Example Lession #1

Tally Charts and Data Collection

Fifth Grade Mathematics
Tally Charts and Data Collection (continuation)
Curricular goal
Objective: For students to: correctly use tally charts, organize data using a spreadsheet, analyze information through graph comparison and use terms from previous lessons such as minimum, maximum, range, mode and median .
Task
Students will conduct a survey on the number of hours their schoolmates watch TV. They will create a spreadsheet and graph showing their findings. They will then summarize their observation.
Process
1. Students will be placed in groups of six. Each group will be assigned a different grade level to survey. They will each ask 60 school mates (30 boys and 30 girls) how many hours he or she watched television over the weekend and record information onto tally charts. Reminder! Print tally charts from http://www.numberlinelane.co.uk/worksheet_files/3/table_and_tally.pdf
2. After collecting this information, each group will organize and enter their data onto a spreadsheet.
3. Create a bar graph comparing the amount of time both boys and girls spend watching TV.
Students can go to http://mistupid.com/viewlets/excel/xlgraphs.htm if help is needed in creating their graph.
4. Print your spreadsheet and bar graph.
5. Each group will present their data and compare their bar graph with the other groups.
6. Each student writes a paragraph summarizing (using terms such as minimum, maximum, range, mode and median) his or her observation of the graph.
Evaluation
Group participation 35 points
Spreadsheet and graph 30 points
Paragraph summary 35 points
Conclusion
The class will have an open discussion about the activity, followed by a game to reinforce data management skills. Game rules will be retrieved from http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/RR/database/RR.09.00/treptau1/game4.html