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Q2 Spreadsheets Secrets: Birthday Breakdown

13. Data Detectives

Clean up on Case File 002: Birthdays!

At school the next day, there are cards scattered on desks across the room that have your classmates' names and birthdates on them, but they’re all formatted differently. You wonder if the suspect may have chosen hiding places based on students' birthdays. But the birthday list is a mess—names are written differently, dates are formatted every which way, and nothing is sorted. Your job is to help clean up and organize the data so we can see the patterns and solve the next clue.

Step 1. Check out the birthday dates that are scattered around the room.

  • Be able to answer the question: What do you notice about the birthday data?
  • Be prepared to share your observations with a partner or the class based on your teacher's instructions.
  • Now follow the instructions on the chalkboard in the classroom below. The image is hyperlinked.

The image of the classroom provided classmate names and birthdates.  By selecting the image, students are given access to all of the student names and birthdays.

Step 2. Based on your notes in the birthday data that you have uncovered, you now need to get the data into a spreadsheet so that you are eventually able to format it to make connections to clues you have.

  • In your 13. Data Detective folder, create a Birthday Data Collection Sheet by following the directions in 13.Q2 Creating a Spreadsheet.
  • Some tips to keep in mind:
    • In Header Row Titles, add Name, Month. Day, and Year.

  • Type the data as seen in the uncovered list into the appropriate cells.

Step 3. Share your spreadsheet with your teacher, following their instructions for the required permissions.

Step 4. Add the link that you copied, as shown in the 13.Q2 Creating a Spreadsheet instructions (#8), to your 13. Data Detective Notebook, Q2 Spreadsheet Secrets: Birthday Breakdown slide 4, which you have saved in your Drive.

Step 5. Respond to the two questions on slide 4 in your 13. Data Detective Notebook.

MITECS  Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students, and

ISTE Standards for Students

1. Empowered Learner
d. Understand fundamental concepts of how technology works, demonstrate the ability to choose and use current technologies effectively, and are adept at thoughtfully exploring emerging technologies.

5. Computational Thinker
a. Formulate problem definitions suited for technology-assisted methods such as data analysis, abstract models, and algorithmic thinking in exploring and finding solutions.
b. Collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
c. Break problems into component partsextract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.

6. Creative Communicator
c. Use digital tools to visually communicate complex ideas to others.
d. Publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.


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