Using Sports Data

This activity is best used after teaching students how to complete math operations in a spread sheet. I find sports data to be a great way to demonstrate some of the power of a spreadsheet. The data in these tables is current as of June 8, 2009. You can update the data by using the stats menu at Major League Baseball's web site.

Earned Run Average

Pitcher-----------Runs-------Earned Runs-------Innings Pitched --------e.r.a.
Dempster-----------38-----------------34--------------------74.3-------------
Zambrano----------25------------------23-------------------55.6-------------
Lily------------------28-----------------26--------------------71.3------------
Floyd---------------46-----------------44---------------------76--------------
Danks--------------36------------------34--------------------60--------------
Buehrle-------------25-----------------24--------------------74.3-------------
Weaver-------------20-----------------19---------------------79.6------------
Greinke-------------19-----------------15---------------------87--------------
Halladay-----------30-----------------28--------------------100--------------

e.r.a. = (# of earned runs/innings pitched)*9

On-base percentage

Player----------At Bats-------BB-------(SF)-------Hits-----hp-------On-base %
Pujols------------192---------44---------5-----------64---------3----------
Molina-----------170---------28---------2-----------44---------1----------
Schumaker----187----------14---------1-----------55---------0---------
Fukudome-----155---------47---------1-----------45----------2----------
Soriano----------224---------19---------1-----------54---------2----------
Theriot----------206---------17----------1-----------60--------4----------
Konerko---------202---------18---------6-----------60--------2---------
Thome----------152----------34---------1------------37--------0---------
Dye--------------187----------19---------2-----------52--------1---------

BB = base on balls, SF = sacrifice fly, hp = hit by pitch

OBP = (Hits + BB + HBP)/(AB + BB + HBP + SF)

There will be a number of activities housed on the Dunne Tech web site. A page in the web site will hold several spreadsheet activities which are available for use. Check them out!

Excel in 2nd Grade

This activity was sent to me as an example of how Excel could be introduced to 2nd graders. Thanks, Nicole.


1. Open a blank worksheet in Microsoft Excel.

2. Click on the given cell. Then click on the Fill icon (looks like a paint can). A palette of colors will appear. Select the given color and the cell will fill with that color.


Cell---------------Color

B3----------------yellow
F12--------------dark green
H19--------------blue
E20--------------brown
A20, B20 -------light green
A1, B1------------yellow
D5, E5, F5------dark green
F20, G20--------light green
D12, E12--------dark green
H20, I20-------light green
A5---------------yellow
B2---------------yellow
D9, E9----------dark green
E16, E17--------brown
D6, E6, F6-----dark green
F9---------------dark green
D8, E8, F8-----dark green
E13, E14, E15 --brown
A4, B4----------yellow
D6, E6, F6----dark green
C20, D20------light green
A2, A3----------yellow
D7, E7, F7-----dark green
E18, E19--------brown
D11, E11, F11---dark green
B5---------------yellow
I19---------------blue
D10, E10, F10-dark green
H19-------------type your name

3. Save your worksheet. Name it Tree.
4. Print our worksheet in color.

Using Excel and other spreadsheets in elementary schools

The purpose of this blog is to be a place where teachers can share ideas, lessons and thoughts on the use of spreadsheets with elementary school students. Many high schools expect their incoming freshmen to be able to use Excel or similar programs. Most of the graduatinig eighth grade students in my school have had only limited instruction with this program and are not at the skill level that these schools expect.

I think that one of the reasons for this is elementary school teachers do not know how to use spreadsheets themselves, and have not tried to integrate spreadsheets into lessons. Another reason is a lack of lessons that can be used by teachers with students. I google searched "excel elementary school" and the vast majority of hits involves schools that excel, not use Excel.

I have used spreadsheets with students in fourth through eighth grade. I am looking for lessons that have been used by teachers that have integrated spreadsheets. I am also more than willing to share lessons that I have used. I will be posting these lessons on my school's web site in the near future and hope to develop a library of lessons for grades 4 through 8.

Feel free to add your comments or post a lesson that will help teachers bring the use of spreadsheets to their students.