What's My Grade?

                                                                         

    Students often think that their grades just magically appear, however, when they use a computer program such as Microsoft Excel to keep track of their grades, the grading process is much more understandable.  Students often are encouraged to keep their grades up when they see how a low score affects their overall average.  Teachers hope that students will understand the meaning of averaging scores to calculate grades so that they can begin to understand the idea of how their action/inaction affects consequences.  

The following questions can be answered after completing the lesson. 

How would student grades be affected?

  1. If they don't do their homework at all but get an A on the Quiz?

  2. If they do all their homework but they get a C (14 out of 20) on the quiz?

  3. If they do 3 of the 5 nights of homework and get an A on the quiz?

  4. If they do 3 of the 5 nights of homework and get a C on the quiz?

  5. If they do all of their homework but they are absent the day of the quiz and they don't come in to make up the work?

What affects grades more?  Not doing any homework or not taking a quiz?  

Student Grade Data - click here to see how certain scenarios affect average grades.  

Now that you have considered one week of grades, investigate what happens when you add in grades for the next week.  The possibilities to consider include:

  1. You continue with the same pattern (doing homework, not doing homework, etc.)

  2. You continue to do the same on quizzes and/or tests.

  3. Add in a test and/or project worth 100 or 200 points.

 

 

Use one of the following methods to access the lesson plan:

 

Files to download:

 

Tutorials from the University of Illinois:  

Resources