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South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Let’s Get Organized (Grade 6)

Master Teacher

Tammy Vaught

Time Allotment

2 – 50 minute class periods for the Introductory Activity and Learning Activity

1 – 60 minute class period for the Culminating Activity

Optional Activities (time allotted will vary)

In class visit and presentation by a travel agent or librarian

Field trip to a travel agents office

Field trip to visit the local library

Overview

In today’s fast paced world of technology, having access to the right information at the right time is critical to success. In this lesson students will learn the basics of how information is organized and how computers store that information. Students will also learn the basics of information retrieval and the use of a database through hands-on and group activities.

Subject Matter

Technology

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Explain what a table is and identify each part. ( cell, column, row, header, formula bar)
• Explain how tables are used to store and organize information in a database.
• Organize and categorize information given.
• Create a table for use in a database.
• Retrieve information and create reports using a database.

South Carolina Curriculum Standards

South Carolina CATE – Information Technology Curriculum Standards available online at www.myscschools.com)

Information Technology Foundations

R. Spreadsheet Software Applications

1. Start spreadsheet application software.  
2. Insert data (text and numbers) in cells.  
3. Demonstrate the ability to: find and replace data; use AutoFill; copy and move date; insert and remove rows; and merge and split cells.  
4. Demonstrate the ability to: group worksheets; add and delete worksheets; move between worksheets; rearrange worksheets; and name a worksheet.  
5. Demonstrate the ability to: Adjust column width and row height; Hide and unhide rows and columns; Sort worksheet data; Use formulas; Insert functions; and Troubleshoot formula and function errors.  
6. Demonstrate the ability to: Format data; Change data alignment; Create and apply styles; Add headers and footers; Set the print area; Adjust page setup; Use the drawing toolbar; and Create and modify a chart.  

Computer Programming 1, 2, 3, and 4

H. File and data management  

1. Describe file naming conventions.  
2. Design a file (records and fields) or database.  
3. Create a file (sequential and random) or database.  
4. Maintain a file (update, append, delete).  
5. Describe Attributes and Behaviors.  

NET-S

1 Basic operations and concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.

3 Technology productivity tools

Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

5 Technology research tools

Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

6 Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.

Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

Media

Video

Mathematical Eye: Information Technology from Streamline SC (http://www.streamlinesc.org. This video show various ways that information is arranged in the computer. The concept of fields is introduced and explained by showing how trips are planned at a travel agency and how a robot is programmed. A computer-controlled robot that keeps titles for homes is shown and the use of computers in the clothing industry is explored.

To access this video segment, log on to your account at the StreamlineSC Web page. In the search by keyword box, type Mathematical Eye: Information Technology. Download the video clips “Gathering Information for a Database” (2:54 minutes) and “Using a Computer to Organize a Database” (4:20 minutes) to your computer and preview them.

(Note to Teacher: If you don’t have an account with StreamlineSC, check with your media specialist about signing up for your own account.)

Materials

• 5 – 6 decks of 25 trading cards (depending on class size)
• Poster paper and markers for each group
• Travel magazines and brochures

Equipment

• Laptop computer for each group
• Multi-media projector

Prep for Teachers

1. Teacher should acquire the video clips prior to class by downloading them from the United Streaming website.
2. Teacher should acquire and divide trading cards into groups of 25. Five to six sets should be sufficient for the average class.
3. Prior to class obtain a projector.
4. Reserve a laptop lab or the computer lab for use during the culminating activity.
5. Print out a copy of the vacation data sheet for each student.
6. Provide each group with markers and poster paper
7. Download Access template, the book collection database, from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010186431033.aspx?CategoryID=CT011366831033
8. Load template on a disk for each group.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Explain to the class that they will be examining how information is organized, stored and retrieved in a computer database.

Step 2: Divide the class into small groups of 4 – 5 students and give each group a set of 25 trading cards. (These can be any kind of trading cards)

Step 3: Ask the groups to find a particular card. Award a piece of candy to each group member of the team which finds the card first.

Discussion question 1: Ask students to list the strategies they used to try to find
the card quickly and why they choose that particular strategy.

Step 4: Have the groups organize the cards in any format they would like.

Step 5: Ask the groups to find a particular card. Award a piece of candy to each group member of the team which finds the card first.

Discussion question 2: Ask students to explain how they organized the cards and why.

Discussion question 3: Ask students if it was easier to find the card from the organized stack.

Discussion question 4: Ask the students if the cards have to be organized and sorted in alphabetical order. Based on their answers discuss the pros and cons as well as the many different fields that can be sorted on. (name, team, year, stats)

Step 6: Explain that the majority of information is stored in databases on a computer.

Step 7: Explain that databases are interfaces that allow users to retrieve information that is stored in a table much like an Excel table.

Learning Activities

Activity 1

Step 1: Provide the students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to observe how the bookstore in the video organizes its books.

Step 2: PLAY the video clip, Gathering Information for a Database starting at the beginning. PAUSE when the narrator asks: “Where else might you find a useful database?”

Activity 1: Ask students to brainstorm within their group other places that might use a database to store and retrieve information. Have each group write their top five places on a piece of poster paper to share with the class. Discuss the student’s choices and explain that travel agencies use databases extensively and that today they will watch several video clips about how a travel agency stores information for retrieval.

Step 3: Provide the students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to observe what the students in the video think is important to consider when planning a vacation.

Step 4: CONTINUE with video clip, Gathering Information for a Database until the end when the narrator asks: “What other questions would you want to ask if you went to this travel agent to book your trip?”

Activity 2: Ask the students to discuss within their group what attributes did the students
feel need to be considered when planning a vacation. Are there others that they would include?

Step 5: Explain that each group is a travel agency. They must come up with a company name.

Step 6: Hand out a trip data sheet to each student and provide each group with a variety of travel magazines and brochures.

Step 7: Each group should determine one trip to offer for each student in the group and should complete the trip data sheet.

Activity 2

Step 1: Provide the students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to consider how a computer stores information and organizes it.

Step 2: PLAY the video clip, Using a Computer to Organize a Database starting at the beginning. Pause when the narrator asks: “Will this get them in the right order in the end?”

Discussion 1: Have the students answer the question “Will this get them in the right order in the end?” Are there other ways the computer might organize the information? Why or why not?

Step 3: Provide the students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to determine the number of passes they think it will take to sort five letters into alphabetical order.

Step 4: CONTINUE with the video clip, Using a Computer to Organize a Database. PAUSE when the narrator says: “Luckily computers work at very high speeds.”

Activity 1: Have the students repeat the sorting exercise seen on the video using their vacation data sheets. How many passes did it take to get the database in order?

Step 5: Explain that putting the information into order is very important. The reason that we go to so much trouble is so that we can get the information out in a usable format. To retrieve the information we use a query. This is simply a set of questions that should give us all records that meet our requirements.

Step 6: Provide the students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking the students to determine how the students in the video clip retrieve the correct vacation based on the narrator’s requirements.

Step 7: CONTINUE with the video clip, Using a Computer to Organize a Database. PAUSE when the narrator says: “Holiday S is just what the customer wants.”

Step 8: Give each student a book collection data sheet.

Step 9: Explain that each student should go home and collect the data on 15 books found there. Have them enter the data onto the sheet provided. They should have this activity done prior to the culminating activity.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Explain to the students that they will be entering the book collection data into a database that has been provided on disk.

Step 2: Have the students enter the data into the database. Explain that the more complete the database information the easier it will be to retrieve the information later.

Step 3: Once all information is entered have the students query the database for different types of books.

Step 4: Have each group reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Was there anything that would have made the database better? Is there information that would have made searching easier?

Step 5: Each student should write a paragraph explaining the benefit of using a computer to store information.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Technology crosses all areas of today’s curriculum. Databases can be used to catalog any item. Understanding them will also affect the student’s ability to search the internet effectively. One example could be to use a database in Social Studies. Students could collect information concerning a particular country and enter the information into a database. This database could then be queried to print an informational report about the student’s country. Information that could be collected might include:

Name
Location
Climate
Currency
Language
Activities Available
Type of government
Commerce
Demographics

Community Connections

• Planning a field trip to a facility, either a travel agency or library, would allow the students to see first hand the amount of information that is available and must be organized. Talking to the workers would help the students to understand how important computers have become in the everyday life of their jobs providing information.

Student Materials

Handout #1: Vacation Data Sheet

Handout #2: Book Collection Data Sheet

Access Database Template: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010186431033.aspx?CategoryID=CT011366831033