TECHNOLOGY

(SECONDARY)

ESSENTIAL UNIT 4 (E04)

(Projects in Spreadsheets)
(JULY 2010)

Unit Statement: The student will engage in solving a timely and relevant problem (see
suggested projects below), and will concurrently develop important skills in spreadsheets.
The student will work together with other students to produce readable and understandable
spreadsheets. In so doing, the student will develop skills necessary for college and
continuing careers.
Essential Outcomes: (assessed for mastery)
1. The Student Will create a spreadsheet that is organized, has visual appeal, is easy
to read on screen, and can print without wasting paper.
2. TSW link data from one sheet to another so that one update can be reflected in
many pages. This may be used for a summary page, for example.
3. TSW sort data alphabetically and / or numerically and explain the reasons and
nuances of these different types of sorting.
4. TSW filter data to find a desired record.
5. TSW validate data by creating or referencing a pull-down list and locking the cells
to prevent accidental changes.
6. TSW use functions to solve difficult equations such as mortgages, taxes, loan
repayment and percentages.
7. TSW lock cells to protect content.
8. TSW create charts and graphs that give data visual meaning.
Introduced & Practiced:
1. The Student Will create an advanced system of input / output functionality,
including IF / THEN functions so that a spreadsheet can dynamically change to
fit current needs.
2. TSW use and write macros to apply to buttons

QSI TECHNOLOGY SEC E04

Copyright 1988-2010

17

Materials/Software:
Spreadsheet program (for example, Microsoft Excel)
Free alternative: Open Office Calc, google docs (less powerful), zoho.com
Suggested Websites & Activities:
Sample project
Students develop a socio-economic system in class where different groups are paid in
different amounts and can therefore purchase different items. Accomplished tasks will
be:
1. Surveys are completed to find out how much each student makes and what he
or she has bought.
2. Each student also must catalog his own earnings.
3. Some or all of the students must take out a loan and must create a loan payback
form.
4. Students create a report to share their findings with the group. The report may
be stand-alone in Excel or may take on a larger form, such as a presentation or
video software.

Assessment Rubric found on following page.

QSI TECHNOLOGY SEC E04

Copyright 1988-2010

18

QSI Technology
(Secondary)
Essential Unit E04
Spreadsheet
Assessment Rubric
Rubric Item
Formulas /
Output

"A" level mastery

Formulas check and work with no
errors. Easy to spot and use. Cells
protected.

"B" level mastery

Formulas check and work with one
or two errors. Can be found with a
little effort.

Visual appeal

Colors and lines help direct the eye.

Few colors. Laid out to be easily
read with a minimum of scrolling.
Alphabetizing is done correctly
with thought and no apparent
errors.

May be some confusion of colors,

lines and scrolling but generally
clear. Alphabetizing is completed
with thought.

Graphs / Charts Correct chart and use of colors and

fonts. Judicious use of fonts, sizes
and bold. Customization of the
table for the specific task is clear.

Use of the correct chart for the

task and good colors but
customization for the exact
assignment is not apparent.

Links

Links from page to page or to the

Internet work with no problems.
Cell references in a formula operate
correctly and checking has been
completed.

Links are consistent and wellplaced. All links should be

checked. May be some problems
with locating a link on a
spreadsheet.

Print / Colors

Prints with correct number of pages Prints in correct number of pages

and shows up with clarity, correct
and is easy to read on screen and
number of columns and rows. Sheet in print.
can be easily read.

QSI TECHNOLOGY SEC E04

Copyright 1988-2010

19