Summary
Students will learn about collecting data and using charts and line plots to graph the data.
Materials
- 6' x 8' line plot
numbered 0-8
- Markers/colored pencils
- Math journals
Additional Resources
Book
- Navigating through Data Analysis and Probability in
Grades 3-5, by
Peggy A. House; ISBN 0-87353-521-9
Background for Teachers
Many students encounter the line plot in their textbooks but do not
understand what it means or how it can be used to show data. Line plots
deal with amounts and not categories. The X's on a line plot do not all
have the same value.
Intended Learning Outcomes
2. Become mathematical problem solvers.
4. Communicate mathematically.
5. Make mathematical connections.
6. Represent mathematical situations.
Instructional Procedures
Invitation to Learn
Conduct an informal survey of how many times each student has had
stitches. After collecting the data, ask students to predict the most, least,
and average amount of stitches the students have had. Draw a frequency
table and line plot on the board to represent the data.
Instructional Procedures
- Set a paper line plot
on the floor in front of the class.
- Have the class generate a question
(purpose) that can be
demonstrated on the line plot, such as "How many pets do you
have?"
- Survey 15 students in the class for their answers. Have all the
students record the data on a frequency chart in their journals.
- Have the
15 students come up and stand next to the line plot by
the number that represents their answer.
- Have the rest of the students
to look at the human line plot. Ask
the following questions to the students who are not on the line
plot:
- How many students have 0 pets? 1 pet? 2 pets…8 or more
pets?
- What amount of pets is most frequent?
- What is the range of this data?
- How could we change the range? (Increase
the highest
amount of pets that you could have.)
- What is the mode of this data?
- What is the median of this data?
- Continue by showing the class that
you can start at each end of
the plot and remove people one by one until you find the middle
person standing. The number that person represents is the
median.
- Excuse the 15 students to sit down. Have the class come up with
another question or purpose, such as "How many books a month
do you read?"
- Survey the rest of the class and have all the students record
this
information on a frequency chart in their math journals. Have the
students that were surveyed come and stand next to the line plot
by the number that represents their answer. Ask the class these
questions:
- How many students have read 0 books? 1 book? 2 books? 8 or
more books?
- How many books are most frequently read in a month?
- What is the range
of the data?
- How could we change the range?
- What is the mode of the data?
- What is the median of the data?
- Emphasize that each person by a
different number represents a
different value, and that in this case not all persons are equal. (If
you have done the activity What Does Average Look Like,
explain that the blocks in each tower had an equal value. Compare
the people on the line plot who equal different values.)
- Find the median
of this data by showing the class that you can
start at each end of the plot and remove people one by one until
you find the middle person standing.
- Excuse the students to return to
their desks. Show the class a
regular line plot with x's. Explain that each x represents a person
that was on the human line plot. Compare this to the human line
plot that they just created. Have the students draw a matching
line plot for each frequency chart in their math journals.
- Students work
in groups to come up with their own survey,
matching frequency chart, and line plot. They must also find the
mode, median, and range for this data. Have them record the
graphs in their math journals. Give each group time to present
their data and charts to the class.
Extensions
- Students who have a difficult
time writing may dictate their
explanations to the teacher or another person and have them
record it in student's journal next to the illustrations.
- Use the human
line plot activity to help students plot data they
have been working with in science such as heredity.
- Students survey other
classes and count the number of students in
each class that can roll their tongue (heredity trait). After
compiling all the data, create a frequency chart and matching line
plot.
Family Connections
- This is an opportunity for students
to do a different kind of
"Chore Chart." Have students collect data on how many hours
they spend a day/week doing chores at home. Compile the data
for the entire class on a frequency chart and then represent the
data on a huge human line plot. Have the class calculate the
mean, median, mode, and range for the data.
- Students count the number of
light switches that are in their
house. During class, compile the information on a frequency
chart and matching line plot.
Assessment Plan
Assess each student's math journal to see that the
frequency
charts and line plots have been drawn correctly. Each student is
also responsible for including the data that their group compiled
to share with the class. Students should be able to do this with
100% accuracy.
Bibliography
Research Basis
Lappan, G., Fey, J., Fitzgerald, W.
Friel, S. & Phillips, E. (1996). Data
about us. Connected
Mathematics Project, Palo Alto, CA.
"The mode, median, and mean are kinds of averages that are a part of
representations and statistics used to analyze data. Students need to
understand each of these measures and how they are applied and
calculated. This article examines two ways in which the concept of
"mean" can be demonstrated.
Hitch, C. & Armstrong, G. (1994). Daily activities for data analysis.
Arithmetic Teacher.
41(1) 242-245.
"Children develop mathematical concepts by seeing them in a variety
of settings." For students to understand statistics and graphs, they need
exposure to the process of collecting, organizing, and describing data.
This article describes useful activities that help students understand and
display data.