Title: The Hot Dog Stand - An Annual Report

Submitted by:

Name: Ed Irvin and Jane Irvin

 

School Building: Coloma Middle School

 

School District: Coloma Community Schools

 

School Address: P.O. Box 550 / Coloma, Michigan 49038

 

E-mail Address: eirvin@remc11.k12.mi.us / jirvin@remc11.k12.mi.us

Subject(s): Mathematics, Language Arts, Art, Technology

Grade Levels: 6-8

Description: In this unit students run a computer simulation. They collect data as they work and use the data to create an annual report for their business. Several different simulations could be used for this project. It is desirable for students to do this project individually, but it could be done as a class using a large screen monitor.

Curriculum Benchmarks: 

MI.MAT.III.1.MS.1 Collect and explore data through observation, measurement, surveys, sampling techniques and simulations.

 

MI.ELA.2.MS.3 Plan and draft texts, revise and edit their own writing, and help others revise and edit their texts in such areas as content, perspective, and effect.

Technology Benchmarks

Use technologies to input, retrieve, organize, manipulate, evaluate, and communicate information

Using Information Technologies

Apply appropriate technologies to critical thinking, creative expression, and decision-making skills.

Materials/Hardware/Software:

Hardware: Computer, Printer, Digital Camera, Projection Device, Calculator

Software: Hot Dog Stand (Sunburst), Word Processor, Graphing Software,

Spreadsheet, Database

Materials: Print out of all scores from various classes, Annual Reports from

various businesses

Editor's note:

It is helpful for students to have some experience with data collection, organization, making graphs and interpreting graphs. The data collection sheets can be teacher-created. However, if students are familiar with the use of spreadsheets, they can create their own data sheets. Captions should to do more than state the obvious; they should provide analysis of the data.

Activities/Procedures:

Pre Activities:

Students analyze data in graphs.

Students collect data and construct graphs.

Students use graphing software to graph data.

Students write captions to provide analysis of graphs.

Unit Activities:

1. Students run Hot Dog Stand software and learn the basics of program. As they do so they answer questions which will give them information on which to base their decisions.

2. Students keep a log detailing purchases, prices, sales and balances.

3. At the conclusion of each season, students enter their profit or loss in a class database.

4. At the conclusion of each season, students are asked to evaluate the decisions they made and to suggest how they will change their decisions in future seasons.

5. Students are asked to complete a minimum of two seasons.

6. Students are provided with description of components for annual report.

Teacher Preparation:

Suggestions for graphs:

We suggest you use the following types of graphs.

Stem and Leaf, Box and Whisker plot, Line Graph, Scatter Plat, Circle Graph

These are samples of questions you might answer using your graphs.

Is there a correlation between the price you charged and the number of hot dogs you sold?

What part of all your sales were from each of your products?

Did your total sales increase as the weeks went by? Was there a trend?

Where do your profits fit with all the other students? Are you in the middle? Top?

How does your class compare with other classes? What is the shape of the data?

Did your class improve each season overall? What do the bumps and clumps tell you?

Written Report

• Make sure you spell check your report!
• Use this outline to write your report:

Tell about the program; give us a general description.

Tell about the kinds of decisions you had to make.

Explain the factors that affected your sales.

What did you learn by using this program? Tell about the mistakes you made and

what you did to correct them.

Tell us how well you did on this program. Give reasons for your answers.

What would you do differently next time? Did you like the program? What advice would you give to younger students before they use the program?

Cover

Use a graphics program to create your cover. We have Paintbrush, Print Shop, Printmaster Gold, and Corel Draw available for your use. Make sure you include your name, your business name and some appropriate graphics. Use the entire page. Use what you have learned about color.

A Picture of Yourself

Arrange to have your picture taken with the digital camera. Create an appropriate setting for the picture. Include it in your report.

Additional Notes:

All work should be done on the computer. There should be no handwritten work in your final product. All writing should be spell checked. Use other students to edit your work. Use the writing process from your language classes.

 Download the PDF version of this lesson

Assessment and Evaluation

All projects will be evaluated with this rubric.

REPORT

_____ (1) Title

_____ (2) 6 paragraphs

_____ (3) Language Skills (grammar, punctuation, usage)

_____ (3) Expression of ideas

GRAPH 1

_____ (1) Appropriate data

_____ (1) Title

_____ (1) Extras

CAPTION

_____ (1) Language Skills

_____ (2) Statistics

_____ (2) Ideas

GRAPH 2

_____ (1) Appropriate data

_____ (1) Title

_____ (1) Extras

CAPTION

_____ (1) Language Skills

_____ (2) Statistics

_____ (2) Ideas

GRAPH 3

_____ (1) Appropriate data

_____ (1) Title

_____ (1) Extras

CAPTION

_____ (1) Language Skills

_____ (2) Statistics

_____ (2) Ideas

COVER

_____ (1) Title

_____ (1) Name

_____ (2) Graphic

PICTURE

_____

_____ TOTAL