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| Video 4: Doing Data Projects |
| Doing a Data Project |
Overview
This lesson is the culminating activity in
the study of data analysis. Students use data analysis skills
that they have learned to collect, analyze and interpret data
about a topic of their choice.
Objective
Students will successfully complete a data
project.
Standards
Addressed
Mathematics — Data Analysis
Grade 4
Data Collection, Benchmark A
01. Create a
plan for collecting data for a specific purpose.
Data Collection,
Benchmark C
04. Compare different representations of the
same data to evaluate how well each representation shows important
aspects
of the data, and identify appropriate ways to display the
data.
Grade 5
Data Collection, Benchmark E
04. Determine
appropriate data to be collected to answer questions posed
by students or teacher, collect
and display data, and
clearly communicate findings.
Statistical Methods,
Benchmark F
06. Determine and use the range, mean, median
and mode, and explain what each does and
does not indicate
about
the set
of data.
Grade 6
Data Collection, Benchmark E
02. Select, create
and use graphical representations that are appropriate for
the type of
data collected.
Statistical Methods, Benchmark F
04. Understand the different
information provided by measures of center (mean,
mode and median)
and measures
of spread
(range).
Statistical Methods, Benchmark
G
06. Make logical inferences from
statistical data.
Grade 7
Statistical Methods, Benchmark
B
04. Construct opposing arguments
based on analysis of the
same data, using
different graphical
representations.
Statistical
Methods, Benchmark D
05. Compare data from two
or more samples to determine
how
sample
selection can
influence results.
Data Collection,
Benchmark E
02. Analyze how decisions
about graphing affect the
graphical
representation; e.g., scale,
size of classes
in a histogram,
number of categories in
a circle graph.
Statistical
Methods, Benchmark F
03. Analyze a set of data
by using and comparing
combinations of measures
of
center (mean,
mode, median) and measures
of spread (range, quartile,
interquartile range), and
describe
how the
inclusion or exclusion
of outliers affects those measures.
Data
Collection, Benchmark G
02. Analyze how decisions
about graphing affect the
graphical
representation; e.g., scale,
size of classes
in a histogram,
number of categories in
a circle graph.
Grade 8
Data Collection, Benchmark
A
01. Use, create and interpret
scatter plots and other
types of graphs
as appropriate.
Data Collection,
Benchmark B
02. Evaluate different
graphical representations
of the same
data to determine which
is the most appropriate
representation for
an identified
purpose; e.g., line
graph for change
over
time, circle graph for
part-to-whole comparison,
scatter
plot for relationship
between two variants
03.
Differentiate between discrete and continuous
data and appropriate
ways
to represent each.
Statistical
Methods, Benchmark D
08. Describe how the relative
size of a sample compared
to the target
population
affects
the validity of
predictions.
Statistical
Methods, Benchmark F
06. Make conjectures about
possible relationship
in a scatter plot
and approximate line
of best fit.
09. Construct
convincing arguments based on analysis
of data and
interpretation of graphs.
Materials
Procedure
-
Have the students choose one or two
partners with whom to work, or select teams of two, three
of four.
-
Hand out the evaluation rubric for students’ reference.
Also distribute the Project
Requirements handout (suitable
for younger students) or Statistics
Project handout (for
older students).
-
Decide whether you want the students to conduct
experiments or surveys, or whether they have a choice. Seventh
and eighth
graders
need to do experiments that allow them to gather measurement
data. Younger students can do surveys and use counts or frequencies
to create univariate (one variable) data.
-
Show some examples
of data projects. These can be accessed on the Web at http://WesternReservePublicMedia.org/quizbus.
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Describe to the class the different types of data they will
create. Remind them that they can only make the following
types of graphs
with the data they collect:
| Categorical |
Measurement |
Pie Graphs
Bar Graphs
Picture Graphs |
Histograms
Stem-and-leaf plots
Dot plots
Line plots
Box-and-whisker plots
Scatter plots (two variables) |
-
The next step is to go over the
project requirements. First. each group needs to select a topic.
They may have difficulty
with this, so allow them time to
find ideas by visiting the following Web sites:
Resources for Science Fairs and Projects — http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/scifun/resource.htm
Science Fair Hotlist — http://groups.yahoo.com/group/innovative-teaching/message/294
Science Fair Projects and Experiments — http://www.juliantrubin.com/fairprojects.html
Your Science Fair Resource Guide — http://www.ipl.org/youth/projectguide
The project does not need
to be science-related but the topics listed can give
them ideas.
Have the students in each group
write their names and ideas on an index card.
Review their ideas, being watchful
that they will be able to use measurement
data.
-
Give each group a large envelope so they can keep their
supplies and data together. Staple the Project Requirements Sheet
to the
outside of this
envelope.
-
Students should make a hypothesis about what they think
the results of their experiment will be. Be sure to remind
them that
because
they think
the result
may end up one way, it doesn’t have to. They’re not trying
to prove a point but to find the answer.
-
Tell the students that they
should collect data (like gender, grade or age) about the people
they use in their experiment. For example,
they could
find
the difference
between boys and girls on a task, or between grade levels or teams.
It is better to collect more data than you need than to not have
enough.
-
The students need to try their experiment out to make
sure it is giving them the answer to the question that they have
asked.
-
Instruct the groups to select their samples. This is another
difficult task. They have to make sure that their sample is
random. For example,
they might
select every third person who walks out of class or the person
at the end of every table
in the cafeteria. There is also a question of how many should be
in the sample. For purposes of this project, a reasonable number
will
work. If
they’re
comparing one grade with another, a random sample of 15 to 20 per
grade would be sufficient.
-
Have the students collect their data over
several days.
-
Once the data is collected, the students need to organize
and graph the data. It is necessary for students to write an
explanation
of every graph
they
make.
-
They need to find and report the significant numbers: mean,
median, mode and range.
-
Using their graphs, they need to answer the question
that they originally proposed. Further, they need to tell what
they would
have done differently
if they were
doing it over and they need to tell what else they could do to
get more or better information.
-
Teams will then show their graphs
and present their data to the class.
-
NOTE: This is a great time
to have the students use technology. Excel can be used to keep
data and create graphs. Create a
Graph is a government
site that
is very child-friendly and allows students to create their
graphs online: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx.
-
NOTE: Instead of doing a project, students could create a poster
of their graphs. There are some examples of posters
at http://WesternReservePublicMedia.org/quizbus.
-
NOTE: If you have excellent projects or posters,
you can enter them into a national contest put on annually
by
the American
Statistical Association.
For information,
go to http://www.amstat.org/education/index.cfm?fuseaction=poster1.
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NOTE: If the students have graphing calculators, graphs
can be made on the calculator and sent to the computer
or shown
during
the presentation.
Evaluation
Rubric for Graphs
It is best to use a holistic
approach to grading the projects with comments throughout the
project that address specific
issues.
| Category |
20-16
|
15-11
|
10-6
|
5-0
|
| Accuracy of Plot |
All points were plotted correctly and were easy to see.
A ruler was used to neatly connect the points or make the
bars, if not using a computerized graphing program. |
All points were plotted correctly and were easy to see. |
All points were plotted correctly. |
Points were not plotted correctly, or extra points were
included. |
| Type of Graph Chosen |
Graph fit the data well and made it easy to interpret. |
Graph was adequate and did not distorted the data, but
interpretation of the data was
somewhat difficult. |
Graph distorts the data somewhat and interpretation of
the
data is somewhat difficult. |
Graph seriously distorted the data, making interpretation
almost impossible. |
| All Graphs |
There was a title. Two axes were labeled appropriately.
Intervals
on the axes were consistent and appropriate. |
Four of these are present in graphs: There is a title.
Two axes are labeled appropriately. Intervals on the axes
are
consistent and appropriate. |
Three of these are present in graphs: There is a
title. Two axes are labeled appropriately. Intervals on the axes are consistent
and appropriate. |
Fewer than three of these are present in graphs: There
is a title. Two axes are labeled appropriately. Intervals
on the axes are consistent
and appropriate. |
| Directions |
Student followed directions. All necessary pages were included
and
correct. |
Student followed directions. All but one necessary page
were included
and correct. |
Student followed directions. All but two necessary pages
were included
and correct. |
Student did not follow directions. More than two required
pages
were missing or incorrect. |
| Grammar and Spelling |
Grammar and spelling were correct throughout project. |
Most of the grammar and spelling were correct throughout
project. |
There were some
errors in grammar and spelling. |
There were many errors in grammar and spelling. |
| Neatness and Attractiveness |
Graph was exceptionally-well designed, neat and attractive.
Colors that go well together are used to make the graph more
readable. A ruler and graph paper (or graphing computer program)
were used. |
Graph was neat and relatively attractive. A ruler and graph
paper (or graphing computer program) were used to make the
graph more readable. |
Lines were neatly drawn but the graph appeared to be quite
plain. |
Graph was messy and appeared to be thrown together in a
hurry. Lines were visibly crooked. |
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