This page contains the framework for a lesson using Google Sheets, an online spreadsheet tool. An example of a spreadsheet a student might create for this activity is included at the bottom of this page.
Description of the Topic: In this spreadsheet activity, high school math students will conduct a survey and will compile the results using a spreadsheet. Using the spreadsheet, they will display their data in graphs. Then they would present their results to the class and share how they think this type of activity could be used in real life, such as advertising, marketing, etc.
Goals: After completing this lesson, students will be able to… Write and conduct a survey by asking their peers questions. Record data from a survey by hand. Type that data into a spreadsheet. Create a bar graph and a pie chart directly in the spreadsheet using the data. Present the results of the survey to their peers.
Complex concepts students will understand after using the spreadsheet: Students will understand… How to conduct a survey. Why it is important to have a large sample size. Why it is important to carefully type results into a spreadsheet. How survey data can be used to create graphs and charts. How companies use surveys and graphs to market and advertise their products.
Description of the data that will be used: Each student will have to come up with a unique survey and will ask at least 50 of his or her peers for their responses to the survey. The data students use will be the responses their peers give to the surveys.
Column Headings: The column headings would be choices in the survey. In my example spreadsheet, the survey was about favorite candy types. This meant that my column headings were the types of candy.
Row Headings: The row headings would also depend on the survey options. The first row heading on my example spreadsheet is Type of Candy. Every spreadsheet should also have a row heading called “Number of Responses” or something similar that would describe how many survey respondents chose each option.
How this activity supports high school math learning: In the advertising world, surveys are taken all the time so that their results can be reported to try and sell a product. Data like this can also be used to show relationships and to give suggestions on what trends there might be in the future. This activity gives students an idea of how these different processes works and how the presentation of mathematical data can be useful in a variety of situations.