Computer Skills
Beginner
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
+70 XP
What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC or iPad/Tablet

Entering Data — Cells, Rows, Columns, Sheets

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    1 - Welcome

    Warm-up (2 minutes): Think about your Something Real project from Lesson 1. What numbers will you need to track — costs, dates, quantities, people? Pair-share (1 minute): Turn to your partner and share 2 specific numbers from your project.

    Recap: Last lesson you set up your Digital Portfolio folder. Today you'll add your first spreadsheet page to it.

    By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

    • Create a spreadsheet and enter numeric and character data
    • Understand cells, references, data types and navigation
    • Enter real project data for your Something Real budget or log
    • Avoid common data entry errors

    2 - Key Concepts

    Spreadsheet basics

    • Cell: One box where you enter data (like A1, B2)
    • Column: Vertical (A, B, C...)
    • Row: Horizontal (1, 2, 3...)
    • Sheet: One page/tab in your spreadsheet file
    • Text/Character data: Names, descriptions (left-aligned by default)
    • Numeric data: Numbers, prices, quantities (right-aligned by default)

    Navigation shortcuts

    • {{kbd:Enter}}: Move down one row
    • {{kbd:Tab}}: Move right one column
    • {{kbd:Ctrl/Cmd + Arrow}}: Jump to edge of data

    Common errors to avoid

    • Don't mix text and numbers in same column
    • Don't leave blank rows in your data
    • Check spelling — can't spell-check individual cells easily

    3 - Step-by-step Task

    Follow these instructions to create a practice budget spreadsheet with guided sample data for a school cake sale. This builds your data entry skills before you apply them to your own Something Real project in the next activity.

    Common Issues

    • Issue: Numbers show as text (left-aligned)
      Solution: Delete and retype — don't copy/paste from other apps
    • Issue: Can't see all text in cell
      Solution: Double-click cell or press F2 (Windows)/Fn+F2 (Mac) to edit
    • Issue: Wrong sheet/tab
      Solution: Look at bottom tabs — click 'Sheet1' if needed

    4 - Portfolio Build

    Choose the right structure for YOUR Something Real project:

    1. Budget/Fundraiser (like practice example):

    A1:ItemB1:Cost (€)C1:QuantityD1:Total (€)
    Budget structure example

    2. TY Trip Timeline:

    A1:TaskB1:Start DateC1:End DateD1:Person
    Timeline structure example

    3. Club Inventory/Supplies:

    A1:ItemB1:Current QtyC1:Min StockD1:Notes
    Inventory structure example

    Your Something Real Numbers Sheet — Create using the structure above that matches your project. Save as {{code:05_project_budget_v1.xlsx}} (Excel) or {{code:05_project_budget_v1}} (Sheets).

    Peer review checkpoint (2 mins): Swap screens with your partner. Check their 4 headings match one of the 3 examples above. Give thumbs up or suggest one fix.

    Success criteria:

    • 4 column headings in row 1 (match one of the 3 examples above)
    • At least 8 rows of real project data
    • Mix of text (descriptions/names) and numbers (dates, amounts, quantities)
    • No blank rows or columns in your data
    • Save in your Digital Portfolio folder

    5 - Reflection

    Answer these in a new document (add to your Digital Portfolio):

    1. What surprised you about text vs numbers? (How they align, how you enter them)
    2. List 3 real numbers from your project that you now have organised
    3. What will you use this data for next week? (Budget total? Sales target? Timeline?)

    Skills checklist:

    • I created a spreadsheet with headings and data
    • I mixed text and numbers correctly
    • I saved to my Digital Portfolio folder
    • I used Tab/Enter to navigate efficiently

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