1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
Spreadsheets are not just for accountants. Creators track views and engagement, GAA clubs log match stats, small operators model profit, and event organisers plan ticket sales. Today you will see what real people actually use spreadsheets for, then lock (choose and commit to) two uses that fit your Something Real project.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- List real spreadsheet uses beyond boring accounting stereotypes
- Connect creator analytics, club stats, event budgets, and small-business models to personal work
- Pick two uses most relevant to the Something Real project
Warm-up
Think of one number you already care about outside school: streams, match points, hours on Work Experience, money in a side hustle, or followers. Could a spreadsheet help you see that number clearly over time?
If you already have a Spreadsheet Problem Statement, keep that question in mind for the class sort. If you do not have one yet, jot one project question now on scrap paper or in a blank note: a cost, reach, stock, or time question you still need answered. You will use it when you pick your two uses later.
2 - Key Concepts ~8 mins
Worked example: Sam's Spreadsheet Uses page
A spreadsheet is a tool for answering a question with numbers. Start here with a filled page so you can see the shape you will build later.
Sam's Something Real project is a small custom-sticker side hustle. Here is the kind of page you will build in Independent Practice (names and picks will be yours, not Sam's):
- Use 1: Creator analytics — weekly views and saves on TikTok posts about the stickers
- Use 2: Money model — profit if 40 packs sell at €8 after materials and packaging
- Use 3: Event budget — table costs and cash float (change money) for a local market stall
- Use 4: Inventory log — designs in stock vs sold each week
- Use 5: Survey data — which designs classmates would actually buy
- Two picks for the project: (1) money model for break-even, (2) inventory log so stock does not run out before a stall day
Notice the page names real uses first, then chooses only two that answer Sam's actual project questions. That is the standard for your page too.
Three big use-families
The class sort next will use these buckets (plus research and surveys). Skim the short table; your teacher will point, not set a long silent read.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Creator and content analytics — views, saves, subscribers, or streams over time | Turns "I post a lot" into "this format works" | Weekly TikTok views and saves for three post types |
| Money, sales, and budgets — revenue, costs, tickets, or household spend | Work Experience, enterprise pitches, and events need clear money maths | Fundraiser sheet: ticket price, expected sales, and costs |
| Sport, gaming, and performance — results, points, or win rates across a season | Club and competition projects need a logbook, not memory | GAA sheet: match date, opponent, score, points per player |
Research and survey sheets (one row per answer) sit in their own bucket in the sort. Almost every Something Real project has at least time, cost, reach, or inventory hiding in it.
3 - Sort Real Spreadsheet Uses ~15 mins
As a class, sort real spreadsheet jobs into clear categories. First you will talk the placements through, then you will confirm them on the board interactive.
Talk first: for each card, say where it belongs and why. Disagreement is useful. Then confirm: drag every card into a bucket and use Check when the class is ready.
What job is this spreadsheet doing?
4 - Independent Practice ~20 mins
Independent Practice
If your project does not feel numbers-y yet, start from time, cost, reach, stock, or a simple poll, then pick the two uses that answer a question you still need answered.
- {{code:sm3_spreadsheet_uses}} is saved inside {{code:09_specialism/sm3/}}
- The page uses the three headings and lists five distinct real-world spreadsheet uses in clear Sam-style sentences
- Two uses are marked as project picks, each with a one-line reason tied to your Something Real project
- At least one pick clearly links to your Spreadsheet Problem Statement, or to your Something Real goal if that statement is not ready yet
5 - Reflection ~5 mins
Think about
- Which spreadsheet use surprised you most today, and why had you not pictured it as a spreadsheet job before?
- Of the two uses you picked for your Something Real project, which one would change a decision if the numbers looked worse than you expect?
Discuss one answer with a partner or share one line with the class if your teacher asks.
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