May 21, 2003
Students can use their state designated laptops to conduct a Parking Lot Survey. As teams, they count the automobiles in their assigned section of the school parking lot, recording quantities of make, model and color of automobiles. (Beforehand, they make predictions as to the results.) Students decide on the best method to record, tabulate and manipulate the data. They enter the data in the field with the laptops. The teams compare results and any observed correlations (i.e. all the Jeeps are green, Jaguars are silver). The teams combine their results and note relationships. They then go online and search the classified section of their local newspaper for cars for sale, record that data and compare it to their survey. Next, students design and create a table, fill in the data, chart the results and write essays on their predictions and findings. All these data can all be combined in a written or oral report, multimedia presentation or videotaped documentary.