This activity illustrates how weather data can be collected and examined using these tools. In the first part, Collecting and Examining Weather Data, students organize and then examine data that has been collected over a period of time in a spreadsheet. In the second part, Representing and Interpreting Data, students use the graphing functions of a spreadsheet to help them interpret data. Working on activities like these, students learn to set up a simple spreadsheet and use it in posing and solving problems, examining data, and investigating patterns, as described in the Representation Standard .
Task Have students collect data related to the weather in their city.
Organize and archive the data collected over a period of time in a spreadsheet. A sample spreadsheet appears below. As students gather data over several months, they should compare data sets. Students might be interested in accessing data for prior years and comparing their data with data for the same month over several years. Comparisons of data from different cities or regions, of data from coastal communities to inland communities, or of weather in different hemispheres are all possible extensions.