1. GRAPHING WITH EXCEL
9th Grade Computer Applications

2. OBJECTIVES:
After an approved topic of their choice, students will

be able to research their topic on the internet
through questions and answers and through
teacher observation
 After researching their approved topic, students will
be able to create a graph of their choice using
Microsoft Excel 2007 with 80% accuracy according
to the rubric.
 Students will have been introduced to graphs in
Excel 2007 and will have completed graphing
exercises before beginning this activity

3. GRAPHING WITH EXCEL
Part 1: Students will choose a topic to create a

chart (such as snowfall in inches recorded over the
past 5 years, or comparing the amount of sales of 5
different CD’s a popular musical group have sold)
 Part 2: Approve the topic based on the ability of the
student to find necessary information
 Part 3: Instruct the students to begin researching
their topic
 Part 4: After completing, instruct students to print
and submit their graph

4. DIRECTIONS FOR ACTIVITY:
Choose a topic with enough information to be

graphed
 Approve the topic or have student choose another
based on lack of information to be found
 Allow students two in-class periods to complete
 Students can choose graph style
 Students must graph using at least five comparison
points
 Allow students to be creative with topic, information
for graph, and graph style

5. ITEMS REQUIRED FOR GRAPH
Title of graph

 Legend included in graph
 At least five separate comparison points to be
graphed
 Maximum size of graph limited to one page

6. EXAMPLE OF GRAPH
Precipitation: Winter Months
18
16
14
12
10
Rainfall
8 Snowfall
6
4
2
0
November December January February March

7. CLASS INFORMATION:
9th Grade

 Two Sections of Computer Applications
 Half Year
 33 Total Students

8. BENEFITS
Will allow students to explore their interests while

continuing to learn elements of graphing in
Microsoft Excel 2007
 Graphing techniques will demonstrate student
understanding of both learning activity and creating
graphs in spreadsheets
 Students will be allowed to display their creativity in
both the topic, information and graphing style
 Students should respond positively toward the
activity because they chose the topic

9. ANTICIPATED DRAWBACKS
Some time could be wasted by students

 Some students might not find a topic quickly
 Some topics might be difficult to find necessary
information
 Although creativity is encouraged with their
graphs, some graphs might be cluttered with
information making them difficult to understand
content of graph

10. ANTICIPATED STATISTICS FOR 33 STUDENTS
15 Students 90% or greater

 8 Students 80-89%
 5 Students 70-79%
 3 Students under 70%
 2 Students will not complete

11. TIPS AND GUIDLINES
Instruct students to choose a topic that will have an

abundance of information
 Introduce and discuss all activity
requirements, directions, and rubric before allowing
students to begin researching
 Guide those students who need direction with
understanding graphs or where to find necessary
information

12. QUESTIONS?