=GOOGLEFINANCE("IBM")

After multiple nights of exploring Google Docs, I am very grateful to my 8th grade technology teacher.  Mrs. Kahler did an amazing job of teaching me how to master the Microsoft Works/ Office programs.  I say master very loosely.  I'm no expert, but I can manage my way around.  I'm sure over the years I have picked on little things here and there that I have added to my general knowledge of the programs.  I say all of that because with the basic knowledge that I have I do not have to start from scratch on learning how to maneuver around Google Docs.  I found the basis of Google's Spreadsheets to be very similar to Microsoft's Excel program.  Now I just have learn all of the cool features that Spreadsheets has inserted such as the sharing feature and the ability to insert functions into the spreadsheets.  Jerry found earlier in the spreadsheet he was playing around with that he was able to insert different functions into the formula row.  He experimented with inserting the population of Zimbabwe into a cell by first setting up his function to ask for this data.  He also inserted a stock price from IBM which would be useful if I wanted to keep track of my own portfolio.  Having this feature is very impressive, it is nice to be able to pull that type of information from the internet without having to look it up like I would if using Excel.

Lesson Plan:
I viewed the lesson plan "Consumer Product Testing Experiment."  I thought this experiment would be very successful in a 7th or 8th grade classroom.  I think for 6th graders there may have been to many variables for them to decide on.  Although, depending on the class's cognitive level it may be appropriate for 6th too.  In this experiment, the students had to decide on a product that they wanted to survey people about.  There were many variables for them to decide upon such as: product, target group, and survey questions.  After the the survey was prepared, the students were asked to conduct field experiments.  I love how hands this experiment is.  Finally, the students evaluated their data and presented their results to the class.  All of this was set up and then presented using Google Docs.

I would have enjoyed Science class if I had done hands-on activities like this one throughout my school career.  I also like how this teacher effectively used technology.  I would definitely use an experiment like this one in my classroom.  I hope that if I do end up as a science  teacher, I am a teacher who keeps her students wanting more and not dreading coming to science class, like I did as a student.