Nuffield Foundation
Monitoring Water Pollution with Invertebrate Indicator Species
Healthy invertebrates mean healthy ponds. An outdoor activity has scholars collect samples of invertebrates from local lakes or ponds. They identify and count different species and use the information to estimate the level of pollution...
American Statistical Association
Happy Birthday to . . . Two?
How many people do you need in a room before two likely share the same birthday? Scholars consider this puzzle by analyzing a set of data. They ponder how to divide the data and determine the proper size of a group for this event to...
Curated OER
Piles of Paper
Track how much paper their class uses in a week. They will pile their used paper into one place, each day the pile is measured. They make predictions about how much paper they would collect in a month, then recycle the paper.
NASA
Discovering the Milky Way
What do you call a tiny collection of galaxies? A puny-verse! Young scholars graph data gathered by scientists studying Cepheids. They attempt to identify a relationship between the variables through standard and logarithmical graphing....
EngageNY
Connecting Graphical Representations and Numerical Summaries
Which graph belongs to which summary statistics? Class members build upon their knowledge of data displays and numerical summaries to connect the two. Pupils make connections between different graphical displays of the same data in the...
Alabama Learning Exchange
How Old is Your Money?
Elementary learners explore coin mint dates. First, they listen to the book Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst. They then sort a collection of coins according to their mint date and put them in order from oldest...
EngageNY
Margin of Error When Estimating a Population Proportion (part 1)
Use the power of mathematics to find the number of red chips in a bag — it's a little like magic! The activity asks learners to collect data to determine the percentage of red chips in a bag. They calculate the margin of error and...
Curated OER
Choose The Appropriate Graph
Fifth graders work in groups to investigate the proper use of a graph during a schoolyard ecology project. The challenge of the project is for students to choose the proper form of a graph. They gather data and conduct analysis with the...
Curated OER
Beginning Modeling for Linear and Quadratic Data
Students create models to represent both linear and quadratic equations. In this algebra lesson, students collect data from the real world and analyze it. They graph and differentiate between the two types.
Curated OER
Price of Apples- Linear Data
Young scholars collect data and create a graph. In this algebra lesson, students describe functions graphically, algebraically and verbally. They identify functions as being independent and dependent using variables.
Willow Tree
Histograms and Venn Diagrams
There are many different options for graphing data, which can be overwhelming even for experienced mathematcians. This time, the focus is on histograms and Venn diagrams that highlight the frequency of a range of data and overlap of...
Museum of Tolerance
Why is This True?
Are wages based on race? On gender? Class members research wages for workers according to race and gender, create graphs and charts of their data, and compute differences by percentages. They then share their findings with adults and...
EngageNY
Estimating Probability Distributions Empirically 1
What if you don't have theoretical probabilities with which to create probability distributions? The 11th installment of a 21-part module has scholars collecting data through a survey. The results of the survey provide empirical data to...
Statistics Education Web
Who Sends the Most Text Messages?
The way you use statistics can tell different stories about the same set of data. Here, learners use sets of data to determine which person sends the most text messages. They use random sampling to collect their data and calculate a...
Space Awareness
The Thermal Layers of Oceans
How much does the sun heat up a lake or ocean? Scholars use a cup and a strong lamp to investigate the heat transfer and thermal layers in the ocean to come up with the answer. They collect data and graph it in order to better understand...
American Statistical Association
Armspans
Young mathematicians collect data on the arm spans of classmates. Then they sort the data by measures of center, spread, and standard deviation. Finally, they compare groups, such as boys and girls, to interpret any differences.
Statistics Education Web
The Egg Roulette Game
Hard boiled or raw? Which egg will you get? A hands-on activity has scholars explore the impact of conditional probability. Based on a skit from the Tonight Show, pupils model the selection of the two types of eggs using beads. They...
American Statistical Association
Tell it Like it is!
Scholars apply prior knowledge of statistics to write a conclusion. They summarize using correct academic language and tell the story of the data.
Virginia Department of Education
Average Atomic Masses
Facilitate learning by using small objects to teach the principles of atomic mass in your science class. Pupils determine the average mass of varying beans as they perform a series of competitive experiments. They gather data and...
Statistics Education Web
What Percent of the Continental US is Within One Mile of a Road?
There are places in the US where a road cannot be found for miles! The lesson asks learners to use random longitude and latitude coordinates within the US to collect data. They then determine the sample proportion and confidence interval...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating the Effect of Temperature on the Activity of Lipase
How does temperature affect lipase activity? Young scholars conduct an experiment to collect data on the interaction of lipase at different temperatures. They add lipase to a solution of milk, sodium carbonate, and phenolphthalein and...
EngageNY
Modeling Relationships with a Line
What linear equation will fit this data, and how close is it? Through discussion and partner work, young mathematicians learn the procedure to determine a regression line in order to make predictions from the data.
Virginia Department of Education
Energy and ATP
Take charge of your biology class by using this exciting analogy to relate the ATP process with batteries. Pupils use batteries and rubber bands to simulate the phosphate bonds between molecules in the body. They measure the distance in...
Towson University
It's a Gassy World!
How much does your class know about the relationship between climate change and carbon dioxide? Science scholars explore the nature of greenhouse gases and rising ocean temperature through demonstrations, research, and experiments. The...