Graphs and data

Unit of work contributed by Gayle Cann, Parap Primary School, NT

Year level: 56

About the unit

Unit description
This unit of work explores why we need data, and how to collate, present and analyse it to extract the information it offers

Knowledge, understandings, skills, values

Students collect and or!anise data in a "ariety of ways to answer #uestions posed by themsel"es and others Students critically interpret data by analysin! and extractin! information to be able to write a rele"ant report on the findin!s Students calculate means, modes and medians for sets of data

Focus questions
$hat types of !raphs ha"e you seen% $hat purpose do they ha"e% &ow can the data be sorted and presented in a meanin!ful way% $hat information can be !ained from interpretin! !raphs and data% &ow can that information be shared with those who need it%

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Graphs and data 1

Resources
The Le@rning Federation digital curriculum resources
)-.,* /ar chart )-.0, Pie chart )1.1- (xplorin! !raphs ).2+0 Graph in"esti!ator3 types of !raphs )-,.0 )eisure sur"ey

Internet sites
4ata Collection3 a"ailable on TeacherTube at http355teachertube com5"iew6ideo php% "ideo7id8,,*912:title8data7collection /ureau of ;eteorolo!y3 http355www bom !o" au5

o!tware
;S (xcel <or e#ui"alent=

"ther resources
/utcher>s paper Permanent markers Class set of newspapers ;ulti pack of small chocolate chip biscuits ;ulti pack of biscuits, sweets or other snacks ;ulti pack of ;:; sweets

#ttached printa$le resources

The followin! teacher?created learnin! resources referred to in the Unit of work are a"ailable for you to modify, print and use in your own teachin! and learnin! context3 @re#uency table

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Graphs and data %

Teachin! the unit

etting the scene
Resources
/utcher>s paper Permanent markers Class set of newspapers 4ata Collection3 a"ailable on TeacherTube at http355teachertube com5"iew6ideo php% "ideo7id8,,*912:title8data7collection

Teaching and learning activities

&ra!!iti
An !roups of four, students are !i"en two minutes to write or draw what they think of when they hear the words B!raph> and Bdata> on a lar!e sheet of paper Collate !roup ideas on paper usin! a black marker 4ate and sa"e to compare with what can be added at the end of the unit

In the news
4efine what data is and then ha"e students look throu!h newspapers to find examples of !raphs or data &a"e them make a class colla!e of these with explanations of the information they contain $hen discussin! this as a class, the followin! are some important points about data that should be drawn out of the focus #uestions, and may form a basis for a definition of data 4ata3 is a collection of information about a thin! or a set of thin!s can be measurements or obser"ations is used to raise discussions, make decisions or make a point How is the collection and interpretation of data used in our everyday lives? What sort of data is collected? Who collects it? What sort of information are they seeking? How is it used? Ask students to re"isit their newspapers and see whether there is e"idence of data that they may ha"e pre"iously missed

'(tension activities
6iew 4ata Collection3 a"ailable on TeacherTube at http355teachertube com5"iew6ideo php% "ideo7id8,,*912:title8data7collection What sort of data is being collected in this video?

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Graphs and data )

&a"e students keep a diary <electronic or paper= to record all the instances they see or hear of data collection durin! the course of the unit, particularly instances where the data collection refers <or could refer= directly to them (xplain that this diary will help them with their final acti"ity

*ersonal and private

;any websites ask users to fill in particular details about themsel"es that are then used for tar!etin! them as consumers, or sold to others to use Use this opportunity to emphasise the need for students to protect their pri"acy whilst online and how to do this

Investigating
Resources
).2+0 Graph in"esti!ator3 types of !raphs )-.,* /ar chart @re#uency table <pa!e ,+= ;ulti pack of small chocolate chip biscuits ;ulti pack of biscuits, sweets or other snacks )-.0, Pie chart )1.1- (xplorin! !raphs ;S (xcel

Teaching and learning activities

T+pes o! graphs
(xplore and explain ).2+0 Graph in"esti!ator3 types of !raphs, focusin! on histo!rams <bar !raphs=, pie !raphs, line !raphs and column !raphs Construct a class chart that pro"ides a sample of each of these !raphs and an explanation of when they would be used &a"e students choose either a stem and leaf plot, box and whisker plot or scatter plot , then write a description o! its use and construct an e(ample,

Frequenc+ ta$les - $ar graphs

Use a topic such as Btransport to school> or the Bwearin! of school uniform> to demonstrate the construction of fre#uency tables for data collection, usin! tallyin! to identify each !roup of fi"e Transport $alk /ike /us Car Tall+ Alll AAA Alll A Alll Alll Alll Frequenc+ C 1 ,+ .

Use the attached @re#uency table to record the data

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Graphs and data .

Con"ert the data collected to a bar !raph <histo!ram= so that results can be compared &a"e students select their own topic and create both a fre#uency table and bar !raph to show their results (xplain the importance of pro"idin! a title for the !raph and labellin! the axes D $ork throu!h )-.,* /ar chart &a"e students use the same information they used to create their own bar chart to complete the task and then compare the two 4emonstrate how to use software such as ;S (xcel to do this, includin! how to !i"e the !raph a title and label the axes

*ut it in a pie
(xplore and explain )-.0, Pie chart As a class exercise, in"esti!ate the fa"ourite ice cream fla"ours of class members and interpret this information in a pie chart Gi"e students another set of fi!ures and ha"e them create and interpret indi"idual charts Print for portfolios

'(ploring graphs
(xplore and explain )1.1- (xplorin! !raphs 4iscuss why some formats are more effecti"e for representin! particular types of data &a"e students use ;S (xcel to create a pie !raph with the same data they used for their bar !raph Compare the two How are they alike/different? Which is the most effective for displaying and comparing the data so it easily interpreted?

"n the line

4i"ide the class into !roups of ei!ht (ach member of the !roup will in"esti!ate the daily temperatures of a different Australian state capital city <Sydney, Adelaide, &obart, Canberra, ;elbourne, /risbane, Perth and 4arwin= Use the /ureau of ;eteorolo!y site <http355www bom !o" au= to collect the minimum and maximum temperatures of these cities o"er the period of a week to construct a line !raph showin! the minimum and maximum temperatures for their city 4emonstrate how to do this usin! ;S (xcel What is the average daily maximum temperature for your city in a week? Students swap their line !raph with another student in their !roup and write a description of the !raph and the week>s temperatures in that capital city

"n average
An"esti!ate the difference between the terms Bmode>, Bmedian> and Bmean> Gi"e each student <or !roup= a mini pack of biscuits Create a scenario in which the students are to act as #uality controllers to ensure there are a minimum of *0 chocolate chips per biscuit Students break apart the biscuit, count the number of chocolate chips in each and record the number on a class chart

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Graphs and data /

$hen all the biscuits ha"e been dissected and the number of chocolate chips in each recorded, put the numbers in order The number that occurred the most is the modeE the number in the middle after the numbers are in order is called the medianE the total number of chocolate chips di"ided by the number of biscuits is the mean Use the information to write a report to the manufacturer explainin! what you disco"ered about the number of chocolate chips in each biscuit This acti"ity could be simplified by ha"in! students count the number of items in each mini pack and comparin! these 4iscuss why such packs are usually marked with their wei!ht not number of items

'(tension activities
0ore a$out mean and median As a class, use )1.10 B(xplorin! measures of central tendency> to examine the mean and median "alues for a data set recordin! emer!ency response times, and explore chan!es to the mean and median as new results are added

1ringing it all together

Resources
;ulti pack of ;:; sweets ;S (xcel )-,.0 )eisure sur"ey

Teaching and learning activities

0-0 maths
&a"e students in"esti!ate the number of ;:; sweets in each small packet to examine the fre#uency of colours Structure their in"esti!ation by followin! these steps3 , * 0 . 1 4on>t eat any until you ha"e collected all your data (stimate how many ;:;s you ha"e Guess which colours may be in your packet Carefully open your packet of ;:;s and count and record how many you ha"e alto!ether This is your population Tally the different colours you ha"e in this population Graph your results usin! a bar !raph 4on>t for!et to label your axes Fou now need to !et extra data from at least another . people Compare the number, ran!e and fre#uency of colours to your sample 4iscuss the results and create two new bar !raphs G the first comparin! the total number of sweets in each packetE the second comparin! the ran!e and fre#uency of colours in all the !roups> packets @ind the mean, median, ran!e and mode for the number of ;:;s in the combined sample Use the data to construct a pie !raph usin! ;S (xcel $rite an interpretation of your findin!s

9 C 2

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Graphs and data 2

,+ Time how lon! it takes you to dissol"e one on your ton!ue ,, As it true that they only melt in your mouth not in your hands%

&ood sports
Ama!ine the local council has enou!h money to install a new sportin! facility in your nei!hbourhood, but they need to know which sport is the most popular and therefore will be the best return on their in"estment They need to sur"ey students at the school so they !et a clear picture of the needs and interests of as many children as possible ;ake contact with other classes in your school 4iscuss as a class3 what data needs to be collected how it will be collected how it will be collated the best format for presentation to show the "arious sports and the number of students interested in each how the information can be shared with the council Undertake the in"esti!ation, keepin! a photo!raphic record of the "arious steps Use these to construct and publish a report of what was undertaken and achie"ed Af you ha"e contact with other schools in your local area, this could be widened to include data from other schools if you wish

*rove it
Conduct an in"esti!ation to demonstrate how data can be used to support an ar!ument Put the proposition that boys are always taller than !irls of the same a!e Hecord the number of students who belie"e this, and the number who don>t 4iscuss as a class3 what data needs to be collected whether there needs to be a ran!e of a!es tested how it will be collected how it will be collated the best format for presentation what percenta!es will be considered as e"idence that the proposition is true Undertake the in"esti!ation, keepin! a photo!raphic record of the "arious steps Use these to construct and publish a report of what was undertaken and achie"ed

#ssessment
Leisure time
Use )-,.0 )eisure sur"ey to scaffold the culminatin! task by takin! students throu!h the entire process step?by?step Students complete the report at the end of the scaffolded acti"ity for indi"idual assessment purposes

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Graphs and data 3

From data to deliver+

4emonstrate how the collection of data can be used in real life /rainstorm and list practical ways that students could initiate chan!es within the school such as3 in"esti!atin! new foods to be sold at the canteen su!!estin! new resources to be ac#uired by the library the need for a new piece of play e#uipment such as a sandpit or play!round markin!s for !ames the need for timetablin! the use of a particular area or piece of e#uipment the need for a school rule to be implemented, chan!ed or abandoned the "enue for a whole school excursion the support for a new sport or recreation acti"ity to be made a"ailable &a"e small !roups select a proIect that appeals to collect, prepare, analyse and interpret data to support their proposal Use what has been learned to discuss3 what data needs to be collected how it will be collected how it will be collated the best format for presentation to support their ar!ument who the information should be shared with it and it should be shared As a class, create a checklist or rubric so students can ensure they complete all the steps to the re#uired standard Anclude elements that will demonstrate3 efficient and effecti"e data collection and collation choosin! and usin! a "ariety of !raphs to suit the purpose calculatin! mean, median and mode analysis and interpretation of the data preparation of a final report Assess their completed proIects a!ainst this rubric &a"e students undertake their proIect as well as a reflection that examines issues such as3 What have I learned from this? Did I complete the task successfully? How have my skills improved? Which parts did I do really well? Which parts would I change if I did the activity again? Which parts do I need support with in the future? Did I manage my time well?
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Graphs and data 4

5riter6 Gayle Cann The material in this Unit of work may contain links to internet sites maintained by entities not connected to (ducation Ser"ices Australia )td and which it does not control <BSites>= 'ducation ervices #ustralia Ltd: pro"ides the links for ease of reference only and it does not sponsor, sanction or appro"e of any material contained on the SitesE and does not make any warranties or representations as to, and will not be liable for, the accuracy or any other aspect of the material on the Sites or any other matter connected to the use of the Sites

$hile the material in this Unit of work is not remunerable under Part 6/ of the Copyright ct !"#$% material on the Sites may be remunerable under Part 6/ of the Copyright ct !"#$ At is your responsibility to read and comply with any copyri!ht information, notices or conditions of use which apply to a Site

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Graphs and data 7

Frequenc+ ta$le
Name Topic Class Tall+ Date Frequenc+

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Graphs and data 18