US Department of Commerce
Make Data Speak
Data displays are more than just a bunch of numbers. Small groups access census results and create eye-catching data displays. Teams choose a statistic and collect data points for five locations. Classmates present their infographics to...
Radford University
Survey Activity
It's time to take a survey. After looking at an example of a survey on lunch preferences, groups design their own surveys. They consider the sample size and sampling technique, then conduct the surveys. As a final activity, they create...
Radford University
How Do Facebook Likes Accrue Likes?
Finally, a project pupils will instantly like! Young mathematicians collect data on the number of likes they receive for a social media post over time. During the first part of the project, they determine a curve of best fit and...
Radford University
Body Measurement Activity
Don't keep the resource at an arm's length. A hands-on activity has scholars measure the heights, arm spans, hair lengths, and foot lengths of their classmates. They create scatter plots to determine if there is a correlation between...
Radford University
Is Fall Normal?
Fine the normality of fall measurements. Pairs collect measurements of fall leaves and one other fall object. Using the measurements, the groups determine the descriptive statistics for the object and using the Empirical Rule, figure out...
Radford University
Animal Decline
Where did they all go? Small groups collect data on different animal species that are on a decline. Teams develop equations to model the populations over time and then create presentations about the decline of their animals. Classmates...
Radford University
Discovering Quadratics
Get to know quadratics from a couple of different perspectives. Classmates work in small groups to determine the optimal cooking time for microwave popcorn. Group members pop bags of popcorn for different times and collect data on the...
Radford University
Population Project
How fast does it grow? Scholars work on two tasks dealing with exponential growth, one on population growth and the second on investments. Learners research a country's population over the past century and make predictions of the current...
Radford University
Snappy Stair Sprints
Let's go for a run. Small groups determine a way to collect data to determine the time it would take to run a set of stairs. After creating a plan, teams collect data and graph their results, calculating the equation of best fit and...
Radford University
Box-and-Whisker Activity
Think inside the box. Working in small groups, pupils design a study to answer comparing two data sets. Team members collect data and construct box-and-whisker plots and analyze them to prove or disprove their hypothesis. They develop...
Radford University
The Normal Distribution Activity
For whom does the bell fit? Pupils begin by working in groups gather data on three different variables. They then determine the mean and standard deviation of each data set and create bell curves. To finish, they answer guiding questions...
Radford University
Are We Normal?
Develop a sense of normal. Learners develop two questions to ask classmates to gather numerical data before creating a box and whisker plot and a histogram to display their data. Class members make inferences and investigate the data...
Radford University
Tuition Cost Activity
Can I afford to go to college? Small groups design a method to research college tuition for several years and make a prediction of costs in 2025. Classmates plot the the data on a scatter plot and graph the line of best fit to make their...
Radford University
Can I Create a Line/Curve of Best Fit to Model Water Drainage?
Learners collect data on the amount of water left in a bottle over time. They graph the data to determine whether the scatter plot shows a curved or straight relationship. Group members then determine an equation for the curve of best...
Radford University
What is My Standing Height Wise?
Given a scenario in which a class member wants to prove his height is not an outlier, pairs devise a plan and gather evidence to help support his claim. The small groups implement their plans and create graphical displays of their data...
Radford University
Regression Analysis Activity
Don't let your knowledge of regression analysis regress. Pupils take part in three activities to learn about regression curves. They research and collect data to predict how long it will take a basketball to hit the ground, find a...
Radford University
How High Can You Throw?
Find heights by measuring time. Teams collect data to determine the height that a tennis ball is thrown. Classmates measure the height of the initial release of the ball and how long it stays aloft. Using a projectile motion equation,...
Radford University
Super Survey!
Here's a super survey on supermarket products. An interactive lesson has classmates design and conduct surveys on a product of interest. They analyze the data, choose a data display method, and present their findings to the class.
Radford University
Corn and Popcorn
Have a popping good time. Using probability and statistics skills, learners determine which type of popcorn to buy based on the percentage of kernels popped. After analyzing corn and popcorn sales to make a prediction of future sales,...
Radford University
The Science of Surveys
To drill or not to drill? An informative unit has scholars first research the advantages and disadvantages of oil drilling in Alaska. They set up and conduct a sample survey to assess attitudes toward oil drilling in a specific...
Learning Games Lab
Water Sampling
Scientific procedures ensure valid data and valid results. Use a water sampling interactive to teach learners the procedures for collecting water samples. The interactive takes users through the process step-by-step with notes of...
American Statistical Association
Speedster
Catch me if you can. Scholars collect data on reaction time by catching a falling ruler or by using an Internet app. They determine the median of the data, create graphs, and analyze the results. They also compare their data to the rest...
American Statistical Association
The Taste of Yellow
Does lemonade taste better when yellow? A tasty experiment has scholars determine the answer to the question. It requires conducting a taste test with lemonades of different colors (from food coloring), and then collecting and analyzing...
American Statistical Association
Spinners at the School Carnival (Unequal Sections)
Everyone's a winner. Scholars analyze a spinner with five unequal sections, three of which represent winning a toy car and the other two represent winning a toy truck. They conduct an experiment to estimate the number of toy cars and...