Lesson Planning Guide

Subject and Topic: Math; Cell Phone Plan Comparison

Date: November 20, 2006

Goals: When presented with different cell phone plans, students will be able to choose an appropriate plan for their specific needs using database and graphing software.

Objectives:

Ø After groups are formed, students will assign the following roles to each member of the group within 5 minutes: data finder, data enterer, and bill figurers.

Ø Given a particular cell phone company, the “data finder” will use the classroom computer with Internet access to locate the webpage of the particular company and choose a cell phone plan to fill out the given worksheet within 10 minutes.

Ø Given the data from the Cell Plan Research Worksheet, the “bill figurers” will compute 101 bills for minutes used in the increments of 10 minutes, for minutes 0-1000 and enter that data on the data worksheet within the remainder of the class period for day one.

Ø After the data has been formulated, the “data enterer” will enter the data on the Data worksheet into the cell phone plans database in InspireData within 15 minutes.

Ø Using the line graphs in InspireData, students will be able to choose an appropriate plan by computing and using average number of minutes used per month to fill in the Cell Phone comparison worksheet with in 10 minutes.

Ø Given all the activities and information gathered in this group assignment, individual students will write a one page paper selecting a cell phone plan to meet their individual needs and support it with data provided to be turned in at the next class period.

Prerequisites:

Ø Computer skills such as: open file, copy & paste, spread sheet familiarity

Ø Internet search skills

Ø Ability to calculate averages

Ø Ability to use a simple formula to calculate a number

Ø Ability to read a line graph

Ø Ability to enter data in appropriate cells

Materials:

Ø A minimum of three classroom computers or access to a computer lab during parts of the 2 class periods

Ø Access to InspireData by Inspiration Software Inc.

Ø Completed databases for cell plans A, B, and C, with a table set up for minutes 0-1000 in increments of 10 minutes, and a comparison database and table for A, B, and C.

Ø Enclosed worksheets

Ø Room equipped with projection of computer screen capabilities to show the software and how to use it, and PowerPoint to explain the process (next week’s assignment).

Lesson Description:

This assignment is a group project designed to have students use math and computer skills to compare cell phone plans for the purposes of choosing an appropriate plan to meet specific needs. Students will cooperatively work in a group to research, calculate, and enter data that will compare three plans using line graphs in InspireData software.

Lesson Procedure:

Day 1

Ø Introduction: Introduce the students to the activity explaining what will be used to complete the assignment and how to use each item. Pass out worksheets, and assign students to 3 groups. Hand each group their assigned cell phone company. (15 minutes)

Ø Main Activity: Groups assign roles to each member of the group, and complete the research and calculating parts of the exercise (see Cell Plan Research and Data Worksheet for description). These activities will run the remainder of the first day. The internet research should take no longer than 10 minutes to give the “bill figurers” enough time to calculate all the “bills.” (Total of 40 minutes)

Ø Closure Day 1: Wrap up activities, and explain that the remainder of this project will be conducted the next class period. If all of the “bills” have not been completed, assign as homework so the next part can begin at the beginning of the next period. (5 minutes)

Day 2:

Ø Introduction: Explain the procedure of the next activities. Show how find the cell phone plan database and how to enter the data into the database. Hand out that day’s worksheets. Explain the individual assignment and written assignment. Break into groups. (10 minutes)

Ø Main Activity: The data enterers enter information into the computers. (15 minutes). Have PowerPoint with InspireData instructions for the data enterers to view for help. After the data has been entered and saved into the appropriate computer files, come together as a class, and present the line graphs to the class. Talk about make makes each plan effective for different users, and ways to choose plans according to personal needs. Talk about other factors that may influence and ask for specific examples about different factors that a particular cell phone company may offer that influence prices. Have students individually fill out their Cell Phone Comparison Worksheets and begin working on their written assignment if time permits. (Total of 45 minutes)

Ø Conclusion Day 2: Review the steps in a cell phone plan selection process and what is needed to compute the data. Assign written assignment. (5 Minutes)

Ø Follow-up Lessons: After written assignments have been turned in. Take a poll of selected cell phone companies and graph the results.

Assessment: The teacher will observe participation of all group members for a participation grade equaling 40 % of assignment. Remaining 60% will be evaluated on individual efforts on the Cell Phone Comparison Worksheet (20%) and written assignment (40%).

Cell Plan Research Worksheet – (1^st class period)

Group Members: ______________________________________________

You will be assigned to one of 3 groups to investigate the plan rates and details of 1 of 3 cell phone companies: Jobs to assign to team members: data finder, data enterer, and the rest should be bill figurers.

You will use the internet to find the most current information to answer these questions. Make sure when selecting a plan, choose one with 1000 minutes or less or you are wasting money. We will only investigate the prices of the plan cost for minutes 0 through 1000 in increments of 10 minutes.

Here is a list of companies and there websites according to group assignment.

Group A: Sprint - www.sprint.com

Group B: Verizon - http://www.verizonwireless.com/

Group C: T-Mobile - http://www.t-mobile.com/

Fill in the answers to the following questions:

Cell phone company name: ________________________________________________

Rate plan name you have the data from (if they have one): ________________________

Price of the plan: $_______________________________________

Monthly minutes in plan: __________________________________

Cost of minutes over plan minutes: $_________________________

When you have found the answers to the above questions, figure out the price of your bill if you use 0 all the way to 1000 minutes for every 10 minutes. For example: if your plan is $29.99 for 300 minutes and $0.20 for each additional minute, minutes [0, 10, 20,…, 290, 300] would cost $29.99; minutes 310 would be $29.99 + ($0.20 x 10); minutes 520 would be $29.99 + ($0.20 x 220) [220 = 520-300]. Your Cost per Month formula for this part of the project is Plan Cost + (Overage Cost per Minute x Number of Minutes [in increments of 10] Over the Plan Minutes). So you should have bills figured for every ten minutes between 0 and 1000, or a total of 101 bills. Divide the work among the bill figurers, and enter information in the table below.

Data Worksheet – (1^st class period)

Minutes Used	Cost per Month	Minutes Used	Cost per Month
0		420
10		430
20		440
30		450
40		460
50		470
60		480
70		490
80		500
90		510
100		520
110		530
120		540
130		550
140		560
150		570
160		580
170		590
180		600
190		610
200		620
210		630
220		640
230		650
240		660
250		670
260		680
270		690
280		700
290		710
300		720
310		730
320		740
330		750
340		760
350		770
360		780
370		790
380		800
390		810
400		820
410		830
840		930
850		940
860		950
870		960
880		970
890		980
900		990
910		1000
920

InspireData Instructions (2^nd class period)

This sheet is group-work.

1. When your group has completed the Cell Plan Research worksheet, you will enter your data in the worksheet table into our cell plan databases in InspireData. One person (the data enterer) from your group will come to one of our classroom computers and open up InspireData program. Choose open and Browse to our class folder and open the Cell Phone Plans file for your group. Select A, B, or C according to your group name and enter your data by selecting the row next to the minutes used and typing in the cost. Make sure you add the “$” sign before your cost. Press enter and you will automatically be directed to next line. Continue adding until you have entered all your data.

2. Next click the icon in the upper-left corner and select the table. Click on the “edit” tab on the menu bar and select “Copy.” Next open the “Compare Plans A, B, and C” database and select the last row in the database. Again select the “edit” tab on the menu bar and select “Paste.” Make sure your data is pasted in the database and save the database.

Cell Plan Comparison – (2^nd class period)

Name: _________________________________________________

This worksheet should be done individually.

Look at the graphs that compare cell plans A, B, and C presented in class, and answer the following questions. Then write a compelling argument about which plan you would choose for yourself and support your answer with data from these graphs.

1. If you use an average of 350 minutes per month, which plan would save you the most money?

2. If you used the following minutes over a 6 month period, which plan would be the least expensive over the 6 month period? (hint: find the average minutes used)

Month	Minutes Used
January	45
February	250
March	95
April	120
May	300
June	150

3. When researching your plans did you come across any additional information of the company’s website that should be used to make a decision about the best plan to choose?

4. Pick one of the plans A, B, or C and write a one page support paper for your decision using the data provided in class and the graphs in InspireData.