Mean, median, mode, range, and whisker plot
Date | December 2005 |
Class | Algebra |
Teacher | Lanette VonSeggern |
Notes | Wrestling with Averages since it is the end of the quarter (I always try to give the students a thinking extra credit assignment), wrestling season, and my algebra students are working on graphing linear equations I thought of this activity. The students were very diligent in discovering the 10 weights. They liked discussing the various answers that worked for the situation described. I related this to graphing linear equations – each person can pick a different three points but since there are infinite ordered pairs as solutions – the line will be graphed the same. Some students tried to come up with an equation but most students simply used guess and check. I liked the way this problem allowed for a variety of methods to solve the problem and reinforced that there are infinite solutions to a given problem – even traveling to a city can have infinite possible routes – it is always better to plan ahead – especially in Nebraska in the winter time! |
Date | December 2005 |
Class | Calculus |
Teacher | Ray Weier |
Notes | How High Can You Jump activity, a classroom set of TI-83 Plus calculators, several CBL units with light probes, the JUMP program from Real World Mathematics Activity by Texas Instruments. It also came with sample data of 33 jump heights. |
Date | November |
Class | eighth grade math class |
Teacher | Becky Bruening |
Notes | We did the JUMP activity with my the TI-83, CBL and light probe. I forgot to bring a mag-light flashlight along to school with me, so borrowed a cheap flashlight from the office. It also worked just fine. Some students were hesitant to jump, while others couldn’t get enough, so for those who preferred not to jump we just asked for a volunteer to go in their place, and ended up with more than enough data. We also found that students had to start with their feet together (not one behind) and jump straight up, or they would not land back into the light beam. This decreased some of their jump heights from what they might attain in a PE class. Upon collecting our data we computed the mean, median, mode and range as this is what our lesson was covering. Students were allowed to use a scientific calculator to add and divide, but we didn’t discuss any of the statistical keys. Later when we discuss quartiles and box-whisker plots I may repeat the activity. It was a great activity for a group that for the most part has already mastered mean, median, mode and range. It definitely put some fun into a review lesson. If it was the first time these topics were being presented however, it may be more of a distraction than an enrichment. |
Date | Sept. 30, 2005 |
Class | Juniors |
Teacher | LouAnn Kneifl |
Notes | I tried the human box and whisker plot with my students. I had all the juniors together. We worked with the distance the students lived from school. The first question the students handled was how to work with blocks and miles. We stepped out our number line giving them an opportunity to work with their estimation skills also. They had to consider minimum and maximum and the distance available to work with. When we returned to the room, I had them do a box and whisker plot with another set of data. Most all the students could do it on paper. It was interesting to hear some of the students refer to the outside activity while doing the inside one. The only concern I have is, half of our students live so close to the school and were bunched together, and everyone else very spread out. Our first quartile and the minimum were the same. |
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