Older elementary level students can use Excel spreadsheets to tally data and create simple graphs. Keep the lessons fun by having students survey silly topics and graph the results!

• Invite students to rate the taste of cafeteria food on a scale from 1 to 3 -- from "Yuk!" to "I love it!" -- and enter the data into a spreadsheet. Have students highlight the survey results and then click Insert>Chart to make a simple graph of those results.
• Encourage students to compare their survey results with results obtained by other classes.
• After students have worked as a group to create a spreadsheet and chart, ask each student to conduct his or her own survey, enter the results into a spreadsheet, and graph the results.
• Encourage older students to experiment with the different types of graphs and charts available in Excel to determine which type best displays their survey results.

Next: Using Excel in social studies.