Discovery Education
Fuss About Dust
Dust is everywhere around us; it's unavoidable. But what exactly is dust and are certain locations dustier than others? These are the questions students try to answer in an interesting scientific investigation. Working independently or...
EngageNY
Understanding Variability When Estimating a Population Proportion
Estimate the proportion in a population using sampling. The 20th installment in a series of 25 introduces how to determine proportions of categorical data within a population. Groups take random samples from a bag of cubes to determine...
Mathed Up!
Stratified Sampling
Young mathematicians learn how to solve problems involving stratified sampling. They review concepts of sampling and proportionality by watching a video and then they complete a activity of questions on this topic.
Education Development Center
Choosing Samples
What makes a good sample? Your classes collaborate to answer this question through a task involving areas of rectangles. Given a set of 100 rectangles, they sample a set of five rectangles to estimate the average area of the figures. The...
Curated OER
How Many?
Middle schoolers explore and design ways to collect data through simulations and random samples. They perform two experiments to determine the answers to various probability problems, and present the data/graphs in the form of a...
EngageNY
End-of-Module Assessment Task: Grade 7 Mathematics Module 5
Show learners how to use simulations and random sampling to reach conclusions with the last resource in a 25-part series. The assessment contains three scenarios, each with several parts, and covers comparing populations using random...
Biology Corner
Random Sampling
Simulate a random sampling of data by tearing 20 sheets of paper into slips and place a number on 10 and a letter on 10. They place the slips in two separate containers and randomly draw a number and a letter. They record their...
Curated OER
Boxing Up
Middle schoolers explore the relationship between theoretical and experimental probabilities. They use a box model to enter data provided and to randomly draw tickets from the box. Pupils click on any bar in a chart to display the...
Curated OER
Data Analysis Using Technology
Analyze data using technology. Middle schoolers design data investigations, describe data, and draw their own conclusions. Then they select the best type of graph, graph and interpret the data, and look for patterns in trends. They also...
Curated OER
College Athletes
When more basketball players are taller than field hockey players at a school, is it safe to say that in general they are always taller? The activity takes data from two college teams and your learners will be able to answer questions...
National Security Agency
Sampling for a Rock Concert
Over the course of three class periods, middle schoolers design an experiment to provide learner input to administration about which rock band to invite to play at school. They practice several random sampling exercises, all well...
American Statistical Association
How Long Are the Words in the Gettysburg Address?
It's 268 words, but one only needs to consider 10 of them at a time. A data collection and analysis activity has learners investigate the lengths of words in the Gettysburg Address. They first self-select a sample of 10 words and...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Random Samples: Estimating Population
With this estimating populations assignment, your class will learn about taking random population samples and calculating the average number of species in the samples to estimate the total population. Students use the given data to find...
Curated OER
Statistics
Seventh and eighth graders solve and complete three various types of problems. First, they find the median rate using the box-and-whisker plot shown. Then, learners describe the inter-quartile range. In addition, they determine whether...
Curated OER
The Statistics Sampler
Students define sample, describe a random sample, and discuss what compromises a sample. They determine a sample size to estimate a population characteristic with confidence.
Illustrative Mathematics
Robot Races
Analyze data on a graph to answer three questions after a robot race. Learners practice comparing ratios and reading points on a graph. Answers may vary on the last question based on accuracy of graphing. Use the lesson along with three...
Curated OER
Surveys and Samples
In this surveys and samples activity, students discover data collection techniques and write their own survey questions. Students use random sampling, convenience sampling, and systemic sampling and analyze their results.
PBS
The History and Use of Sampling Methods
Young mathematicians define population, draw convenience sample from the population, draw quota sample from the population, and draw random probability sample from the population. They explain why a random probability sample usually...
Bowland
Speed Cameras
Do speed cameras help reduce accidents? Scholars investigate this question using a series of spreadsheet activities. Along the way, they learn about randomness, probability, and statistical analysis.
Bowland
Soft Drinks
"Statistics are no substitute for judgment" - Henry Clay. Young mathematicians use provided statistics from a soda taste test to explain why conclusions are faulty. They devise a new test that would be more appropriate than the one given.
Bowland
Public Transport
"Statistics is the grammar of science" -Karl Pearson. In the assessment task, learners read a claim made by a newspaper and analyze its conclusions. They need to think about the sample and the wording of the given statistics.
Curated OER
Sampling Snoops
Pupils practice formulating a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test the hypothesis. They identify several sampling techniques they can use to test their hypotheses.
Indiana Science
How Many E’s?
Seventh graders explore random sampling by estimating the number of e's on the newspaper. They explain the possible error sources for this type of sampling, and compare the accuracy of sampling a small and large population. This is a...
Curated OER
Explorations for the Area Probability Applet
Math whizzes use the area probability applet to manipulate the size of the circle and the rectangle to explore the probability that a point in the rectangle is also in the circle.