5th Graders Learn To Use Google Sheets with Formulas & Graphs

At the beginning of May, our 5th grade teachers asked if I would be willing to help them teach a math standard around creating a spreadsheet. They wanted me to focus on teaching students how to create and use a spreadsheet to find averages: mode, median and mean.  I jumped at the chance! I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to spreadsheets, and I knew that our 5th grade teachers would also find this information helpful.

We began by gathering simple data points from our students  - their favorite ice cream flavors!  What could possibly be more important.  We covered the most basic concepts of spreadsheet cells and cell addresses. Students began by entering their data points, highlighting the data, and creating and editing graphs from this data. It also created an opportunity for us to discuss graph styles (circle, bar, line graphs) that best match the data.

We then moved to the average temperature for Lakeville, MN.  With the data points entered, students highlighted their data and used the formulas for mode, median and mean (average).  First we inserted the formulas using the available pull down menus in Google Sheets.  Once we tried that, I taught students how to type in the formulas directly into the cell/formula bar and highlight the data. We practice changing the temperatures and watching how it affected the averages.  Voila! Students thought it was cool that the spreadsheet would do their math functions for them!

Checking Out More Than Books At The Oak Hills Library! Maker Tools!

A few years ago, I was so proud of a new makerspace that I added to our library.  We didn't have much to start with, but with the help of our fabulous OHE PTO, I was able to slowly add maker tools to this area for our library. I wrote about my dreams for how students could grow and learn from this addition to library in my blog post: Small Changes Bring Big Results - Finding New Ways to Enhance Our OHE Library!

As time passed, I realized that my original dreams for a makerspace in the library needed to be revised to better fit our needs at OHE.  I needed to embrace the Maker Mantra: I Try, I Fail, I Learn, I Try Again! Our students and teachers found it difficult in their schedule to add maker time to their weekly book checkout time.  Our students rarely, if ever, had time to leave what they are engaged in with their class to wander into the library for makerspace time. So I tried a different approach.  I put library barcodes on the makerspace containers and began to let teachers checkout the makerspace tools & toys for their classroom.  Teachers liked the ideas behind giving student time to be creative builders with these tool, but they needed to be more intentional about making it work with their daily schedule. They also needed the flexibility to move a maker time into their classrooms so they could fit it between other parts of their schedule. Now, I am happy to report that our maker tools are checked out of the library weekly, with times when I  don't quite have enough...so that will be the next goal. Oak Hills students LOVE being makers!