Spreadsheet/Database Lesson Framework
Description of the Topic: The topic of this assignment is Turning Points. The theme of Turning Points is embedded in the first unit of our required StudySync curriculum for Language Arts. Excerpts from various texts will be read in class, and the connective thread between them is the idea that when life changes direction (in large or small ways), we learn new information about ourselves and our place in the world. In this lesson, students will collect data from peers about which life events they believe are the most powerful turning points. Then, students must analyze the data they collect and draw conclusions about how others view turning points.
Learning Targets (Goals): Students will write a claim about which types of turning points influence lives most powerfully. They will support their claim with statistical evidence drawn from a survey they conduct, as well as text evidence drawn from in-class readings.
CCSS Standards (Goals):
- RL.6.1 - Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RI.6.7 - Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
- W.6.1 - Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence...
- W.6.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others...
- W.6.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources...quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others...
Complex Concepts: As a result of this lesson, students will know how to conduct a survey. They will also learn how survey data can be used to create graphs that can augment their claims. After using the spreadsheet to conduct a survey, students will understand how real life data can connect to the themes they are exploring in literature.
Description of the Data: Students will collect the data by interviewing 20 of their friends or family members. Survey participants will respond to the question, and their answers will provide the data students use to support their claim. The column headings are the choices given in the survey, and those choices represent the turning points that people might find most impactful in life. The row headings are the numbers assigned to each survey participant.
How This Activity Supports 6th Grade ELA: In 6th grade, students are beginning to formulate evidence-based claims. They must be able to identify and draw conclusions about a variety of evidence types: textual, anecdotal, statistical, and expert quotations. This activity will specifically help students understand how statistical data is collected and used to support claims. In real life, this type of activity can prepare students to better evaluate claims made by others.
Sample Spreadsheet Students Will Use: