Graphing Lesson Plan

Appropriate for Grades: 4 - 10

Overview:

Enter a series of labels and results into a spreadsheet program to produce different sorts of
graphs.

Activity:

1. Start Excel.
2. Start a new spreadsheet.
3. Click in cell A1 and enter the first piece of information. (See the data
below in the resource section or use your own.)
4. Enter the rest of the information into the other cells below.
5. Click in cell B1 and enter the first piece of information for this column.
6. Enter the rest of the information.
7. Select all of the information cells by clicking in A1 and dragging over
the rest.
8. Choose Make Graph from the Options menu.
9. Click the type of the graph you wish to produce.
10. Click the OK button.
11. When the graph appears, click and hold on one of the four black
"handles" and drag the frame out to enlarge the picture.
12. Repeat from Step 7 for different types of graphs.
13. Choose Save As: from the File menu.
14. Navigate to your floppy disk or folder.
15. Type a name and click the Save button.
16. Choose Print from the File menu.
17. Click the OK button.
18. Cut out the graphs and stick them onto a poster displaying all of the
information.
19. Colour and post onto the classroom wall.

Resources/Materials Needed:

Software: Spreadsheet
Use this data: Column 1: 34,45, 12, 78, 25, 94 Column 2: 84, 81, 59, 14, 90, 48S