Lesson Plan

The Mean and Variability from the Mean

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Discover the mean from fair share to the balance point. The lesson takes small groups of pupils through two different interpretations of the mean, the fair share understanding of the mean, and the balance point. Scholars use the interpretations to look at variability by using the number of moves to make it fair and the mean absolute deviation from the balance point. At the end of each interpretation, the groups come together to summarize their findings and share the group's work.

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CCSS: Designed
Instructional Ideas
  • Ask the class to summarize the concepts they learned in the activity
Classroom Considerations
  • Requires the use of snap cubes or other types of same-sized building blocks
  • Assumes students know how to calculate the mean
Pros
  • Provides the handout in two forms, PDF and a Word that is editable to meet the needs of each class
  • Includes information on how the lesson fits into the levels of statistics
Cons
  • None