Interpreting Oceans of Data

Designed by: David K. Blackwell     School: Gibbes Middle School

Grade Level: 6      Subject(s): Math

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Instructional Activities:

DAY ONE

Activity 1
Review the types of graphs you want them to use for Day One activities.

Review x-axis and y-axis.

Give the following assignment to the class after assigning groups. 

1. The groups are to predict how many shoe eyelets are in the classroom without looking at the other students' shoes! 

2. Tell the students that there are 12 eyelets in running shoes, and that hightops and boots will have approx. 24 eyelets (So a pair of hightops would have 48 eyelets).

3. Also need to remind the students that some shoes do not have any eyelets. What might they use instead of shoelaces?

4. Have the students to write their guesses down on sticky notes after they decide how many shoe eyelets there are in the whole room. They may only look at the shoes in their group. They then should post their guesses on the board.

5. Discuss with them how they arrived at their guesses. Tell them that the information they gathered is called data.

Activity 2

1. Next have each group count the number of eyelets at their table and write this number on a sticky note.

2. Then have each group to report their findings to the class on how many eyelets they have at their table.

3. Next have each student to graph this information using Appendix A. You may have to change the graph depending on how many groups you have or if your students have more than 140 shoe eyelets. Remind them to label the x-axis and the y-axis and to put an appropriate title for the graph.

4. Students can display their graphs on a bulletin board in the room.
   

DAY TWO (This day's activity is best done if you can take your students to a computer lab that has Excel. If not, then you may want to only do Day One or add to the simple graphing using the Data Bank found on pages 615 - 620 of Mathematics: Applications and Connections, Course 1 by Glencoe.)

Activity

1. Review the previous day's activities.

2. Divide the students into groups of three. Give them Appendix B, chart paper, and a marker.

3. Ask the students to use the data in Appendix B to answer the question found on the same sheet by coming to consensus as a group to the answers.

4. Students can take turns writing the answer to question on the chart paper.

5. Then have each group report to the rest of the class what their answer to a particular question using the Round Robin approach until all questions have been answered. to think about how the information in these charts would be helpful in planning government programs.

6. Use the questions found with Appendix B, to have students to discuss as a whole group how the government can use this information to plan programs for U. S. citizens.

Activity 2
If you have taken the students to a lab and have instructed them in the use of Excel, they may use the instructions and information found at the following site:
http://mathforum.com/workshops/usi/dataproject/usi.middata.html
to create a graph with Excel. The information and instructions can also be found 
in Appendix C. 

Students should use the instructions to open Excel and to complete the activity.
You will have to walk around and provide assistance to help students as they complete the activity. If you do not have enough computers, two students can work on one computer.

An additional site, PLOT THE MIGRATION OF A SEA TURTLE, has been provided in the Resources/Materials section if you want to extend this lesson. 

Appendix A:

Appendix B:

Source: Population Estimates Program, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, D.C. 20233
Contact: Statistical Information Staff, (301)457-2422 by phone,
POP@CENSUS.GOV by e-mail (please include telephone number.)
Internet Release Date: December 20, 2000.

In your group come to a consensus on the answers to the following questions. Write your answers on the chart paper provided.

Questions: 

1. What information can be found in Table A and B?
2. What has happened to the total population since 1990?
3. How can this information be used to plan government programs?
4. Which age group is estimated as having the highest number of people as of July 1, 1995?
5. What was the median age of U. S. Citizens in July 1, 1995?
6. Is there a big difference between the median and mean age in any year represented by the graph?
   
   
   

Appendix C: Diving Records from the Ocean Planet Exhibition

 

Excel Spreadsheet

1. Open the Diving Data file for Excel. 
2. Select several rows of cells or the whole table. 
3. From the Insert menu, select Chart and "On This Sheet." You will see the 
   cursor change to a + and bar graph. Click on the screen where you want 
   to place your chart. ChartWizard will appear. 
4. Follow the ChartWizard directions: click Next to confirm your selected 
   range, pick a chart type (you will be able to change this later), and select a format for that chart type. You will see a sample chart. To begin, accept the default behavior and click Next. 
5. Add the name of the chart and the titles for the X and Y axis (example: 
   Diving Data, X = Divers, Y = Depth. Click Finish. Your chart and a chart palette will appear. 
6. To change the chart, select the chart type tool (the lefthand icon in the 
   chart palette) to see the different charts available. Select one of them and 
   a new chart will appear.