Learning Objectives

Students will:

Measure heights of classmates.

Display and interpret data using a box-and-whisker plot.

NCTM Standards and Expectations

Collect data using observations, surveys, and experiments.

Represent data using tables and graphs such as line plots, bar graphs, and
line graphs.

Select and apply appropriate standard units and tools to measure length,
area, volume, weight, time,

Materials

Heights of Students in Our Class Activity Sheet

Meter sticks for measuring the height of the students in centimeters

Index cards

To begin the lesson, ask students to identify objects which are approximately one
centimeter in size. Students may respond by saying:

the width of a small fingernail

the width of a black key on a piano

Next, ask students to identify objects which are approximately one meter in length
or height. Students may respond by saying:

height of a doorknob (the distance from the doorknob to the floor

the distance from a person's waist to the floor (for a typical adult)

If students have never measured using a meter stick, you may wish to give them
time to practice measuring items in the classroom.
At the start of the measuring activity, each student should be placed into pairs.
Each person in the pair should measure the other's height (in centimeters) using a
meter stick. Since students will need to use their height data to complete the
activity, tell students to write down their heights on index cards.
Prior to measuring, you may wish to ask students if they already know their heights.
Some students may know their heights, but they may respond in feet and inches.
Caution students to measure their heights in centimeters.
Have the students record the heights of ten other students and themselves on the
activity sheet.
Have the students order the heights from smallest to largest by plotting them on
the number line at the bottom of the second page of the activity sheet. Have them
plot each height with an x.

Ask the students to determine the middle height of the eleven heights plotted. Ask
why the middle heights is the sixth height. Explain that the middle height is called
the median.
If students are not familiar with the mathematical term median, lead a discussion
which explains its meaning.
Ask the students to determine where the third and ninth heights fall. Indicate that
these points represent the first and third quartiles, respectively. Ask the students to
explain why this result is so. Have the students draw a box above the area
delineated by the third to ninth heights. Then have them draw a vertical line
segment inside the box denoting the sixth height.
Ask the students to draw a line segment from each edge of the box to the smallest
and largest heights. These lines represent the "whiskers" of a box-and-whisker plot.
Ask the student why they think these line segments are called whiskers.

Have the students complete items 7 through 9 on the activity sheet. These
questions help the students understand how to interpret the box-and-whisker plot.
Discuss the responses to these items with the class.
Students can plot the data recorded on their activity sheet and compare their hand-drawn box-andwhisker plots to the computer-generated version.
Heights of Students in Our Class Activity Sheet
Box Plotter