January 31, 2018

Sr. Juan José Sedler, O.P.

LTEC 330 – Dr. Jones
Problem Solving with Electronic Spreadsheets

Interpreting Data to Supply Answers

This cooperative lesson is part of a U.S. History and Geography Unit on the Cold War for

10-11th grade students. It presumes previous instruction and basic knowledge of the growing

opposition to the war during the 1960’s. Students will research information, and create graphs

which compare the casualty numbers of the Vietnam War to those sustained during World War

II. The students will then evaluate the results and attempt to answer the question, “What can this

tell us about the opposition to Vietnam War?” In addition to this task, the importance of

recognizing sources of error and how information is presented influences interpretation will be

discussed. This lesson is intended to be conducted over two days, however, it can be shortened

by providing the necessary data in place of having students practice online research.

Goal: For students to consider possible factors that made the Vietnam War was so unpopular.

Objectives:

 Given different data sets, students will be able to organize the data into graphs so as to
compare any differences and similarities.
 Students will evaluate data and use evidence to support their interpretation of it.
 Students will evaluate sources of error.
 Students will understand how the way data is presented can influence interpretation.

Standards:

ISTE 3. Knowledge Constructor - Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital
tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning
experiences for themselves and others.
MI Social Studies Standards - USHG 8.1.2 Foreign Policy during the Cold War – Evaluate the
origins, setbacks, and successes of the American policy of “containing” the Soviet Union,
including …U.S. involvement in Vietnam, and the foreign and domestic consequences of the war
(e.g., relationship/conflicts with U.S.S.R. and China, U.S. military policy and practices,
responses

Materials:
 Internet Access
 Google Sheets or Excel

Procedure: The following lesson can be divided over two days.

1. Have students group into groups of three.

2. Students will conduct online research to gather casualty data from the Vietnam War years.
They will then enter this data into either Google Sheets or Excel spreadsheet to create graphs
and charts in order to compare data and see if there is a correlation between their results and
the increased protesting of the war.

3. The following sites can be used to search for data.

 https://www.archives.gov/
 https://www.nationalww2museum.org/
 http://amervets.com/ (go to “Casualty Numbers, All Wars”)

4. Students should chose at least two categories of data and compare this information with data
from World War II (if possible). Examples of data categories should include some variation
of:
 Numbers of casualties by year. If not possible for both wars, then record the data
that is available over a span of several years.
 The numbers of men in deployed or in active service during certain years
 Other relevant data such as the ages of the soldiers may be used.

5. Students will enter their data into tables on the spreadsheet.

6. Students will then insert 2-3 charts that display the information that they have chosen to
compare or graph.

 Different chart options are available. Students should select the ones they thing
display the information clearly and accurately and be able to say why they chose
them.
 Each chart will display different kinds of information (not the same data in a
different presentation style)
 At least one must be a comparison chart.
7. Students will then analysis their charts and evaluate them in their small groups asking, “What
can this tell us about the opposition to Vietnam War? Anything? Why?”
 Is there a correlation?
 Is there a discrepancy?
 Is there no evidence of a connection?
 “What are possible sources of error?
 How does the way the data is displayed, influence its interpretation?

8. Groups will then share with the whole class the results of their research and evaluation to the
class in a large group discussion.

Submission:
Students will upload their spreadsheets to the school’s online assignment submission
page.