Spreadsheet Tutorial 3: Column Graphs, Error Bars, and Standard Error of the Mean

Topic

Resource Type

Level

High School — General High School — AP/IB College

Used In

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Description

In this activity, students explore different ways of creating simple bar graphs and adding error bars from calculated statistical values using built-in functions in Excel or Google Sheets. Students apply what they learned by plotting beak size measurements of Galapágos finches collected before and after a drought.

This activity covers statistical concepts including standard error of the mean and confidence interval.

You may download the Excel version of the activity or access the Google Sheets version.

Student Learning Targets

Use a spreadsheet program to calculate the standard error of the mean for a sample data set.
Create a bar graph and add error bars showing the standard error of the mean.

Details

Estimated Time

One to two 50-minute class periods.

Key Terms

analysis, average, column graph, confidence, data, Galapágos finches, mean, plot, standard deviation, sum of squares, variance

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Version History

Date Published 09.15.15

Updated 04.22.16

Curriculum Connections

Common Core (2010)

Math.N-Q.1, Math.F-LE.5, Math.A-SSE.3, Math.A-REI.3, Math.S-ID.5, Math.S-IC.3; MP1, MP2, MP4, MP5

HHMI BioInteractive

Spreadsheet Tutorial 3: Column Graphs, Error Bars, and Standard Error of the Mean

Description

Student Learning Targets

Details

Curriculum Connections

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