Alternatives to Excel

If you need to make a spreadsheet for your charts and graphs, you may use Excel. However, Excel is expensive and I do not expect you to purchase it for my class (especially since I don't use it). There are some great free alternatives. Please get parental permission.

OpenOffice is a free, open-source alternative to Excel. You have to download and install it. I have used it and can say that it worked well for me.
http://www.openoffice.org/

Another free spreadsheet is offered online through Google. No download is required but you have to sign up for a free Google account.
http://docs.google.com

Try Google Earth

Google Earth is a FREE program that puts a globe on your computer. If you want to try it the address is:
http://earth.google.com/

You may import the Google Maps posted on this blog into Google Earth to see many of the items you need for the GLE #2 worksheets and the GLE #3 art map project.

Google Earth is also a lot of fun.