Computer Concepts in ActionUnit 5:
SpreadsheetsMY DREAM VACATIONIntroduction
The Task
Process
Guidance
Resources
Introduction
It’s really happened! Your family has won a contest, and they have offered to give you $5000 for a dream vacation for you and your best friend. But in order to get the money, you have to prove that you will be using it wisely, including where you plan to go, and what your estimated costs will be. So, will it be a trip to the Big Apple? Or will it be a ski trip to the Swiss Alps, or perhaps Aspen is more affordable? How about Paris in the spring? Or how about a trip to Hawaii for snorkeling and surfing? While your head is spinning with possibilities, read the task description to find out what you need to do.
Top The Task You may already know where you will go on your dream vacation. But you
still have to plan to make sure it will cost less than $5000. And if you do
not know where you want to go, you need to do some preliminary research. Below is a brief description of each of your tasks for this WebQuest: Task 1: Research and Take Notes | Research all the costs relating to your trip, including
transportation, food, lodging, and entertainment. |
Task 2: Organize your Information | Once your research is complete, organize your information
and define your expense categories. |
Task 3: Create a Spreadsheet | Create a first draft Excel spreadsheet using the expense
categories you defined in Task 2. If you
cannot decide between dream vacations,
comparing costs in Excel can help you make a final decision. |
Task 4: Finalize your Spreadsheet | Review your draft, make corrections and finish your Dream
Vacation spreadsheet. The end result
will be an Excel spreadsheet listing
all your expenses. Review your results with your parents to decide
if
your trip meets the budget they have given you. |
The Process section below has a detailed description
of each activity. Also, the Guidance section has some
helpful hints, and the Resource section has useful
Web sites for you to refer to. Top Process When doing research, the process you take can be broken into several
steps. Task 1: Research and Take Notes
The most important and time-consuming part of this WebQuest is doing
the research. Begin your research using several different sources. If you use
only one source, the information you find may be too limited or too slanted
in one direction. You may use the URLs in the Resource section below for your
research or find ones of your own. You will need to use at least three sites
and review the information from each site carefully.
As you investigate, seek to answer the following questions.
- How long will you be able to travel? A longer vacation may cost more money.
- What are the dates of travel? (Summer vacation, spring break, Christmas, etc.)
- What will the weather be like at that location during that time of year? You
might need to change your plans if the temperature is too warm for good skiing.
- What is the most economical time to travel – weekends or weekdays?
- How long will it take to get to your destination?
- How much will the hotel cost?
- How much will food cost?
- How much will you need to spend on local transportation?
- How much will activities cost? (Sightseeing, fun places, shopping, sports, museums,
etc.)
- Is a package vacation a better deal than paying for each of the expenses individually?
(A package combines a number of items such as transportation and hotel fees
at a cheaper price than paying for each separately. For more information, see
the
As you acquire information, you will need to make notes. If your teacher allows,
print the page(s) for your research files. Otherwise, list your sources and
take detailed notes, including the site URL, the author, the date you visited
the site, and any other information you may find useful. Writing your note topics
on index cards is a useful technique for organizing your information. And remember,
it is a form of plagiarism to copy any text directly, unless it is clear that
it is a quote and you cite the source. Rate the information as you discover it. Best choices get an A, less
than best a B, and so on. For extra help on how do travel research and take good notes, go to Guidance,
below. Task 2: Organize your Information
Now that you have done the research, you need to organize the information
using separate index cards for each category. They can include the following:
- Package price
- Getting there
- Lodging
- Food
- Getting around
- Activities and Entertainment
- Shopping
- A Rating column
- Source information
Here are some sample index cards: Figure 1, Sample Index Cards  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::::/sites/dl/free/0078612357/271281/5_1_index_cards.JPG','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (15.0K)</a>]]>
Task 3: Create a Spreadsheet
You will enter your expenses in an Excel spreadsheet. This will make
it easy to see if the $5000 you have to spend will be enough. If you cannot
make up your mind between one dream vacation or another, comparing costs in
Excel can help you make your final decision. Use the suggestions in Step 2 to
decide what columns to include in your spreadsheet.
Here is a sample table: Figure 2, Sample Table  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::::/sites/dl/free/0078612357/271274/5_1_sample_table.JPG','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (31.0K)</a>]]>
Leave the cells blank if you do not have data You may enter as many plans as you wish. If you find and select a Package
vacation, enter a row title for Package Price. Cite your sources of information to prove to your parents that you are
dependable and are not cheating on your data. Include a separate Works Cited
page. Task 4: Finalize your Spreadsheet
Review all your entries carefully and make sure you have cited all your
sources. Use the Comment feature in Excel to add sources. See Guidance for steps
on how to insert a comment in Excel.
You may need an additional cost column, depending on what you have researched.
Edit, revise, and double-check the data until you are satisfied that it is the
best you can do. Top Guidance FYI: For Your Information Creating a Comment in Excel
Comments are an easy way to provide additional information for individual
cells. A cell that contains a comment has a small red flag in the upper-right
corner. Comments are a good way to add citations or other source information.
Another use of the Comment feature is to show the separate costs for the total
amount you have listed. Under Activities, for example, your comment could show
a list of all your activity expenses.
To create a comment:
- Click the cell where you want to attach a Comment.
- In the menu bar, select Insert then Comment.
A yellow comment box appears.
- Type the information you wish to include in the Comment. When you are through,
select another cell in the worksheet. The Comment box will disappear and a small
red flag will appear in the upper-right corner of the cell.
- To see the Comment, move your cursor over the cell.
Choosing a hotel
Price is not the only reason for choosing a hotel. Does the hotel provide breakfast
as part of its room charge? If you like to exercise, does the hotel have a gym
or a swimming pool? Is the room rate based on a price per person (for both you
and your friend) or is it for the room? Location, location
Depending on what you want to do in the place you have chosen, choose
a hotel that is convenient. For instance, if you chose a place for snorkeling
or surfing, you want a hotel that is close to the beach, or at least near public
transportation. Some hotels provide transportation services to downtown or areas
of interest as part of their services. Check out the weather
If you have chosen a rainy season, you may want to change your travel
dates for better weather. Also, remember that locations in the southern hemisphere
have seasons that are opposite from ours. Winter in the U.S. is summer in Brazil
and Australia. Transportation
Transportation costs can include travel to and from the airport, and
fares for cabs, buses, and trains. Tours
A tour often is a good value since it includes hotel and transportation
based on group purchases. Tours often include some meals as well. You can find
more information on student tours under Resource. However, you are bound to
the itinerary that the group sets up, and you have less freedom of choice for
activities that may not be included. Packages
At a minimum, a package rate includes air transportation and hotel for
a given number of days. Sometimes transportation from the airport to the hotel
is included. Other items may be added, such as tickets to local events, special
meals, etc. It all depends on the terms of the package. Dive shops often have
scuba packages that include equipment along with transportation and lodging. Sales and Specials
Resorts lower their rates for less popular seasons. Summer is generally
the most expensive time to travel, but it depends on location, weather conditions,
and what the area has to offer. Food
Depending on where you eat, food can be cheap or very expensive. Refer
to Resources for tips on how to stay within a food budget when you travel. Consider,
too, that if you leave the US, food in other countries may be different from
you are used to at home. Restaurants for tourists are usually more expensive. Shopping
Always leave a good amount left for shopping. Souvenirs, gifts for your
family, and items that are unique to the place you are visiting are temptations
for all travelers. Guidebooks
If you need ideas for places to travel, your local library should have
a good selection of guidebooks. Top Resources Below are links to some helpful Web sites: About Budget Travel
This site lists great budget hints for travels, but also has a list of links
for discount airline fares. Hostelling International
If you want to spend your entire summer vacation traveling within your budget,
you may want to stay in hostels. Accommodations are inexpensive, safe and clean.
Hostels range from urban high-rise buildings with hundreds of beds to small
hostels in rural settings. The Internet has made searching for airfares and hotel rates easy. Below
are some of the more popular travel search sites: Travelocity Orbitz CheapTickets Expedia Booking Buddy
This site allows you to search many of the top travel sites from one location.
Frommers
This Web site offers travel recommendations based on your interest and lifestyle
as well as information on transportation, food, lodging, etc. If you are not
yet sure of your destination, this site can help you decide. The Student Network: Teen Travel
This site is for teens planning vacations. You can read about trips that others
have taken and get ideas for planning your own trip. About Teen Travel Programs
This page lists articles and resources for teens planning Caribbean vacations.
Food Network: $40 a Day
$40 Dollars a Day is a TV show that searches for great food on a budget. Even
if your city isn’t listed, the show offers countless tips on how you can
enjoy great food on a student budget no matter where your travels take you.
To search for more information on the Web go to Google
or another search site. Try the keywords “budget vacations” to search
for sources. | Caution! | Many travel sites require that you be over 18, or that you
have written parental permission to
register or obtain a credit card. Do
not go to any site that has on over-18 requirement! Some
travel sites require
that you provide an e-mail address in order to get information. While these
sites may be completely legitimate, do not provide your e-mail address or
any other personal
information without checking with your parents first. |
Conclusion Bon voyage, and congratulations on completing your spreadsheet report
on your dream vacation. Based on your successful work, your family has decided
to give you $5000 for your vacation! You now have a better understanding of
what it costs to go on a vacation.  | 
