Caroline, Edward's suggestions seem good. Having done this type of sequence with other activities, I can recommend a flow: - Brief overview of what might be possible with each Activity - Introduction of one or two key functions - Exploration time -- encourage sharing between participants, particularly when they learn something new - Introduction of another key function - Exploration time (as before) - Discussion - how do they see using the Activity with their students - Create a project/sample lesson plan from good ideas in the discussion My experience is that you bring people in slowly and let the power overwhelm them. Then, they start to generate lots of ideas. Hope this helps. Gerald <div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 9:06 PM, Edward Cherlin <<a href="mailto:echerlin@gmail.com">echerlin@gmail.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> I can provide a spreadsheet that I use for monitoring my blood sugar, because of my (relatively mild) diabetes. I recommend that we think about a sequence of lessons on elementary probability and statistics based on soccer (except possibly in countries where baseball or cricket are the prime national sports). It seems to me that this is the numeric topic most likely to rouse interest among students while being acceptable to teachers. But I would ask children what other questions they have that could be answered with a spreadsheet. The first topic, covering several lessons, is to have multiple children doing multiple column data entry, and formula entry and validation. If we can copy a rectangular range of data from one spreadsheet to another, we can demonstrate various other workflows and applications, such as entering data singly, offline, and merging it in a collaborative session. Later on, someone could do up a spreadsheet for the Net Present Value and Return on Investment of one computer for one child over a lifetime, with replacements every so many years, and other such matters. We could talk about how to evaluate progress on each of the UN Millennium Development Goals. We could talk about the spreadsheets needed for a microfinance institution and its borrowers. <div><div></div><div class="h5"> On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 14:47, Caroline Meeks <<a href="mailto:caroline@solutiongrove.com">caroline@solutiongrove.com</a>> wrote: > Hi, > I am working on curriculum for a professional development class for Sugar > for elementary school teachers for a class project. The format would be a > one-day hands on session followed by online session that are done over the a > week or two remotely. > For one of the online segments I'd like to have the teachers use Calculate > and/or SocialCalc. I'm looking for ideas for an interesting activity that > would help them get hands on experience with the collaborative potential of > these math activities. > If possible I'd like this activity to support some of the other learning > goals > > Helping the teachers see themselves as part of the global Sugar community > and as global citizens working to educate the next generation. > Valuing and bringing into the classroom the different cultures of their > students. In the US teachers have an increasing diverse classroom. > Teaching to standards > Differentiated instruction > > Any ideas? > -- > Caroline Meeks > Solution Grove > Caroline@SolutionGrove.com > > 617-500-3488 - Office > 505-213-3268 - Fax > </div></div>> _______________________________________________ > IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) > <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> > <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a> > -- Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation. The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination. <a href="http://www.earthtreasury.org/" target="_blank">http://www.earthtreasury.org/</a> _______________________________________________ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a></blockquote></div>