My Dream Car: A Microsoft Excel Project

I found that my students really enjoyed doing this Excel project in Computer Applications. Students will use Excel and its capabilities, to apply formulas and charts to a subject which they find fun and interesting, their dream car. They will choose several cars and will then do a cost analysis of their selected cars.

To do this project, they have to select several cars, find cost and fuel economy information on those cars, download pictures of the cars and use Excel to do a cost analysis.

This project is an application of project based learning. They must create tables, charts and use formulas to calculate costs, including such costs as insurance, gas and maintenance.

The package includes detailed instructions for the teacher, along with a set of student instructions which can be printed and used as hand-outs for the assignment.

The package also includes data collection sheets so that they can record the information they get from their research, and make it easier to organize and transfer that information into their Excel tables.

Student will get practice in:

• Using the internet to find information on their cars, such as EPA fuel economy data

• Creating tables in Excel

• Creating and using formulas in those tables

• Preparing Charts

• Analyzing chart data and drawing conclusions

• Clipping and downloading pictures of the cars

• Using Excel to calculate loan payments

This project contributes to student financial literacy.

This package also includes several project extensions if the teacher wishes to add applications of PowerPoint and Word to this assignment.

The side benefit of this exercise is that the students will gain an understanding of what it really costs to own and operate a car.