This is for grade 7 I.T. classes only...please see next post (and previous post for links and work)

Congratulations, Milne Valley is $10,000 richer!

How would YOU improve the school?

If YOU had $10,000 to improve the school, what would you do?

Which group, subject and/or area would you devote your newly found funds to? How would you make that decision? How could you decide?

You and your group have been assigned to fact-find and then create a presentation that will convince student council, Ms. Bell and Ms. Cooper where the $10,000 should go.

You have been given one time funding only. So you should spend as much money close to $10,000 (including tax), or you will lose the remaining funds.

Some ideas could be: Green team (environmental improvements), Extracurricular (additional resources, sports equipment, etc.), Educational (guest speakers, trips), Equipment (computer, white boards, instruments, art supplies and/or other items to be purchased for school use).

Use on-line internet catalogues / databases, surveying the student population and other resources to help you research. Be realistic. Consult the TDSB web site to make sure your plan would be allowed in a school.

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Guiding question: How can I best present information / data in a meaningful way using Excel?

Area of interaction: Approaches to learning.

After completing this assignment you will:

- further developing problem solving and decision making skills
- use spreadsheet program functions in order to communicate information
- fine tune group organizational skills
- learn how to keep a process journal
- use communication software to work with others

Area of Interaction: Community and Service: How best can I make a difference in my local school community?

Curriculum ties: Mathematics (data management - graphing) (numeration - calculation spreadsheet)
Visual Arts - developing visual presentation (graphs and data)
Language Arts - oral and visual communication (using visual presentation to communicate information, communication software - design process journal posts, oral group presentation of findings)

During your presentation, you and your group will keep a “design process journal.” You will post a message to your class conference three times a week to discuss: what you did, what you changed, what you decided to change/why and other information to keep on track.

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Final Presentation Checklist

Your final presentation should include:

• Your proposal (explanation of what your group thinks the money should be spent on and why (use evidence from survey and your graph to back up your opinions)

• A sample of your survey (of school needs / wants) printed out

• One graph (best showing the needs of the school based on student survey or other information to back up your plan eg. If you decide to buy new t.v., a graph to compare ) printed out

• One spreadsheet (itemized with taxes) of your spending plan

• Implementation plan (a timeline of where and how the school will use the $10,000)

• Nine group process journal entries, three individual process journal entries using TEL communication software
  

During your presentation, you and your group will keep a “design process journal.” You will post a message to your class conference three times a week to discuss: what you did, what you changed, what you decided to change/why and other information to keep on track.

My group members are: __________________________________

Date assigned: ______________________ Date due: ________________________

Group Name : __________________________

Calculate
Using spreadsheet calculations, show your invoicing (eg. How you spend your 10,000 including taxes for each item)

Survey your student population where should the money be spent? if you’ve decided on what to use the money for which item(s) should you choose? Eg. Sports equipment, what kind?

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TO HELP YOU STAY ON TRACK, YOU MAY WANT TO FOLLOW THESE STEPS

INVESTIGATE

1. Identify appropriate categories of information that can be represented using Excel.(Think: What can I put on a spreadsheet and do calculations?)

2. Find appropriate factual information. (Go to the internet, find other data sources and collect your own data using a survey. If you need help distributing your survey, see me (Miss Reinsalu) for assistance.)

3. Find out the appropriate type of charts to be used to represent the data you collected in a meaningful fashion. (charts eg. Graphs: remember when to use bar graphs, pie graphs, scatter plot and line graphs)

PLAN

Excel worksheet and graph

4. A) Outline some ideas for the different layout of your data in the table (tabular) form. Have at least one per group member.

Choose one table (or ideas from each table) to make your final presentation chart. Post one design process post to explain why you chose the table format that you did.

4. B) Outline some ideas about how your graph will look (at least one per group member).

Choose one graph (or ideas from each graph) for your final presentation. Post one design process post to explain why you chose the graph format that you did.

5. Prepare a one-minute presentation which will outline why you chose to collect the data that you did. What is the usefulness of the data presented in the chart and in graphical as well as in the tabular (t-chart) form as well.

CREATE

6. Create Excel worksheet which will contain the survey data both as a chart (on the spreadsheet) and as a graph. (This is your group's good copy. Remember that I am
marking all steps in the process though.)

7. Indicate on the bottom of your Excel worksheet your name, your class and
the date created. Save your document in your shared folder.

EVALUATE

8. Each group member must do a self assessment. How did you work as part of the team?
How were you able to collaborate eg. sometimes work at consensus to agree on a particular action and/or idea. Each student should post an entry to your process journal.

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Process journal prompts (suggested)

Investigate and Plan stages

First entry: subject line: process journal entry 1 (group name)

Today we accomplished:

Today we planned:

Next we will:

Second entry:

Today we ….

We changed …..

We changed the plan because…..

Next we will…

Third entry: (collection of survey information)

Today we…..

We changed ----

We changed the plan because….

Next we will…..

(minimum three – end of first week)

Create stage

Fourth entry: Creation of data spreadsheet

Fifth entry: Creation of graph

Sixth entry: Choice of data spreadsheet for good copy and why

Seventh entry: Choice of graph for good copy and why

Eighth entry: Today we accomplished

Today we changed..

We changed because…

Next we will….

Ninth entry: Evaluate (group evaluation of making sure all steps and parts are complete)

We are finished are project because…

We are sure because…

Next we will…

Tenth entry: ONE ENTRY PER GROUP MEMBER Subject: Planning the presentation Group name

(parts to be presented by each person)

Today we….

We learned….

Next I will….

Eleventh entry: ONE ENTRY PER GROUP MEMBER Subject: After the presentation Group name

Today I ….

I learned…..

Next time I will….

Twelfth entry: ONE ENTRY PER GROUP MEMBER

Subject: Self evaluation group name

After looking at the rubric

I would give us ____ for Criterion A because….

I would give us ____ for Criterion B because….

I would give myself ___ for Criterion E because…..

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Assessment Criteria (A, B and E)

CRITERION A—INVESTIGATE

0 (R)	The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors
50-59 1-2	The student shows little knowledge and ability in identifying and applying technological research skills. There is hardly any attempt to analyse the problem about how to spend $10,000 for school improvement..
60-69 3-4	The student demonstrates some knowledge and ability I when identifying and applying technological research skills .Some comments are there about the significance of the solution, about how to spend $10,000 for school improvement.
70 - 79 5-6	The student demonstrates clear and consistent application of technological research skills. Personal comments, original thought about the need and some analysis of the significance of product or solution, about how to spend $10,000 for school improvement, for students are evident.
80 - 100 7-8	The student demonstrates excellent foresight when identifying and applying technological research skills. There is high degree of questioning and critical analysis. A clear understanding of the potential significance of the product or solution about spending $10,000 is manifest.

CRITERION B—PLAN

0 (R)	The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
50-59 1-2	The student shows limited ability to identify and consider priorities about using Excel to present data (spending spreadsheet and/or graphing survey data). The student is unable to predict outcomes. The explanation about the presentation is unclear.
60 - 69 3-4	The student shows some ability to identify priorities and consider outcomes about using Excel to present data (spending spreadsheet and/or graphing survey data). There is adequate communication of ideas. Time required for each activity is also mentioned.
70 - 79 5-6	The student demonstrates consistently the ability to identify priorities and consider possible outcomes about using Excel to present data (spending spreadsheet and/or graphing survey data) within a given timeframe. Ideas are communicated effectively. Time required for each activity is clearly mentioned with major tasks divided into subtasks.
80-100 7-8	The student show excellent ability to identify and consider a wide range of resources and strategies when using Excel to present data (spending spreadsheet and/or graphing survey data). The ideas are thoroughly developed and communicated. The work shows an outstanding level of time management and logical planning.

CRITERION E:PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT AND INDEPENDENCE

This criterion focuses on an overall assessment of two aspects.

A, The students personal engagement (motivation, general attitude ,confidence etc..)

B, The degree of personal independence (and interdependence on the group) in his/her work.

50 - 59 (level 1) 1	The student has displayed a satisfactory standard in one aspect listed above (personal engagement to group project / personal independence and group interdependence).
60 - 69 (level 2) 2	The student has displayed a satisfactory standard in both of the aspects listed above (personal engagement to group project and personal independence and group interdependence).
70 - 79 (level 3) 3	The student has displayed a high standard in one aspect listed above and satisfactory standard in the other above (personal engagement to group project / personal independence and group interdependence).
80 - 100 (level 4) 4	The student has displayed a very high standard in both aspects listed above (personal engagement to group project / personal independence and group interdependence).