Learn Without Walls
← Previous LessonLesson 2 of 4Next Lesson →

Lesson 2: Entering and Formatting Data

About 30 minutes — Activity-based lesson

What You Will Learn

This lesson covers:

Typing data into cells: numbers, text, and dates

This section covers the key ideas about typing data into cells: numbers, text, and dates. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Making headers bold and clear

This section covers the key ideas about making headers bold and clear. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Adjusting column widths to fit your data

This section covers the key ideas about adjusting column widths to fit your data. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Activity: enter your class survey data into a spreadsheet

This section covers the key ideas about activity: enter your class survey data into a spreadsheet. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Check Your Understanding

1. How do you enter data into a spreadsheet?

Answer: Click a cell and start typing. Press Enter to move down, Tab to move right. Use Row 1 for headers and start data in Row 2.

2. Why should headers be bold?

Answer: Bold headers distinguish them from data and make the spreadsheet easier to read. Select the header row and press Ctrl+B (or Cmd+B on Mac).

3. How do you adjust column width?

Answer: Double-click the border between two column letters (like between A and B) to auto-fit, or drag it to a custom width.

4. What types of data can go in a cell?

Answer: Numbers (42, 3.14), text (apple, blue), dates (3/15/2026), and formulas (=A1+B1). Spreadsheets treat each type differently.

Key Takeaways

Ready for More?

Next Lesson

Continue to Lesson 3: Basic Formulas

Start Lesson 3

Session Home

Review all lessons and materials.