Gary Hensley May 2002

Buying Your Dream CarBuying Your Dream CarSPREADSHEET

Gary Hensley May 2002

INVITATIONMost middle school students are looking forward to high school and driving a car. Most imagine themselves driving into the high school parking lot in a Lamborghini or Hum-Vee. Students will actually select their Dream Car on the internet and calculate sticker price, tax, discount, and finally finance costs from a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet graphs and charts will then be used in a class Hyperstudio presentation to show all of the other classmates their dream car. This Hyperstudio “car lot” will then be used to summarize what factors can be changed to affect the affordability of the monthly payment.

Gary Hensley May 2002

STANDARDSThe students will fulfill both district math and computer curricula standards:

Math--•add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals•demonstrate proficiency using a calculator•use percents to multiply and divide

Computers--•use the internet for research•use spreadsheets with formulas to calculate•use spreadsheets to produce charts and graphs•use presentation tool to produce a review

Gary Hensley May 2002

SITUATIONSStudents will need the first week of computer use to research the sticker price of their dream car and all of the extras they want on the car. The end of ther first week will also be used to learn how to use spreadsheets and then create their own specific spreadsheet for their car. The teacher will act as their “financial advisor” letting them know the tax rate, discount rate, finance rate and affordability of their monthly payment. The second week will require students to rework their spreadsheet to make their dream car more affordable. All of the students will contribute to a class Hyperstudio “car lot” to be presented and assessed at the end of the second week.

Gary Hensley May 2002

TASKS - WEEK 1Day 1 & 2 - Students do internet research to find the price

of their dream car and extras they want.Day 3 - Students practice making a spreadsheet with

directions from teacher for calculating formulas, and making charts. The teacher will also change data to see results in the monthly payment.Day 4 - Students make their own spreadsheet showing the

Dream Car with all extras added, tax calculated, and financing set up, ending with a monthly payment.Day 5 - Students adjust the data to include a discount

when realizing the monthly payment is too high. This is determined by the “financial advisor’s” input i.e. grade in class (A=$800, B=$600, C=$400, D=$200). Also, years of financing is used to manipulate the payment downward.

Gary Hensley May 2002

TASKS - WEEK 2Day 6 - Students practice making charts and line graphs

with teacher directions to show what changes in data has on the line graphs and charts.Day 7 - Students make their own charts and line graphs

showing changes in years financing, discounts and price of car. Students collaborate to compare factors affecting the monthly payment and the best way to reduce their payments.Day 8 & 9 - Students individually make a three card

Hyperstudio stack showing internet pictures of their dream car, spreadsheet calculations, and line graphsDay 10 - Students present their Hyperstudio stacks to

class and summarizes how price, tax rates, interest rates and years of financing all effect affordability of cars.

Gary Hensley May 2002

INTERACTIONSStudent research collaboratively on the internet to find base prices of dream cars and the extras that they want. Teacher gives instructions on the construction of the basic spreadsheet. Teacher additionally supplies the parameters of tax rates, interest rates, and discount rates as a “financial advisor”. Students also work collabor- atively on creating the Hyperstudio “car lot”.

TOOLS•Computers with internet access•Spreadsheet•Hyperstudio or other presentation tool

Gary Hensley May 2002

ASSESSMENTStudents will develop an assessment rubric as homework. These will be used on Day 10 to evaluate other students’ Hyperstudio presentation.

EXTENSIONS1) Families invited to final day of Hyperstudio “car lot”. 2) Ask families to participate by acting as the “financial advisor”.3) Students included with family’s car purchase process. Student would serve as the “financial advisor” and be engaged in the entire process including the affordability.

Gary Hensley May 2002

car.com or bust!!!!