This is my summary from implementing my first investigation.

This is a sample of student work.

Johanna,
Your implementation sounds great. I do a lab with plants in the spring and I would love to use Excel in the same way. It was nice to hear about a group with no experience with Excel. I was glad to hear they picked it up quickly. I cannot have one to a computer. I have to have 2-3 students working together. I do not think I am as good with Excel so I may need to practice first. Did they record data in a journal first or was it all done with Excel?
Mary V

Howdy,

I liked how you used excel in conjunction with writing a lab report. It is so important to show students how to use technology to support their findings in lab experiments. I have my ecology unit coming up, and think I may "steal" and adapt what you have done here with your classes. I wonder if modeling for students on an LCD projector how to use certain ahead of time would have affected the learning curve of the students new to excel.

Mary: They did keep data in their notebook as we went along.

Aaron: It would be a good idea to model it on a LCD projector. I didn't always have access to one, but I would have students gather around one computer to show them a few things that were important (like how to format something or how to find the chart wizard button). That worked for some kids, but some still needed it on paper.