Daily Instructional Lesson Plan
Content Area(s)/Course/Grade: Unit: Standard 4 Data Analysis
Mathematics
Lesson Topic: Date: Term 2
Collecting Data, Constructing a Bar
Graph, and Calculating Mode,
Median, Mean, and Range
Teacher: School:
Indicator(s)/Sub-Outcome(s)/Expectation(s):
4B1A Collect Data by conducting a survey to answer a question
4B1c- Grade 3 Interpret data on a single bar graph
4B1c Interpret data contained in a single bar graph using a variety of categories and intervals
4B2a Determine mode, median, and range of a data set. Assessment Limit: Use no more than 8
pieces of data and whole numbers 1-100.
4B2b Determine mean of a data set.
NCTM Data Analysis and Probability Standard for Grades 3–5
Formulate questions that can be addressed with • design investigations to address a question and consider how data-collection methods affect the
data and collect, organize, and display relevant data nature of the data set;
to answer them • collect data using observations, surveys, and experiments;
• represent data using tables and graphs such as line plots, bar graphs, and line graphs;
• recognize the differences in representing categorical and numerical data.
Select and use appropriate statistical methods to • describe the shape and important features of a set of data and compare related data sets, with
analyze data an emphasis on how the data are distributed;
• use measures of center, focusing on the median, and understand what each does and does not
indicate about the data set;
• compare different representations of the same data and evaluate how well each representation
shows important aspects of the data.
Student Outcome(s):
1. The students will be able to collect data to import into a bar graph generator.
2. Students will copy and paste the bar graph into a word document.
3. Students will calculate mode, median, mean, and range using the data they collected.
Context for Learning
Students should be able to calculate mode, median, mean, and range. They should also know
how to interpret bar graphs because that is included in the 3rd grade VSC.
Materials list
paper & pencil
calculators
laptop cart
digital projector hooked to camera & laptop
Instructional Delivery
Opening Activities/Motivation:
Tell children to spend 5 minutes investigating graphing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/activities/interpretingdata.shtml
If a child finishes early, have him/her calculate the mode, median, mean, and range of the data
using a calculator (incase decimals are involved- most 4th graders still use remainders in division).
Procedures:
1. Have students open the applet below. This applet allows students to input data and create a bar
graph.
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=63
Have children bring their calculators & sit on the floor with their partner in front of the
projector’s screen(movement is great for children, plus it gets them away from the temptation of
playing on the computers during instruction). Together, collect data about students’ favorite
activities and create a bar graph on the Applet. Show kids how they could change the favorite
activities. Once the graph is constructed, discuss how to change the increments of the X and Y
axes.
2. Sing the MMMR Rap (Scroll down- print out for your class if they don’t already know it by
heart) to prepare to calculate mode, median, mean, and range of the data. (I do not know the
author of this rap, I found it many years ago on the internet)
3. Questions:
* Ask: What is the definition of mode? Sing that portion of the song again if needed
* Ask: What is the mode of the data?
* Ask: What is the definition of median? Sing that portion of the song again if needed
On post it notes, use a sharpie to write each piece of data. Place them randomly on the board.
Have the children discuss how to find the median with their partner. Select a set of partners to
come to the board to show the class how to find the median. They should order the numbers from
least to greatest. Then they should remove/ cross out the least and the greatest until they have
one or two pieces of data left. If there are two pieces of data, ask the class what we should do.
They should say use the value that is in the middle of the two values. You may draw a number line
on the board to help illustrate the midpoint. From previous lessons, students should know that
when you have an even set of data, you’ll need to calculate the mean of the two middle numbers.
They should hold up two fingers and say: Add them together! As they cross their fingers. Then
they will say: and divide by two! This chant is sill and meaningless if the concept has not been
previously modeled. As they uncross their fingers. Discuss rounding decimals if needed.
Add them together! And divide by 2!
* Ask: What is the definition of mean? Sing that portion of the song again if needed
* Ask: What is the mean of the data? Have partners work together to solve the mean. Then call
on a pair to explain how they solved the mean. Discuss rounding decimals if needed.
* Ask: What is the definition of range? Sing that portion of the song again if needed
* Ask: What is the range of the data?
4. Tell students that with their partner will create a graph with different data.
On paper, create a table to record their data on favorite activity to do after school. Give the
students 5 minutes to create their data chart. They may type the new activities into the
computer if they finish within the 5 minutes. Have the children return to the floor. Give each
pair a chance to display their data chart on the projector. At this time they can take a quick
survey of hands to collect their data. Once everyone has their data, they may return and work on
their graph.
5. Once the graph is completed, have students copy their graph and import it into a word
document. You may need to demonstrate. Under the graph they may write their mode, median,
mean, and range of their data. Remind children to save this document in their folder! Have each
child print out their graph for display.
Assessment/Evaluation (Formative/Summative)
1. Walk around the room and observe what the students are doing.
2. Monitor their conversations for leading questions.
3. Collect bar graph print out
Closure:
Share bar graphs on the document camera. If students can’t print, use pen drive to copy
documents for display.
The MMMR Rap
The M, The M, The MMMR Rap.
The M, The M, The MMMR Rap.
Now Mode, Mode, I've been told,
is the # that occurs the most.
Median, Median, Median, is the man.
The man in the middle, the man in the middle.
Just line up the #'s the best you can
From smallest to largest,
From smallest to largest.
Now Mean, Mean, he is the best.
Of course he is better than all the rest.
Just add, add, add all your #'s,
and when you divide
you won't believe your eyes-
you'll only have one # to your surprise.
Last but not least is our friend the Range-
He isn't the best, but he sure is strange.
You start with the Hiiiggghhhh and subtract
the Loooowwww!!!
You've got the Range and there is no mo'!
The M, The M, The MMMR Rap.
The M, The M, The MMMR Rap.
When you sing it out loud--it's all just a snap!