Database Your YuGiOh Monsters! (FLEX)

This class will draw upon students' interest in trading cards to teach skills relating to data entry and analysis. 

The flexible-schedule format allows students to take time and add as much information to their database as possible; and allows students to share more of their work with the class.

WEEK ONE
In the first week, students will create an Excel/Google Sheets database using information about their monster cards, such as the type, attribute, level of attack/defence, and number of stars. 
- There will be an introduction thread asking students to share their favourite cards/card types and communicate with each other about their collections.
- The class video will provide guidance on how to set up column headings, with pause breaks for students to look at their cards and add information to their own sheet. This will include teaching about categorical vs continuous data types.
- Students (and the teacher!) will upload copies of their database, and comment on what works well in each other's set up (students will also receive feedback from the teacher around whether their database is suitably ready for the next weeks' activities).

WEEK TWO
In week 2, students will learn how to create bar graphs and pie charts to describe the features and proportions of the different monsters in their deck. 
- The class video will provide guidance, with pause breaks for students to try each type of graph/chart for themselves.
- Students will upload at least 2 charts/graphs each to the classroom for teacher feedback.
- Students will then make comparisons between their graphs and others from the class - this will include examples from the teacher of the conclusions that can be drawn about the data from graphs and constructive comments about how to make sure a graph can be easily interpreted.
- After graphs have been uploaded, the teacher will post "Who has _____ in their collection?" questions - students must use each others' graphs to figure out the answers.

WEEK THREE
In week 3, students will learn how to sort their data by different variables, and to compute simple statistics such as the average attack points or the number of monsters with different properties. This will include teaching of the concepts of mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation.
- The class video will provide guidance, with pause breaks for students to try each formula for themselves.
- We will also cover how to create a pivot table so that different variables can be combined (e.g. looking at the category of Earth + Machine, rather than just Earth or just Machine)
- Students will write about at least 2 of their statistical formulae in the classroom, and make comparisons with other students' data.
- Students will upload their dataset with this week's formulae and receive feedback from the teacher on successes and any errors/improvements.

WEEK FOUR
In week 4, students will make hypotheses and use their data to test these. For example: Do fire monsters have higher attack points than water monsters? Are warrior monsters more likely to be earth than wind?
- The class video will provide examples and inspire students to think up their own, and demonstrate the use of pivot tables to help with analysis of the data.
- Students will use their data to test their own hypotheses and at least one hypothesis made by another student - students will be able to assign a question to a partner, and use analysis techniques to answer a question set by their partner.
- Students will write about and upload their analysis for teacher feedback (including checking that the analysis used is appropriate to the hypothesis/question).
- Students will share their research questions (and the results!) make comparisons with others in the class - do we all get the same results in our collections when we test the same hypothesis?


GENERAL INFORMATION
The class will mostly be taught using a screen share of a database based on my own collection, where students can follow along with steps, inputting their own information into their own spreadsheet. Students will be able to ask questions during class, as well as interacting with each other, for example, discussing their favourite cards, comparing features of their data sets, and summarising their graphs and analysis.
No prior knowledge of making a spreadsheet is required.

Depending on the size of your collection, entering the cards' information may take some time! But don't worry, you can still participate in the next week's activity even if you're not 100% done - that way you can learn the skills and keep practicing them as you add more of your cards' information.

The class is designed around YuGiOh monster cards, but students with other trading card interests such as Pokemon cards would also be able to join in with the activities equally well. If you'd like specific guidance on another set of cards, please just ask :)

The age range is flexible - please feel welcome to ask if your learner is a little younger/older and you're unsure about the fit.