Groundhog Predictions with Google Sheets

Groundhog Predictions in Google Sheets

What did you create and why?

For several years I have had students track the weather for six weeks after Groundhog Day and decide if we had winter weather or early spring weather.  Three of those years, I had a teacher from NJ join us with her class and we shared results across the country.

I originally created forms in Word that we printed out and filled in by hand.  We shared our results on a blog.  For this assignment, I created the data collection page in Google Sheets.  This can be shared with multiple classrooms in real time.  Students can compare weather data with our colleagues in other parts of the world.

What went well for you?

I have avoided spreadsheets most of my life.  I found that creating documents in Google Sheets was quick and easy.  I watched several videos online of what other teachers created.  I plan to use this as a data collection tool for students to use in many lessons.

What was challenging for you?

I need to learn more about adding formulas to cells.  At this point I want students to figure out the weekly average temperature, put I could have added that to the sheet so it was automatically calculated.

What did you enjoy?

I enjoyed seeing what other teachers have created and adapting this to my own lessons.

What ideas do you have for using this tool with your students, grade level, or to communicate with families?

I have a number of other data collection lessons that were printable, but I will adapt them to Google Sheets.  I found a video to show students how they can create their own charts and graphs.