World Time Trackers' Project

Teacher Link Page

Lesson Objectives:

Students will collect, organize, display and interpret data for a specific purpose.  Determine which measures of center are appropriate for the data collected, and use those mesures of center to analyze and compare data. Describe sampling methods and analyze the effects of method chosen on how well the resulting sample represents the population.  In addition, students will interpret mathematical information accurately, and communicate ideas, processes and graphical representations in a complete and easily understood manner.

Procedure:  

Follow the procedure outlined on the Project's main page.  Use the extionsion questions for class discussion and for developing additional class group or individual activities in which students analyze data using measures of center and create different graphs to represent the same data.

Part 1

Collect Data

Click here to view a data collection table with titles that is suitable for you copy and use as you survey students in your school. Explore website, explain project: 1 day
Collect data outside of class: 5 days

Part 2

Analyze your data

Use an Excel spreadsheet to create a circle graph showing how you and your fellow students spend your time during a typical school week. Create and display circle graphs: 2 days

Part 3

Share your data

In the forum below, write a description of how your survey went.  Describe any difficulties or surprises that you encountered.  Send an e-mail to me, attach your excel file with the spreadsheet and the charts that you created.  Be sure to click on the "View my Guestmap", place an icon for your location, and leave a message.  I will post your results on the RESULTS page. Class discussion, compose e-mail with file attachment, post to forum, make your mark on the guestmap, explore results page: 1 day

Part 4

Compare your findings and make conjectures

Visit the RESULTS page to see how your class results compare to other classes all over the world.  Have class discussions about how the graphs are displayed and the difference and similarities in the data.  Make guesses as to why the data collected from a different school, state, or country may be different from the data that you collected. While you are waiting for the results of your group an others to be posted on the results page, go to part 6 to use the extension questions to promote class discussions and lead into other student activities.

After your class results or others have been posted, have students discuss similarities, differences, and formulate questions to be posted in the forum.

Part 5

Get answers to your questions.

Use the forum below to ask questions to and answer questions from other classes in other parts of the world to see if your conjectures are correct.   Outside of class, check the forum for new posts.  If there are new posts to discuss, set aside time (5 to 10 min) for discussions and responses.

Part 6

Extension Questions

1. What other graphs could be used to represent this data?
2. Are there measures of center (mean, median, or mode) that we used in organizing our data or in creating our graph?
3. Which measures of center would be appropriate for describing this data?
4. Does the data collected by our group adequately represent the school, city, state, country?  Why or Why not?
1. Students could engage in discussions or create new graphs.

2 and 3. Have students discuss or write explanations about which measures of center are appropriate for this data.

4. Selecting an appropriate sample to represent an entire population is a good discussion topic.



Assessment Rubric:

4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points
Data Collection Data was collected in an organized table from the student and at least 3 other students outside of this class. Data was collected in an organized table from the student and 2 other students outside of class. Data was collected from the student and 1 other student. Data was collected only from the student. No data was collected
Graphing Student was able to enter data into Excel or other spreadsheet program to create a circle graph with an appropriate title, percent labels, and legend. The graph and data are appropriately displayed on a single page for easy viewing. Student was able to enter data into Excel or other spreadsheet program to create a circle graph with appropriate title, percent labels, and legend. Student was able to enter data into Excel or other spreadsheet program to create a circle graph. Student was able to  enter data into Excel or other spreadsheet program. No effort was made to enter data into Excel or other spreadsheet program.
Communication 1. Participated in discussions on a daily basis.
2. Offered ideas (daily) appropriate for the project.
3. Asked questions (daily) appropriate for the project.
1. Participated in discussions on a regular basis.
2. Offered some ideas appropriate for the project.
3. Asked questions appropriate for the project.
1. Participated in discussions on a regular basis.
1. Participated in class discussions at least once. Did not participate in class during this project.
Extension (Representation) 1. Was able to identify "bar graph" as an appropriate way to represent the data collected.  
2. Was able to create and display a bar graph with appropriate titles, labels, and legend.
1. Was able to identify "bar graph" as an appropriate way to represent the data collected.
2. Was able to create and display a bar graph from the data.
1. Was able to identify "bar graph" as an appropriate way to represent the data collected.
2. Was able to create a bar graph.
1.Was able to identify "bar graph" as an appropriate way to represent the collected data. Was unable to name an alternate graph with which to represent the data.
Extension (Measures of Center) 1. Was able to identify "mean" as a measure of center that had been used in the creation of the table and graph.
2. Able to explain how the mean appeared in the table and graph.
3. Identified and correctly found "mode" of the data.
1. Was able to to identify "mean" as a measure of center that had been used in the creation of the table and graph.
2. I dentified and correctly found "mode" of the data.
1. Was able to identify "mean" as a measure of center that had been used in the creation of the table and graph.
2. Identified "mode" as another appropriate measure of center that could be used for this data.
1. Was able to identify "mean" as a measure of center that had been used to create the talbe and graph. Was unable to identify measures of center that could be used to represent the collected data.

Go back to the main project page.


Created by Lee Wilkinson, July 2006