Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

Overview | Content Knowledge | Essential Questions | Connection To Standards | Initiating Activity | Learning Experiences | Culminating Performance | Pre-Requisite Skills | Modifications | Schedule/Time Plan | Technology Use

LU Title: Computer Graphing

Author(s): Roberta Palmer

Grade Level: 7-8

School :Camden Middle School

Topic/Subject Area: Mathematics

Address: Union St. Camden, NY

Email:Rpalmer@Camden-Middle.moric.org

Phone/Fax: (315)245-0080

OVERVIEW

 The students will make line, bar, double line, double bar, and circle graphs using information obtained from the Internet or by surveys.  The students will use the computer to gather data, organize data and construct the graphs.  They will also make interpretations of their data, find measures of central tendency and present the information to the class.

 

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative

Procedural

 Understand how to use the Internet/computer to find data.

 Use the Internet/survey to collect data.

 Understand how to construct different graphs and when to use each type.

 Organize the data into a chart and decide which type of graph will work best.

 Define measures of central tendency.

Construct graph(s) to represent the data.

 

 Calculate the measures of central tendency.

 

 Make a presentation to the class about the graphs and conclusions about the data.

 

 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How do you choose the correct graph to show your data?

What is the relationship between the mean, median, mode, and range of the data?

Why do we graph data?

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

MST Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design-Scientific Inquiry

         Students chart and graph data to make conclusions.

MST Standard 2: Information Systems

         Students use the Internet to gather data and programs to graph                  their data.

MST Standard 3: Mathematics-Measurement

         Students use measures of central tendency to display, describe, and compare data.

         Students produce graphic representations of data using computers.

MST Standard 5: Technology-Computer Technology

         Students use a computer to gather data from the Internet.

         Students use a computer to construct graphs.

                                 

INITIATING ACTIVITY

1. Demonstrate to students how to use the Internet to collect data or set up a survey.  Collect some data to be graphed. 

 2. Use a newspaper to show students how charts and graphs are used to explain data.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In chronological order including acquisition experiences and extending/refining
experiences for all stated declarative and procedural knowledge.

 

Day One:

Teacher demonstration on logging onto the Internet/computer and searching for information.

Students brainstorm topics to search on the Internet.

Students practice this with supervision. They could also be provided a list of sites that could provide data to graph. (For example: US Census page and  Yahooligans).

Day Two: 

Students search on the Internet for web sites and data banks for gathering information to use in their graphs.

Students could also set up a survey on the computer for others to answer, as a way to gather information.

Day Three:

Teacher demonstrates how to chart (organize) data, and explains the  different types of graphs.

Teacher explains each type of graph and why each is used. This is done using graphs from the Internet and the newspaper.

Students organize their data into a chart, and decide which graph will work best for their information.

Day Four:

Teacher explains the measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode, and range) and demonstrates how to solve each type.

Teacher explains when to use each type and which type is most appropriate for each set of data.

Students answer questions using the measures of central tendency, finding each, given sets of data. 

Day Five:

Teacher demonstrates how to construct different graphs using the computer. This can be done with Microsoft Word or Works.

Day Six:

Students construct graphs using the computer, labeling all axes and titles. Teacher is facilitator.  

Day Seven:

Students calculate the mean, median, mode, and range of their collected data.

Students compare their measures of central tendency and decide which measure best reflects what they want to be known from their data.

Day Eight:

Students work on their presentations. (They present their data, graphs, measures of central tendency and conclusions made about the data.)

*Additional days may be used based on need.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)

 Students present to the class the data, graphs, information and conclusions made about their data. This can be done with a PowerPoint presentation or with other computer graphs done on Microsoft Word or Works programs.

RUBRIC: Based on the 8th grade Math Assessment Test Rubric

Name:___________________________

Criteria:   3-excellent        2-good         1-attempted      0-no work

                                                                                     

_____   1) Understand and able to use the Internet/computer            

_____   2) Collect appropriate and sufficient amount of data

_____   3) Able to organize data into charts

_____   4) Use the computer to graph data

_____   5) Calculate the measures of central tendency to the nearest

                  tenth                         

_____   6) Presentation to class was understandable

_____   7) Presentation included the appropriate data, graphs, and conclusions

 

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

Basic math/computation skills

Basic computer skills 

Pre-requisite Knowledge:

       Powerpoint

      Types of graphs

      Measures of Central Tendency (mean, median, mode, range)                  

      Internet

MODIFICATIONS

Give a list of specific sites to search

Do the activity in partners or small groups

Follow all IEP requirements

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

 Time:  8-10 days,  40 minute periods per day.

 *Additional days may be used based on need.

TECHNOLOGY USE

Computer (MS Works/Word)

Internet (Yahooligans/US Census)

Calculators for finding the measures of central tendency