Formulae and Functions: tasks

Basic formula tasks

Basic Excel Formula

A paper based task. Could be used as a starter or gentle reminder about spreadsheet formula

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task

Teddy Tots Greetings Cards

Skills covered:

  • Create a structure and layout within a spreadsheet application
  • Enter a list of prices into a spreadsheet
  • Write simple formula with a single operator
  • Write a SUM function using a cell range
  • Format data to currency
  • Use appropriate number of decimal places
  • Write a formula to calculate a percentage
  • Ensure work fits on one A4 sheet
  • Set gridlines to show on printing
  • Set row and column headers to show on printing
  • Show formulas

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Task (2007)

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Task (2003)

Design a spreadsheet

A paper based exercise which could be given to students to check their understanding of spreadsheets during a lesson or as a piece of homework.

Students are asked to design a simple spreadsheet for a school fete.

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task

Design a spreadsheet

A paper based exercise which could be given to students to check their understanding of spreadsheets during a lesson or as a piece of homework.

Students are asked to design a simple spreadsheet to hold teacher's marks.

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task

 

Absolute cell reference tasks

Absolute cell references 1

Use this task sheet to give your students further practice at writing an absolute cell reference

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task

Absolute cell reference 2

Use this task sheet to give your students further practice at writing an absolute cell reference

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task

Absolute Cell References 3

Use this task sheet to give your students further practice at writing an absolute cell reference

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(2003 & 2007)

 

Percentages and absolute cell reference task

Car Sales - comparison and percentages

Skills covered:

  • Write a SUM formula
  • Write a formula to calculate percentages
  • Format cells as a percentage
  • Format cells to 1 decimal place
  • Write and use an absolute cell reference
  • Replicate formulae
  • Write a formula to calculate the differences between to different percentages
  • Ensure work fits on one A4 sheet
  • Add name to footer
  • Set gridlines to show on printing
  • Set row and column headers to show on printing
  • Show formulas

(subscription only)

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Task

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car sales.xls

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car sales answers.xls

 

IF...Then tasks

IF..Then workbook

A step-by-step guide for writing if...then formulae

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task

Schools tests task

A practical task for learning to write if..then formulae

 

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Budget task

A practical task for learning to write if..then formulae

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Concert task

A practical task for learning to write if..then formulae

 

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Discounts task

A practical task for learning to write if..then formulae

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task

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answers

 

VLOOKUP Tasks

Walkthrough 1

A step-by-step guide for setting up VLOOKUP functions

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Walkthrough 2

A step-by-step guide for setting up VLOOKUP functions

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Class

A practical task for learning to set up a VLOOKUP function

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class.xls

Jobs

A practical task for learning to set up a VLOOKUP function

 

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jobs.xls

Magazines

A practical task for learning to set up a VLOOKUP function

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magazines.xls

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magazines answers

Fuel

A practical task for learning to set up a VLOOKUP function

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fuel.xls

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fuel answers.xls

Cats

A practical task for learning to set up a VLOOKUP function

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cats.xls

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cats answers

Zones

A practical task for learning to set up a VLOOKUP function

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zones.xls

 

General spreadsheet practice tasks

Burgers

This exercise gives students a pre-created spreadsheet and asks they to use it to calculate the nutritional values of a range of foods from a leading burger manufacturer.

This could be used as part of a lesson about spreadsheets or could be left for a cover lesson.

 

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task (2003)

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spreadsheet

The Disco

This exercise asks students to use Excel to calcualate the cost of setting up a disco.

It starts with simple formulas and then leads them to absolute cell references and IF..Then functions.

This could be used as part of a lesson about spreadsheets or could be left for a cover lesson if your students are reasonably confident with using Excel.

 

 

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task (2003)

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task (2007)

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spreadsheet

 

 

Supermarket Comparisons

This exercise gives students a small list of groceries from four large supermarkets.

They are asked to use Excel to calculate total costs, average, minimum and maximum.

They are also asked to perform simple formatting on the spreadsheet.

This could be used as part of a lesson about spreadsheets or could be left for a cover lesson.

 

 

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task (2003)

Skiing

Another chance for students to practice their spreadsheet skills

 

 

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task

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spreadsheet

Ringtones

This exercise gives students a chance to practice further Excel skills.

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task (2003)

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spreadsheet

Starters and plenaries

10 questions

A lesson starter activity
A volunteer (either a student or class teacher) is given a slip of paper so they know 'what they are'.

The rest of the class can ask up to a maximum of 10 questions to guess what they are. The volunteer can only answer 'yes' or 'no'

 

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30 seconds

Lesson starter

Students are shown a number of terms for exactly 30 seconds. They need to memorise as many as possible. After 30 seconds, the terms are hidden and they need to write down as many terms as they can remember along with at least one fact about that term.

 

 

 

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3-2-1

Display this on the whiteboard as students are walking through the door. They can work individually or in pairs to come up with the answers.

Good for differentiation as all students should be able to get at least one of the six points.

 

 

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Acting up

A fun starter activity.

Students are given a character card. They then have to explain a term related to this topic whilst staying in character.

 

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Countdown

Students are given a set of jumbled up words related to this topic. They have to unscramble each of the words within 30 seconds.

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Post-its

Starter task

A fun kinesthetic activity where students work in teams to solve a puzzle.

 

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Teach me about

Lesson starter
Students become the teacher! One student is tasked with preparing a five minute revision starter about this topic for the beginning of the following lesson.

 

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Word tennis

Starter task

Students work in groups of three with two 'serving' words related to the topic. The observer monitors for words which are 'out'

 

 

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Draw me a picture

Starter or plenary

Students are given a selection of key terms and are asked to illustrate one of them in a diagram.

 

 

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Give me ten

A starter or plenary task
Students work in pairs to come up with ten words related to this project before joining up with another pair to expand their list.

 

 

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Just a minute

Starter or plenary task

Students are asked to talk to a partner about this topic for 60 seconds whilst abiding by a set of rules

 

 

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Lucky dip questions

Starter or plenary task

Every student is given a number at the start of the activity. This is used to help pick who will ask and answer questions about what has been learned during the lesson.

 

 

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One two three

Can be used either as a starter or a plenary task.

Students are given a sheet to complete firstly on their own, then with a partner and then joining up with another pair

 

 

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Pass the buck

An excellent starter or plenary for involving all students and getting them to identify a large number of facts about the current topic

 

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Pick me

This provides a differentiated starter or plenary activity. Students are given a question and work in groups to come up with an answer. The group must ensure that all members are able to articulate the answer.

 

 

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Teacher talkabout

Starter or plenary task

The class 'test' the teacher on their knowledge of key words related to this topic

 

 

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Word association

A starter or plenary task.

Students are asked to write down all of the words they associate with this topic. They then work with a partner to categorise them.

 

 

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4-4-2

A plenary activity where students are asked to summarise the lesson and pick out the main key words related to the topic.

 

 

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Call my bluff

A plenary activity based on the popular game show, ‘Call My Bluff’

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Corkboard

A great plenary idea both for AFL and for getting feedback from every student

 

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I predict

This task acts as the plenary from one lesson and the starter for the next lesson

 

 

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Lesson summary

This plenary provides students with an opportunity to evaluate the lesson and their learning and an AFL opportunity for the teacher.

 

 

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Mastermind

A plenary activity which is loosely based on the game show 'Mastermind'

 

 

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New words

A plenary task

Students have to identify three new words/terms that they learned during this lesson and then explain their meaning

 

 

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One word

A plenary task.

Students have to sum up today's lesson in just one sentence. They must include a given word within that sentence.

 

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Pyramid

A plenary activity.

Students are asked to complete a self assessment sheet to indicate what they have learned during this lesson

 

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Taboo

A plenary activity.

This task follows the traditional Taboo game. Students work in teams with one student from each team having their back to the board. A word is displayed on the board and teams take it in turns to describe the word to the student without actually mentioning the word itself.

 

 

 

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Text me

A plenary activity where students are asked to write a text message to explain what they have learned during the lesson

 

 

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Tweet it

A plenary activity

Students write a ‘Tweet’ message to sum up what they have learned during the lesson

 

 

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Word building

Plenary task

Students work in groups to construct a sentence about today’s lesson

 

 

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