U1 Variability in Data
Why, How, and What
In order to make sense of the world (DI1), students will model with mathematics (SMP4) and use appropriate tools strategically (SMP5) while reasoning with data (CC1).
Grade Six Content Standards
Investigate real world data sources, ask questions of data, start to understand variability - within data sets and across different forms of data, consider different types of data, and represent data with different representations. (p33)
SP1. Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the answers. For example, “How old am I?” is not a statistical question, but “How old are the students in my school?” is a statistical question because one anticipates variability in students’ ages.
SP4. Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.
SP5. Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by: a. Reporting the number of observations. b. Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement. c. Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the data were gathered. d. Relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the shape of the data distribution and the context in which the data were gathered.
Planning notes
In 6th grade, we see single variable, single population data
This unit plants seeds for future topics: percents (box plot has 25 bubbles inside each quartile), coordinate plane (histogram location of 0, making number lines with correct spacing), fractions and decimals (continuous data in real-life and where parts of a whole show up on a number line -- including creating ranges for a histogram), calculating the mean (instead of using a number line to find out what number is between two numbers)
Next year, describe data before creating the displays? Would allow students to see what they will make and more opportunities to use statistical vocabulary
We want to create questions that lead to good displays (the types of displays we are having them make)