Interactive Map Projects and other FUN Activities!
LACUE 2006
Interactive Map Project Links Student Samples Websites Tutorials Go to the Following link to view examples of Interactive Maps http://www.monroe.k12.la.us/~mhen/excel_interactive.htm
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Create an Interactive Map in Excel
Step One – Setting up your page: Go to Start and open Microsoft Excel.
Click in the box which is above Row 1 and to the left of Column A. This will select the entire page.
Go to Format, Page 2
select Column, click on Width and set column width to 2. Click OK.
At the bottom of the page there are three tabs labeled Sheet 1, Sheet 2, and Sheet 3. Right click the Sheet 2 tab and select Delete. Do the same for Sheet 3.
Now right click the Sheet 1 tab and select Rename. Type in the name you want for your map. Save your work
Step Two – Inserting your map: Page 3
Find a map you want to use. My favorite site is the Enchanted Learning site http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/ Select one of the outline maps, and save it to your My Pictures folder. Return to your Excel document. Click Format, then Sheet, and click on Background. Open your My Pictures folder (or whatever folder to which you saved your map), and select your map. Click Insert.
Step Three – Add finishing touches: You will notice that your map image is ―tiled‖ on your spreadsheet.
Select several columns to the right of your map. Click the paint icon on the drawing toolbar and select black paint. Repeat this operation for several rows beneath your map. You will now see only one image.
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Finally, go to Tools and select Options. Click on the View tab and make sure that the following boxes are NOT checked: Row & column headers, Vertical scroll bar, Horizontal scroll bar, and Gridlines. Click OK.
Step 4 – Add comments: Right click in a cell where you want to insert a comment. Select Insert a Comment. The text box for your comment will open, and you can key in whatever you want. Page 5
The comment box can be formatted to change fill color, line color, font, etc.
Click anywhere on the spreadsheet to exit that comment area. Insert as many comments as you want. A red triangle will show in each cell that contains a comment. To view the comment, move your mouse over the triangle.
Step 5 – Let’s get fancy: To change the shape of the box in which you have put your comment, click on the comment to select it.
Go to Draw and select Change AutoShape. Find the shape you want and click on it. You now have a ―snazzy‖ new shape.
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When you are finished your project should include the following:
A detailed map: make sure you highlight all important landmarks Hyperlinks to information about your topic (webpages, images, videos) Your project should be in color You should have 3-5 images related to your topic with a description of each
Review your finished project—does it look good, are the colors appealing, is it easy to read, does all of the information fit on one screen?
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