The Librarian's Internet: Excelling with Excel

Inspire kids and teachers with spreadsheets

By Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 3/1/2004

Microsoft Excel—Online Practice Modules
www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line_excel.htm

If you're new to using Excel, or you want to teach students, teachers, or homeschooling parents how to use it, this site is a real gem. The online quizzes included with many of the modules tell you immediately whether your answers are right or wrong. Created by: Susan Brooks and Bill Byles, Memphis (TN) City Schools. Don't Miss: The 15 Excel worksheets that teachers will be immediately able to put to good use in their classes. Detour: Check out the ready-to-print, whole-class or single-concept "Excel Handouts" at www.davis.k12.ut.us/etc/paul/Software/msexcel.htm. Requires: Acrobat Reader.

If you want students to focus on an individual Excel concept or skill, these 50 short Excel tutorials are just the thing. They cover the basics, as well as topics like charts and online spreadsheets, and make handy review sheets for students and teachers working on spreadsheets. Created by: Nevada Learning Series, Inc., West Chester, PA. Detour: If you're looking for a tutorial for Mac Excel users, check out "An Excel Short Course for Teachers" at www.tcea.org/Publications/Excel.pdf. Requires: Acrobat Reader.

This site is probably my favorite because it contains about 125 interactive Web "mini movies" that are perfect for teaching yourself or others how to create a spreadsheet. Show this site to anyone who teaches Excel and watch them smile. Created by: Ross Williams, Sabine Parish (LA) School District. Detour: If you're looking for more student Excel templates, check out the collection of 28 nice ones at www.sabine.k12.la.us/class/excel_resources.htm#Excel%20Templates.

Excel is not just for older kids, as this great site demonstrates. It's ready to help you teach Excel to students in grades K–5. Included are examples of activities for K–Gr 1 (using spreadsheets that teachers have created), Gr 2–3 (creating basic Excel charts) and Gr 4–5 (building charts or graphs from scratch). Created by: Kathy Adkins, instructional technology specialist, Forsyth County Schools, Cumming, GA. Don't Miss: The "ABC List of Things to Graph" or the "Teacher Resources" area for lots of lessons and Excel templates.

If teachers already know some Excel, but want some quick and creative ways to incorporate it into their lessons, introduce them to these six 15-minute "techtorials" that can be viewed online or printed out. Topics include "Excel for Beginners," "Excelling in K–12 Classrooms," and "Make a Timeline with Excel." Created by: Lorrie Jackson, Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis, TN. Requires: Acrobat Reader.