Colleen+Barlow's+Problem+Based+Learning+Lesson

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Within our unit on data analysis, students are expected to create a question that yields numerical data. Students will then gather the data, create an organized table, and demonstrate their findings through a line plot and a bar graph. After conducting their investigation and displaying the data on graphs, students are then expected to draw five conclusions based on what they have learned from the experiment (i.e. mode, median, range, outliers, typical).=====

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To introduce the lesson, the teacher will share that she has learned that more students report to the office for discipline problems on Thursdays more than any other day of the week. After students hear this information, ask the students how they think the office has figured this out. Students should respond with something leaning towards the idea of looking at the data. Then ask, "why is data collected and analyzed?" After the students share their responses, share with the class that the office has chosen to compile this data because our principal wants to find the reason for the increase in behavior problems on Thursdays. People use data to answer questions. Then model for the students a way to collect data. An example question could be "how many siblings do each of you have?" Then discuss with the students the different ways that are possible for collecting this data. Which would be most efficient? Model for the class how you are going to go about collecting the data. It would also be beneficial to model to the class what would happen if the question chosen to collect data for does not have a numerical response (i.e. what is your favorite book?) Discuss why this question does not lend itself to making a line plot.=====

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Students should then work with their 6:00 partners to compile questions that would result in numerical data. Challenge the students to think of questions that matter to them. Students are likely to increase their participation and learning if they choose a question that they truly are curious about. After the partners have created at least eight questions, have the students star their top two choices and turn in. The teacher will circle one of the two starred questions for the students to survey.=====

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Pass the questions that were collected the day prior back to the students. Students are to go survey two different classes with the question that is circled. Allow twenty minutes for this part of the lesson.=====

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Model for the students how to use the data collected (data from your homeroom class and that of your teammate's class) from the day before to create a double line plot. While teaching this graph, students should also be reviewing how to read the graph to find the mode, range, median and any outliers that the graph may reveal. It would be beneficial to model how to create the line plot from the data using a paper and pencil under the document camera or on the white board first. Then show the students how to input the data into Excel to create a line plot.=====

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Using the same data from day 2, model to the students how to create a double bar graph. Again students will benefit from seeing how to complete this task by hand and through the use of Excel. Discuss with the students similarities and differences between the bar graph and the line plot.=====

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Depending on the technology available within your building, the amount utilized will vary. To help students gather data, www.surveymonkey.com is a great resource that will allow students to collect data online. This is convenient for students that are wanting data from an age group that may not be in their own school, as they could email the link to a teacher in their articulation area. Or maybe the students are wanting to compare a given grades class with that of the same grades class in another state, survey monkey would make this possible.=====

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While the ideal would be to see both resources utilized in the classroom, an option could also be left to students to complete part of this at home. Fortunately, all of the standards can be met without any technology as well.=====

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Assessment will be an ongoing occurrence through out the week. As students complete each step, the teacher will progress monitor the students understanding and ability to perform the task. If students are struggling with a step, the teacher will intervene that day, rather than wait until the final project is due. The final day will allow students to show their learning of interpreting graphs as the teacher will be able to assess their five conclusions, as well as see all of the completed tables and graphs together.=====