Excel – Chronicler's Note:

Color by Number #3: Wizard

December 21, 2014December 21, 2014 Chronicler1 Comment

This is the latest in my series of Excel color-by-number worksheets. This one is aimed at introducing students to some of the ‘magical’ properties of multiplication. Multiplication by 1, 10, 11, 9, and squares are all touched on here. For those who aren’t rabid fans of 80’s Nintendo video games, the character is the Black Mage from the game Final Fantasy, unleashing a QUAKE spell.

Because math is earth-shaking.

My next challenge is to figure out how to let the player choose which spell the Black Mage casts. I sense some heavy IF/THEN in my future . . .

Keeping it all Straight in My Head (Part 4)

September 28, 2014August 9, 2014 ChroniclerLeave a comment

When I tell people how many projects I’m working on, their usual first response is “How do you keep all that straight in your head?”

Simple: I don’t. That’s what technology is for! I use Word, Access, Excel, Visio, OneNote, Notepad, and the Snipping Tool constantly to keep myself organized.

The gallery below has screenshots of a few of my organizational techniques. How about you? How do you keep your writing and artwork organized?

Keeping it all Straight in My Head (Part 3)

September 14, 2014August 9, 2014 ChroniclerLeave a comment

When I tell people how many projects I’m working on, their usual first response is “How do you keep all that straight in your head?”

Simple: I don’t. That’s what technology is for! I use Word, Access, Excel, Visio, OneNote, Notepad, and the Snipping Tool constantly to keep myself organized.

The gallery below has screenshots of a few of my organizational techniques. How about you? How do you keep your writing and artwork organized?

Color by Number #2: Rocket

September 7, 2014December 21, 2014 ChroniclerLeave a comment

This is coloring sheet #2 in the Color By Number series, this time using a simple multiplication table. I haven’t figured out yet what the answer to 6 x 6 should do. Any suggestions?

Keeping it all Straight in My Head (Part 2)

August 17, 2014August 9, 2014 ChroniclerLeave a comment

When I tell people how many projects I’m working on, their usual first response is “How do you keep all that straight in your head?”

Simple: I don’t. That’s what technology is for! I use Word, Access, Excel, Visio, OneNote, Notepad, and the Snipping Tool constantly to keep myself organized.

The gallery below has screenshots of a few of my organizational techniques. How about you? How do you keep your writing and artwork organized?

Color by Number #1: Goomba

July 26, 2014November 26, 2015 Chronicler2 Comments

This is the first in a series of color by number games I’m designing in Microsoft Excel. The worksheet uses conditional formatting to change the fill color of specific cells based on their contents. Then I add a simple formula (=[cell number]) to link the indicated cell to the place where the user types in the answer to the addition question. If they get the answer right, the cells change color, gradually making a picture.

This one is super simple, just four addition questions that yield the image of a Goomba from Super Mario Brothers ™.

Any kind of pixel art is easy to do; you just have to count how many pixels high and wide the image is so you know how many cells in the worksheet you need. Then resize the cells so they are square and go crazy with the conditional formatting. It’s a good idea to go into File — Options — Formulas — Error Checking Rules and uncheck “Formulas inconsistent with other formulas in the region”, otherwise you’ll get unsightly little green triangles in the corners of the cells in your image.

Keeping it all Straight in My Head (Part 1)

July 12, 2014July 15, 2014 ChroniclerLeave a comment

When I tell people how many projects I’m working on, their usual first response is “How do you keep all that straight in your head?”

Simple: I don’t. That’s what technology is for! I use Word, Access, Excel, Visio, OneNote, Notepad, and the Snipping Tool constantly to keep myself organized.

The gallery below has screenshots of a few of my organizational techniques. How about you? How do you keep your writing and artwork organized?

How’s the Writing Going?

June 7, 2014July 15, 2014 ChroniclerLeave a comment

People ask me this all the time, and I never really know what to say. Usually I say either ‘good’ or ‘slow’, and leave it at that. But it dawned on me the other day that since I track my own progress (more because I’m an Excel nerd than anything), I always have an easy answer to that question at my fingertips. So here it is, broken down by project, with grand totals at the bottom. I’ll keep you updated. 😉

Continue reading “How’s the Writing Going?” →