Learning Links
Government / Politics / Genetics / Lottery / Census / Weather / Games / Fairness / Life Insurance / Quality Control / Polling / Trends / Stock Market / Natural Disasters / Marketing
Related Concepts
Data Analysis / Statistical Procedures / Modeling / Graphing / Measures of Central Tendency (including mean, median, mode) / Measures of Dispersion (including range and outliners) / Experimental Probability / Theoretical Probability / Simulation
Demonstrators should be read from bottom to top, but need not be demonstrated sequentially.
Elementary Demonstrators
• Collect, organize, and describe data.
• Construct, read, and interpret displays of data.
• Formulate and solve problems that involve probability and statistics.
• Analyze data to determine the most appropriate way to organize data for display.
• Make inferences and convincing arguments that are based on data analysis.
Middle School Demonstrators
• Determine the validity of the use of data.
• Collect, display, analyze and interpret the data from a selected population.
• Make predictions and evaluate conclusions based on statistical analysis.
• Determine probabilities by constructing sample space and conducting experiments.
• Analyze probabilities to make decisions involving real world situations.
High School Demonstrators
• Organize, display, and draw inferences from data and make statistical decisions.
• Use the appropriate measures of central tendency, dispersion, variability, and correlation to describe a set of data.
• Use curve fitting to predict from data.
• Determine and use experimental or theoretical probability to represent and solve problems involving uncertainty.
• Create and interpret discrete probability distributions.
• Analyze sets of data using assumed normal curve distribution.
• Design and conduct an experiment/ simulation and interpret the results.
Sample Teaching/Assessment Strategies
Community-Based Instruction: Field Studies, Networking / Graphic Organizers: Time Line, Graphic Representations / Problem Solving: Brainstorming, Inquiry, Interviews, Research, Case Studies, Debate, Simulations / Technology/Tools: Manipulatives, Calculators, Telecommunications, Games
These sample strategies offer ideas and are not meant to limit teacher resourcefulness. More strategies are found in the resource section.
Ideas for Incorporating Community Resources
• Discuss with an insurance agent ways that insurance rates are determined.
• Invite a representative of the KY Dept. of Agriculture to discuss formulas for calculating grain futures.
• Conduct a field investigation of leaf arrangements on native trees (e.g., yellow poplar, elm, weeping willow) with a representative of the KY Division of Forestry to discover the relationship between the arrangements and the Fibonacci sequence.
• Visit the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs for a workshop on probability and statistics.
Core Concept - Data
Sample Elementary Activities
• Count the number of raisins in a small box. Create a line graph using the class data. Use post-it notes to extend the line graph into a vertical bar graph. Discover the median, mode and range. Rearrange post-it notes to equalize the bars to discover the mean. Use a computer graphing program (e.g., "IBM: Time, Money, and Measurement) as a follow-up activity.) PE, OE, P
• Take a survey of favorite foods prepared in the school lunchroom. Graph the results and analyze the data. Use this analysis to approach the lunchroom manager in an effort to have the foods prepared more often. PE, P
• Collect data on eye color of students in the class. Analyze the data and prepare an appropriate graph of the part of the class with blue, brown, and hazel eyes on a circle graph; the number of students that have blue, brown and hazel eyes in a bar graph . Discuss the appropriate use of each type of graph. PE, OE, P
• Discuss differences in shoe styles. Use a graphing mat to physically graph types of shoes worn by students. Interpret and draw inferences. OE, P
• Given a mystery graph, describe a situation which the graph might represent. OE
Applications Across the Curriculum
Variations on a theme: Surveys: Food Preferences
Language Arts
• Design a survey to determine food preferences. OE
Science
• Generate charts and graphs based on the survey results showing food preferences. PE, P
Social Studies
• Conduct the survey for food preferences and compile the results. OE
Arts and Humanities
• Contact an elementary school with a different cultural heritage. Have them conduct the survey there and compare the results to those from your school. OE, P
Practical Living
• Correlate the data from the survey to show preferences by food groups. P
Vocational Education
• Compare the results of the food preference survey to the school menu. Make recommendations which match food service requirements to change the school menu. P
Sample Middle School Activities
• Record the number of hours you spend sleeping, studying, watching TV, and attending school each day. Look for patterns in your lifestyle. Predict the number of hours you will spend doing one of these activates next week and convert to fractional parts of a week. Would the fractions be the same for every week of the year? Explain. OE, P
• Model mean, mode, and median by using cubes (e.g., take stacks of 1, 3, 3, 6, 7 cubes or any other workable amounts). The median is represented by the middle stack of 3 when the cube stacks are ordered low to high. The mode is also 3. To find the mean, move cubes until all stacks are the same height. Discover the algorithm for calculating the mean based on several cube experiences. PE, OE
• Conduct class or school surveys on topics of interest to students. Make graphs to represent data. Analyze the data by calculating the mean, median, mode, and range, using a frequency distribution when appropriate. PE
• Collect instances where statistics are used in advertising. Discuss cases of misuse of information. OE, P
Applications Across the Curriculum
Language Arts
• Graph how many words you can read in one minute, 5 minutes, and 15 minutes. Use this information to predict how many words you can read in 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes. What factors affect the outcome? PE, OE, P
Science
• Survey your community to determine the incidence of a particular disease. Predict the likelihood of contracting the disease (e.g., heart problems, tuberculosis) based on gender and age. PE, OE, P
Social Studies
• Research life expectancy rates in several countries. Research additional information about the countries which might contribute to life expectancy. OE, P
• Design an investigation to find 5 of the most littered places in the community. PE, OE, P
Arts and Humanities
• Establish a rubric or scoring guide to evaluate charts and graphs produced in math class or various newspaper graphs, such as those in USA Today. Use the elements and principles of design for criteria. OE, P
Practical Living
• Collect the data on the scores of a physical fitness test for a class. Determine how that class compares with the others in the school as well as comparison to state and national norms. PE, OE, P
• Survey, by grade level, areas in which students feel the most pressure to conform. Record the data and graph the results. PE, OE, P
Vocational Education
• Investigate the quality control program in a factory. Determine the percentage of products that meet the expected specifications over a product run. OE, P
Sample High School Activities
• Simulate and analyze the following situation: Frosted Fun Flakes is including 1 of 6 different toys in their cereal. Determine how many boxes one needs to collect all 6 toys. Use a six-sided die to simulate the boxes of cereal and their prizes. Use a computer to repeat the same problem with 10 different toys. PE
• Use box and whiskers, stem and leaf, bar graphs, circle graphs, line graphs, frequency tables, cumulative frequency tables, rank order listings, and scatter plots to represent data. Draw inferences from the graphs, including which form best communicates the data. OE, P
• Determine a line or curve of best fit for collections of data using a graphing calculator. Use the graph and the equation of the line or curve to predict the behavior of new data. OE
• Write an interpretation of a graph from a newspaper or magazine. OE, P
Applications Across the Curriculum
Language Arts
• Write a persuasive speech using data to support your position. OE, P
• Use data to convince the community to save on energy sources. PE, OE, P
Science
• Research correlation between snowfall and precipitation. Collect samples of undisturbed snow and determine precipitation level. PE, OE, P
Social Studies
• Predict how "the graying" of America will change our society. OE, P
Arts and Humanities
• Design and conduct an experiment mixing complements (colors) to create grays. Determine which are "cool" or "warm" grays. Graph your results. PE, OE, P
Practical Living
• Record the food consumption for a family in a given week; project the cost of the family's food for one year. PE, OE, P
• Predict life expectancy, using a computer program which includes factors such as heredity, lifestyle, gender, and diet. OE
Vocational Education
• Calculate and compare insurance premiums (e.g., cars, health, homeowners). OE
• Use a genetics chart to make predictions in crossbreeding. OE