1. Spreadsheets PGCE Primary School of Education University of Southampton

2. Spreadsheets Designed especially for working with numbers Designed especially for working with numbers Extremely powerful, with a host of mathematical, scientific and engineering capabilities Extremely powerful, with a host of mathematical, scientific and engineering capabilities Good packages include Excel (Microsoft), Lotus 123, Open Office Calc Good packages include Excel (Microsoft), Lotus 123, Open Office Calc Some packages designed for primaries – any good??? Some packages designed for primaries – any good???

3. Spreadsheets Flexible, enabling powerful “what if’” solutions Flexible, enabling powerful “what if’” solutions Include graphing capability Include graphing capability Easy to use Easy to use Requires understanding of spreadsheet formulas (not difficult) Requires understanding of spreadsheet formulas (not difficult) Cuts down on calculations Cuts down on calculations

4. Spreadsheets Dear Amy Now that I am getting on (I turn 70 today), I want to give you some of my money. I shall give you a sum each year, starting now. You can choose which of the following schemes you would like me to use. 1. £100 now, £90 next year, £80 the year after that, and so on. 2. £10 now, £20 next year, £30 the year after that, ans so on. 3.£10 now, one and a half as much next year, one and a half as much againthe year after, and so on. 4.4. £1 now, £2 next year, £4 the year after, £8 the year after that, and so on. Of course, these schemes can only operate while I am alive. I look forward to hearing which scheme you choose, and why! Best wishes Aunt Lucy An example of a spreadsheet used for a mathematical investigation. Acknowledgement: Hertfordshire Spreadsheet Project, 1986

5. Paula’s Party Paula sends you a card measuring 20 x 20 cms, with the following message on it: Please join me for my birthday party. Use this card to make a box for holding your smarties at the party. Make the box as big as possible, so that it holds as many smarties as possible. What approach would you use? Trial and error? A carefully crafted mathematical plan? Use scissors or a craft knife and cutting board to make the biggest box you can.

6. Mr McGregor’s Garden Mr McGregor wants to make a vegetable garden, but needs a fence to keep the rabbits out. He has 30 metres of rabbit proof fencing. What size garden can he make? Mr McGregor wants to make a vegetable garden, but needs a fence to keep the rabbits out. He has 30 metres of rabbit proof fencing. What size garden can he make? Does the shape make a difference?

7. Shopping Your year group (60 altogether) is going on an outing to the zoo. You decide to take a packed lunch, consisting of a two bottles of water (500ml) each, a salad and two hot dogs for each person. Use the internet to look up the relevant prices from Tesco, Sainsburys, The Coop and Asda and use the Shopping spreadsheet to see which is cheapest. Take into account your travel costs – 60p/mile Your year group (60 altogether) is going on an outing to the zoo. You decide to take a packed lunch, consisting of a two bottles of water (500ml) each, a salad and two hot dogs for each person. Use the internet to look up the relevant prices from Tesco, Sainsburys, The Coop and Asda and use the Shopping spreadsheet to see which is cheapest. Take into account your travel costs – 60p/mile

8. Spreadsheets Main advantage Main advantage Cuts out “inauthentic labour” (unnecessary calculations) and allows pupils to interface directly with the mathematics Cuts out “inauthentic labour” (unnecessary calculations) and allows pupils to interface directly with the mathematics Quick and easy to learn and use Quick and easy to learn and use Flexible easy to use “what if” capability encourages experimentation and effective learning Flexible easy to use “what if” capability encourages experimentation and effective learning