Favorite Authors
Updated: April 14, 2004
Curriculum Areas: Language Arts/Math
Grade Level: 1 to 6
Application: Microsoft Excel 97/98/2000
Description: Survey the students to find out their favorite authors or favorite books. Compile the information and write it on the chalkboard. Then create a pie chart of the information, following the instructions below. (You may want to have older students create their own pie charts.) Use the pie chart to kick off a group discussion of why these authors and their works are so popular. You might even want to try out different types of charts to see which type best represents the data. For the more advanced and older children, let them explore the many formatting changes that can be made to charts such as colors and patterns.
Tip: Use the Chart Wizard in Microsoft Excel 97/98/2000 to create a Pie Chart.
How to:
1. | Start Excel |
2. | Enter each author's name in separate cells in row one. |
3. | Enter the number of students who chose each corresponding author as their favorite in row two. |
4. | Click within one of the cells where you typed some data. |
5. | Click on the Chart Wizard button on the Toolbar. |
6. | Under Chart Type, point to "Pie" and click once. |
7. | Under Chart Sub-Type, point to the picture of the type of pie chart you want and click once. Use the Press and Hold to View Sample button. Then click Next. |
8. | Click Next again to continue to Step 3 of the Chart Wizard. |
9. | Click the Titles tab. Under Chart Title, type a meaningful title for the chart (e.g. Our Favorite Authors). |
10. | Click on the Legend tab. If the box next to Show Legend is checked, click on it to turn off the Legend. |
11. | Click on the Data Labels tab and then choose Show Label and Percent. Click Next. |
12. | Click beside As New Sheet and then click Finish. Your chart is ready to print! |
