Use at least two but plus some other guesses first. Partner 1 should then not more than three math Click on cell A4, and follow these steps while operations in your rule. 2. replace that number with any Partner 2 is not looking. 5. Select your rule, click on one you choose. What do you 1. Launch Excel, open a new the fill handle in the corner of see in B4? Review and revise worksheet, and save it. the cell, and drag to copy it in your guesses if necessary. B4:B7. 2. Follow instructions in the 3. Try out more numbers in Tip box, below, to set up your 6. Type a different number in column A until you feel Code Cracker machine. each of cells A4 through A7; absolutely sure of the rule, or cells B4 through B7 will show until your time's up. 3. Type a number in cell A3. values that represent your rule. Save your work. TIP STEP C 7. Hide your rules by clicking To set up your spreadsheet: on the View menu and dese- Tally and Switch 1. Type Code Crackers in cell lecting Formula Bar. A1. SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l 2. Highlight cells A1:C1. WH A T TO DO: Partner 1 can 3. On the Format menu STEP B choose Format Cells. now reveal the rule by click- 4. Click on Alignment, choose Crack the Code! ing on cell B3. Did Partner 2 Merge Cells, then click OK. guess correctly? If so, she or SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l 5. Click the Center button to he gets 5 points – plus 1 addi- center the text across WH A T TO DO: Now Partner 2 tional point for every other columns A:C. will try to guess the rule workable rule. Tally the points 6. In cell A2, type IN. In cell B2, Partner 1 has devised. Your in an empty place on your type OUT. In cell C2, type time limit: two minutes! worksheet, then switch places RULE. so Partner 2 creates rules for 7. Select cells A2:C2 and Center your text. 1. Look carefully at the num- Partner 1 to guess. Whoever bers in columns A and B. reaches 50 points first, wins!

20 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm HIGH SCHOOL REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® ACCESS 97 TRAITS R US! Teacher Guide

SUMMARY HOW TO BEGIN 2. In the next screen, click the Table tab. Choose New, click In this supplement to your Ask the class: How many of DesignView, then OK. study of genetics, students you can roll your tongues? l e a rn more about here d i t y Raise one eyebrow? Take a 3. With your students’ help, by collecting and analyzing quick tally. Ask: Why do some type field names in the Table i n f o rmation about their own people have these traits while design (see sample below). and their classmates’ char- others do not? Guide students 4. For each field with a set toward understanding that acteristics (such as hair number of choices (such as these traits are hereditary, color and height) and traits Left-/Right Handed), create a passed along the same way (such as ability to ro l l pull-down menu for easy data that hair and eye color are. tongue or raise one eye- entry. Click on the Data Type b row). As the activity pro- Note that other hereditary cell and then down arrow. g resses, students will be traits include left- and right- Select LookupWizard, click the amazed to discover the handedness and the ability to “type in values” option, then genetic diversity within whistle. click Next. Enter your choices their own classroom! Tell students that they will be under Col 1. Click Next, and OBJECTIVES creating a database of genetic name your lookup column with the same name as the ◆ To deepen students' under- characteristics and traits in related field. Click Finish. standing of heredity through their own classroom. Using a large monitor or a PC Viewer, analysis of characteristics and 5. Save and close your table. traits in their peer group open Access. Then: 6. Divide your class into ◆ To provide practice creat- 1. From the File menu, choose teams. Teams will work sepa- ing and using a Microsoft New Database, then a Blank rately on Step A and combine Access database, including Database. Name and Save it. forces for the remaining steps. hands-on experience in collecting, analyzing, and report- ing data

PREREQUISITE SKILLS ◆ Fundamental understanding of genetic principles ◆ Familiarity with basic database design and terminology, with special focus on Microsoft Access TIME ALLOTTED Three to five class periods

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 21 TRAITS R US! Student Activity DESCRIPTION

Ar e you the only “lefty” among your friends? How many kids in your class could wiggle their ears if you asked them to? With this activity, you and your classmates will create a database of your own genetic traits and characteristics. You'll compare your classroo m results with statistics from “the real world,” and then look for other patterns in your data. Some students may also want Compete with other teams to design the best database form. to look for characteristics and traits among members of their families. defined the fields in your 1. Open the empty database database. Now you will work your class created with the in a team to develop the form teacher, click on the View STEP A that you and your classmates menu, and choose Database will fill out on the computer to Objects. Create Your enter data into your database. 2. In the submenu, select Other teams in your class are Data Form Fo r ms. Click the New button working on form designs, too. SO F T WA R E : Microsoft and choose the FormWi z a r d When all are complete, the Access option. Choose the Table you whole class will pick its and your classmates just crea t - WH A T TO DO: With your favorite form and data entry ed with your teacher, then teacher, you’ve already can begin. click OK. Then from the Available Fields listed below, choose the ones you most want classmates to fill in (which could be all of them) and add them to the list of Selected Fields in the orde r you want them to appear.

3. Now work through the remaining steps of Form Wizard. At the last step, give your form your team name, and select the option that lets you Modify the Form’s Design if you’d like to fine tune it;

22 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm TRAITS R US! then click Finish. Be sure to Save when you are done tin- kering!

4. Each team should present its finished form on the overhead viewer. Vote on a favorite, and go to the View menu. Choose Design View if you need to modify it. Then Save as CLASS FORM.

STEP B Enter Your Data

SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t Ac c e s s WH A T TO DO: You and your classmates will now go to the computer one at a time and:

1. Launch the class database and open the Class Form. At Use the Query and Report functions in Access to explore various the bottom of the form (in combinations of genetic characteristics and traits in your class. Form View), click on New Record and type in your data. istics and traits they have. Menu, choose the name of Everyone else in class will do Here’s how: your database. Click the the same. 1. On the View menu, choose Reports tab, then click New. 2. For an extra touch, scan in a Datasheet Views. Under the Click the ReportWizard and photo of yourself. Hint: Ask the M/F field, click in a record your query or table. Select the Of fice Assistant how to add an that contains Male (or M). On variables you want to focus unbound picture. the Records menu, choose on, such as Gender (M/F) or Filter, then choose Filter by Left-/Right-Handedness (see STEP C selection. Those records will sample, above). Then let appear on the screen. Report Wizard guide you through creating a report Analyze the Data 2. Next, choose several sub- variables, such as: How many based on that Query. Share SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t with your classmates, and Ac c e s s boys in your class are left- handed? What is the range of conduct additional Queries. WH A T TO DO: When all of heights among the boys? 4. Use the ChartWizard to pre- your class's data has been Choose the correct columns entered, your team should sent some of your data visual- one at a time, click on ly. Post your findings on a bul- decide on one main variable Records, and Sort. to explore. For example, you letin board, and find answers might want to focus just on 3. When you find a pattern (from the library and your sci- the boys in your class, and worth noting, create a printed ence teacher) to questions the then find out what character- report on it. On the Window data raises about genetics.

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 23 HIGH SCHOOL REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® EXCEL97 SOLVING POLYNOMIAL EQ U A T I O N S Teacher Guide

SUMMARY ing about several functions of the Goal Seek function, which the Excel spreadsheet that will allows the user to indicate a In this modeling activity, stu- help them solve polynomial de s i r ed ending value and ask dents will learn how to use equations. the spreadsheet to ret u r n a spreadsheets as a sophisticat- variable that meets it. Choose On a large monitor or an ed tool for analyzing, visualiz- 2. cell B3, then go to Tools and LCD projector, open Excel and ing, and solving mathematical click on Goal Seek. In the dialog choose a new worksheet. problems. box, specify B3 as the cell you OBJECTIVES 3. Show students how to want to set; give it a diffe re n t define a series of cells as vari- value, and specify A3 as the ◆ To aid students in graphi- ables in an equation. In the A cell that should change to meet cally visualizing polynomial column, type x into A1, then it. Close the dialog box and equations, beginning with enter a sequence of numbers note the res u l t . cubic equations from -3 to 3 starting in cell A2. ◆ To model for students how Select the entire column of Excel spreadsheets can be cells, press CTRL + SHIFT +F3, used as problem-solving tools and specify in the dialog box that you want the name this ◆ To introduce students to series x; create the name in advanced Excel spreadsheet the top row. Next, go to cell functions B1 and type y. In cell B2 cre- PREREQUISITE SKILLS ate an equation using x, such ◆ Basic familiarity with as x^2 (x to the power of 2). sp re a d s h e e t i n g Copy this formula and paste it in cells B3:B8. Point out to stu- ◆ Fundamental grasp of cubic dents how the value of the B equations and other polyno- cells change. Select B1:B8 and mial equations name the series y.

TIME ALLOTTED 4. Next, walk through Excel's advanced graphing features. Two class periods Select cells A1 through B8, 6. Hand out the Student HOW TO BEGIN and choose ChartWizard from Activity pages. Show students the Insert menu. Choose the Start this lesson by talking that they will be using all three 1. XY scatter chart function. about spreadsheets and how of the functions you just intro- Explore the results. students may have used them. duced to help solve their Explain that they will be learn- 5. Fi n a l l y , introduce students to cubic equations.

24 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm SOLVING POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS Student Activity DESCRIPTION Here's your chance to use Excel to help you solve those tricky cubic equations. STEP A Define Your Coordinates SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l WH A T TO DO: Set up your Excel spreadsheet to reflect a cubic equation. The equation we'll be modeling in this les- 18*x+6 . Copy this formula WH A T TO DO: Now you'll 3 2 son is 2x + 6x - 18x + 6= 0 . and paste it in cells B4:B11. want to visualize the equation by making a graph. 1. Open a new worksheet. In 6. Look at the values now A1, type this text: Graph of y = showing up in column B. Do 1. Highlight A2:B11. 3 2 2x + 6x - 18x + 6. To position you see any patterns? Save 2. Create an XY scatter func- the exponents (such as 3) cor- your work. tion graph by using the rectly in the text, highlight ChartWizard on the Insert each one, go to the Forma t menu. Save your work. menu, choose Cells, click on STEP B the Font tab, and click 3. Note from the value of coordinates (above) and from Superscript. Decrease the font Graph the this graph that the value of y size slightly. No t e : In sprea d - Equation changes sign between x=-5 sheet formulas, as opposed to SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l and x=-4.5 (represented by text, designate exponents by pr eceding them with the ^ sign.

2. In cell A2, type x. In cell B2, type y.

3. In cells A3:A11, enter a sequential series of values from -5 through 3 (see above).

4. Select A2:A11, press CTRL + SHIFT + F3, and name this column x (see above).

5. In cell B3, enter the formula for y, which is =2*x^3+6*x^2-

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 25 SOLVING POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS cell B3), between x=0 and x=1 (cell B8), and between x=1 and x=2 (cell B9). That means that the solutions to the cubic equation must lie between those values. STEP C Seek Your Goal SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l

WH A T TO DO: Now comes the part where the spreadsheet really shines.

1. Select cells A3, A8, and A9, click on Format menu, choose other two valid values for x. know how to set up your Cells, and format as Numbers spreadsheet to solve cubic to four decimal places; format 9. Save your work. equations, try it out on the B3, B8, and B9 as Numbers to equations below using the two decimal places. specified domains (ranges of STEP D numbers). Make up equations 2. Click on B3. This is your with a friend and test them first Goal cell. Now Try These! out. Then see if you can find a 3. On the Tools menu, choose way to use spreadsheets to SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l Goal Seek. You should see B3 solve other kinds of equa- in the Set Cell box. WH A T TO DO: Now that you tions, such as quadratic.

4. Remember that the equa- 3 tion you are solving is 2x + Equation Domain 6x2 - 18x + 6= 0, so you'll want to enter 0 in the To Value box. x3 - 4x2 - 5x + 14 = 0 -3, 6

5. The cell you want to x3 - x2 - 10x + 10 = 0 -4, 5 change to reach that value is 3 2 the variable you're solving for, x - 4x - 2x + 4 = 0 -2, 4 x. In the By Changing Cell box, x3 - 3x2 - x + 1 = 0 -1, 4 type A3. x3 - 2x2 - 3x + 5 = 0 -3, 5 6. Click OK on the Goal Seek Status box, which should x3 - 7x2 - 11x + 3 = 0 -2, 6 return a value of 0. 3x3 - x2 - 40x + 48 = 0 -5, 4 7. The value in cell B3 should also now read 0.00, while cell x3 - 5x2 - 5x + 3 = 0 -2, 4 A3 reads -4.9434. This is one 3 2 of your solutions for x. x - 4x - 3x + 2 = 0 -2, 5 3 8. Repeat this process for x - 27x - 27 = 0 -3, 6 cells B8 and B9 to reach the

26 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm HIGH SCHOOL REQUIRED SOFTWARE ◆ MICROSOFT® EXCEL 97 ◆ MICROSOFT® WORD 97 ◆ MICROSOFT® POWERPOINT® 97 CA M P A I G N HOT BUTTONS Teacher Guide

SUMMARY TIME ALLOTTED the problem of water pollution in your local area, and This simulation activity asks Three to six class periods; that you think your communi- students to work as staff e r s partners may supplement ty needs a water purification for a politician (played by with work sessions outside of program. (If there is another you). They are assigned to class "hot button issue" actually design, administer, and ana- being discussed in your com- lyze a simple poll on an HOW TO BEGIN munity right now, you might i m p o rtant community issue; Introduce the topic by bring- to develop a position state- want to substitute that for ing into class several press water quality.) But without a ment based on poll re s u l t s ; reports about proposals by carefully developed campaign and to persuasively pre s e n t the President, your state's to win public support, nothing the candidate's stand on the governor, or a local politician will happen on this issue. Tell i s s u e . on important public issues. students that you need their Ask students how they think OBJECTIVES help in finding out how citi- such proposals are developed, zens feel about water quality ◆ To sharpen understanding and what role public opinion of the role of public opinion plays. and then in building a cam- polling in the political process paign based on their concerns . Introduce this simulation ◆ To develop data design, col- activity by telling students Divide your class into pairs, lection, and analysis skills that you will be playing the and set deadlines for them to using spreadsheet tools role of a local politician and present their work to you that they are your staff. Say after each step in the Student ◆ To provide practice with that you are very interested in Activity. persuasive writing and public speaking Extension Activities PREREQUISITE SKILLS ◆ Have students use Microsoft Publisher 97 to create pam- ◆ Basic understanding of phlets, posters, or ads based on their work in this activity. Mi c r osoft Excel ◆ Have your students choose their own hot button issue to ◆ Familiarity with Microsoft address in a repeat of the activity. Word ◆ Ask students to analyze survey results that they read in the ◆ Ability to create basic news. How were the questions framed? Who was chosen to slides using Microsoft answer? Why are certain highlights chosen? If possible, send PowerPoint away for the actual survey report and take a closer look.

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 27 CAMPAIGN HOT BUTTONS Student Activity DESCRIPTION The key is to design your STEP B questions so they can be ana- For better or worse, politics lyzed statistically. That means Designing Your has become entwined with asking questions that can be Poll Form public opinion polling. answered Yes or No; providing Politicians and their staffs a scale for answers, such as 1 SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l work hard to identify "hot but- to 5, with 1 being Strongly WH A T TO DO: You will be cre- ton issues"– topics that voters Agree and 5 being Strongly ating a basic spreadsheet doc- care passionately about – and Disagree; or providing multi- ument that you can print out craft positions and programs ple choice answers. for conducting your poll and accordingly. For this activity, then enter your collected data imagine you and your partner You'll also want to gather data into. Here's how: are key policy strategists for a about the people who will local politician (played by answer your poll, to help you 1. Open Excel. In cell A1 of your teacher). This politician better analyze your results. the blank worksheet, enter a has a hunch that water quali- For example, you might want title such as "Poll on Water ty is an issue of great concern to record their age and gen- Quality" (see sample below). to citizens in your town, and der, so you could later report Select cells A1:F1 and click that they might support a pro- that "new recreation facilities the Merge and Center button posal to build small-scale are especially important to on the Formatting toolbar. water-purification plants at males ages 14-16." strategic locations. But similar 2. Skip a row, then type in proposals have failed in the With your partner, brainstorm your survey questions and past. It's up to you to make a list of at least three ques- the answer scale (for example, the difference. tions you’ll want to ask. 1 = not at all, 5 = extremely). STEP A Brainstorming Poll Questions SO F T WA R E : No n e WH A T TO DO: Your candidate believes her water-purification proposal would have three important benefits: the pro- tection of sources of drinking water, the rehabilitation of wildlife habitats, and the cre- ation of a swimming and recreation area on the out- skirts of your town. Your poll should help determine how the public feels about these three goals, and what problems they might foresee with Use printouts of a blank Excel worksheet to collect data in a poll of your boss's proposal. your classmates and peers on your chosen hot topic.

28 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm CAMPAIGN HOT BUTTONS

You’ll be using a copy of this worksheet as a script when you survey, so make certain your wording is clear.

3. Type in column headings for the data you want to gather from each participant (such as Name, Age, M/F, and the numerical answer for each question).

4. Use Format to adjust the row heights and column widths to make it easier to write in while you're polling.

5. Highlight the answer area, go to the Format menu, choose Cells, and click on the Enter and save your data. Borders tab. Select inside and STEP C 2. To find the average answer outline borders to create a to your questions, select a neat grid (see page 28). Analyzing Your Data blank cell at the bottom of 6. Save and print. each column and type = to SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Exce l indicate a formula. Go to the 7. Now poll your classmates. In s e r t menu, choose Function, WH A T TO DO: When your Pencil in the information polling is complete, follow and select Average. Highlight under each heading, including these steps: the range of cells, for example, the numerical answer to each =A VERAGE(D9:D18). Pres s of your survey questions. 1. Open your worksheet. En t e r . Drag the fill corner to F19 to copy this formu l a .

3. To find the percentage represented by each answer, first find the total number of answers by having Excel count them. Select a cell below any column of numbers – for example, B19 – and type the formula =COUNT(B9:B18). On a separate area of your worksheet, set up a table that shows the frequency of each answer from 1 to 5 for Question 1, and have Excel divide each frequency by your total number of answers (such as =4/B19).

4. Create a graph of your percentages by selecting your

More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm Productivity in the Classroom 29 CAMPAIGN HOT BUTTONS percentage cells, choose ChartWizard button on the toolbar (see sample results at top of previous page).

5. To experiment with other ways of analyzing your data – by respondents' gender and age – use the Filter function under Data. Highlight the label cell on any column, go to the Data menu, select Filter, and choose AutoFilter. This creates a pulldown menu of all the variables in your data (such as M and F for gender). When you select a filter, Excel will show only the rows that match. You can then average the press. If more males than each recommendation. these subsets, find their per- females seem to care about Launch PowerPoint, open a centages, or create charts for protecting wildlife, the politi- 1. new file, and choose Blank them using the same steps cian may want to create a spe- Presentation. you followed above. cial "save the animals" pam- phlet targeting males. 2. Go to the Format menu, STEP D Write up your recommenda- click on Apply Design, and see tions in a two-page briefing if any of the styles there fit Developing a paper; import spreadsheet your message. Or you could Briefing Paper data and charts as needed. look through clip art files from Office 97 and Microsoft SO F T WA R E : Mi c r osoft Word , Publisher for a water-related Mi c r osoft Exce l STEP E graphic that you could import WH A T TO DO: Your next task into the Master slide as a is to brief your boss, the Presenting Your motif that appears on all of politician, on the results of Campaign the slides in your presentaton. your poll and how best to pre- SO F T WA R E : Mi c ro s o f t To create eye-catching sent the water-purification 3. Power Po i n t graphic headlines, go to proposal to the public. Review Insert, choose Picture, and your data and decide which WH A T TO DO: Congratula- click on WordArt. two or three conclusions are tions! Your boss, the politician, was very impressed with most important – and what 4. Bring in graphs from the your poll and analysis. She strategies you recommend as Excel worksheets you devel- even agreed with all of your a result. oped in Steps A-C. This cre- recommendations! Now she ates a Hyperlink to take view- For example, if a large per- wants to take her water-purifi- ers back to the Excel files. centage of your respondents cation campaign public. She are very concerned about has scheduled a press confer- 5. Use the Animation function water quality, you'll want to ence and asked you to create to create lively, attention-get- suggest emphasizing this a presentation. You’ll need at ting sounds and transitions when talking to the public and least one PowerPoint slide for from slide to slide.

30 Productivity in the Classroom More tips can be found at: www.microsoft.com/education/k12/resource/lessons.htm MORE RESOURCES IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

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