fnopress.com These lessons may not be used for professional development without purchase of a site licence. Click here for more information. CRUNCHING NUMBERS MODULE 1 - MODULE 2 - MODULE 3 MODULE 4 - MODULE 5 - MODULE 6 Introduction - Outcomes - Table of Contents - More Data Sources 1985 1995 1985 1995 Kentucky 7 11.2 7.6 7.6 Louisiana 8.7 11.9 9.7 9.8 Mississippi 8.8 13.7 9.8 10.5 Introduction Few people grew up with databases and few know when or how to use them. What is the difference between a database, a dataset and a spreadsheet? By the end of these activities, you should be able to tell the difference. You should also know when to use each. The most important point about databases is their help to us in answering questions. We use databases to collect numbers and other information. Then we sort them, "crunch" them and interpret them. Workshop Outcomes Participants will be able to . . . Provide a list of 3-4 ways that databases support questioning and research. Show 3-4 ways that databases can help to sort, sift and analyze information. Demonstrate skills manipulating data sets with a database program. Explain the relationship between a database and a spreadsheet. Identify questions which may be implicit within a data set. Create higher level thinking activities to support inquiry regarding a data set. Note the connection between this kind of mathematical reasoning and items on state testing. Identifying questions which require databases to answer. Design a database in order to support exploration of higher order questions. Create a lesson plan to accompany a database activity. Module One Why build a database? Click here to go to the MODULE Module Two Questions, Questions . . . What are the questions? Click here to go to the MODULE Module Three What can we do with all these numbers? Click here to go to the MODULE Module Four What do we want to know? What do we want to crunch? Click here to go to the MODULE Module Five How do we create a database which matches our questions? Click here to go to the MODULE Module Six Creating lesson plans to accompany a database activity. Click here to go to the MODULE Copyright Notice: © 2000, FNOPRESS, all rights reserved. These lessons may not be used for professional development without purchase of a site license. The icons are used with permission from Jay Boersma, whose site can be found at http://www.ECNet.Net/users/gas52r0/Jay/home.html © 2000, Jamie McKenzie. All rights reserved. This site is produced by Jamie McKenzie Editor of From Now On fno.org © 2000, J. McKenzie, all rights reserved. These pages may not be duplicated or distributed in any manner without express permission. Site Index