AGGS+-+2011

Lesson plans

ONE: PPDAC introduction/ review, starting descriptions

Briefly review the five components of the PPDAC cycle, with links to C@S Problem: deciding on a topic of interest, posing investigative questions Plan: develop survey questions, decide to use online survey tool for example Data: collect data, students record own data using online census at school questionnaire, some "cleaning" of the data by C@S team Analysis: make graphs, get statistics, write descriptions Conclusion: answer investigative question(s), make inferences about the population
 * Introduction to the topic using the PPDAC poster.

Resource: 100 year 10 girls data cards Give each pair of students a set of data cards. Explain that each pack contains 100 year 10 girls information for five variables. Get students to take a handful out. They will notice the five variables, one in each part except the bottom which has two. In the pack are five cards with the variables on. Students to decide which variable is in each of the positions and explain why they think this is so. Take one data card and write in full the information it provides.
 * Exploring some CensusAtSchool data

The variables are - top: right foot length in cm; left: time to school in mins; right: cell phone ownership in months; bottom left: wrist circumference in cm; bottom right: neck circumference in cm

Get each pair to pick one of the variables to explore. What do they suspect the graph will look like? Make a graph of their variable using the data cards. Place the variable label at the bottom. Teacher to take a photo of their graph. In student's books they write the variable and group they were exploring. Then under this write a description of their graph. Photo to be added next day. If there is time do a second variable.
 * Making graphs

TWO: Developing the language of shape for distributions.

Resource: developing the language of shape for distributions Work through activities 1-9. Update on how to display to come. Suggest students cut there 15 pieces from an A5 sheet instead. Add the five graphs from first lesson to other examples at the end.
 * Sketching and sorting shapes of statistical graphs.

THREE: Describing distributions

Resource: mix n match - shape descriptors (to be developed) Students to sort the graphs under each of the headings for the different shapes. There maybe a different number of graphs under each heading. Some graphs may go under tow headings. Review of previous lesson on language of shape.
 * Mix n match activity - review

Resource: describing distributions (to be developed further but basically 10 from previous lesson info) Discuss with students what are keymfeaturs of a graph to describe. Put the challenge out if they had to draw the graph from  the description only what info would they need. Suggest: shape, description of range, median/centre, middle group, peak(s) - may be others discuss as a department first
 * Describing distributions

Model for #9 and #4. Model this process for the students. Talk out loud your thinking and get them to contribute. Eg. What shape is the graph? Write the first sentence explaining the use of approximately and the use of the variable and the group we are talking about. What values do the heights range from and to? Write the next sentence and so on. The questions should be around the features you decided on. Remember to include the CONTEXT. Variable, values and units.

The distribution of heights for these year 5-10 students is approximately symmetrical. The heights range from 116cm to 200cm. The median height is about 155cm and the middle group of heights is between 142cm and 167cm. The distribution of reaction times for these yr 4-13 students is right skewed. Nearly all of the reaction times are tightly bunched between 0.2 and 0.6 secs. There are some reaction times slower than 0.6 secs and they spread out to 3.15 secs. The graph of reaction times peaks at about 0.4 secs and is approximately symmetrical between 0.2 and 0.6 secs.
 * 1) 9 Graph is: heights in cm of yr 5-10 students
 * 1) 4 Graph is: reaction times in secs of yr 4-13 students

Give students descriptions for #1-3,8,10-14 to glue into their book. (Prepare these as a department in a PD session, they will need to be formatted to fit onto their pages.

Get students to do #5-7. When they have finished get one example for each on the board and then actively reflect on the description by modeling the process to make it complete and correct with the right sorts of words and the inclusion of the context. Students should be encouraged to use proper statistical language.

This may take more than a lesson.