Katrina

Poff
Middle Grades Education: Math & Social Studies
FRIT 7234 Information Fluency & Inquiry
Mini-lessons: 6th Grade Statistics

Mini-Lesson One: Measures of Center and Displaying Data

Standards GPS: MGSE6.SP.3 Recognize that a measure of center for a
numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single
number, while a measure of variation describes how its values
vary with a single number.

MGSE6.SP.4 Display numerical data in plots on a number line,

including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.

ISTE: 1a. Students articulate and set personal learning goals,

develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and
reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning
outcomes.

1c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and

improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a
variety of ways.

Information Fluency 1D. Learners select digital search tools based on their
Focus effectiveness and efficiency.
- Select features of a variety of digital tools based on the
probability of effectiveness and efficiency

Inquiry Focus Appropriate Use of Technology, Authenticity (examples from

social media), Student Success (project broken down into chunks)

Essential Question How can measures of central tendency, measures of variation, and
displays of data be misleading?

Resources https://list.ly/l/3CZ8

Student Learning 1) Students will spend five to ten minutes reviewing statistics
Activities vocabulary terms from the last class using online flashcards on
Quizlet (https://quizlet.com/_3b3d4d). When finished, seat
partners may quiz each other by stating the definitions in their
own words.

2) Students will discuss how data is displayed on social media

and news sites and how the measures of central tendency and
variation might be used to sway the audience towards a certain
opinion. They will then watch this video to see some examples
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E91bGT9BjYk).
Katrina Poff
Middle Grades Education: Math & Social Studies
FRIT 7234 Information Fluency & Inquiry
Mini-lessons: 6th Grade Statistics

3) Students will test their knowledge on how graphs and statistics
can be misleading by playing a quick Kahoot game
(https://create.kahoot.it/share/real-life-misleading-
graphs/35a2c3a6-e012-451d-9de7-ffdf447c6c33). The class will
review and clarify any questions students may have missed.

4) Now that students have a good understanding of the measures

of central tendency, measures of variability, and the various ways
data can be misleading, they will get into partners and pick a topic
to research. Some examples include biased vs. unbiased samples,
the types of graphs used to display data, measures of central
tendency, measures of variability, etc. All groups will need to
find examples from social media and news sites. Students will
look at some tips for how to research before completing the
assessment (see curated resources).

Assessment Students will respond to a FlipGrid question posted in Google

Classroom about how they will approach their research the next
day and what learning goals the partners have set for themselves.
Grid URL: https://flipgrid.com/9f500939
Password: PoffGrad

Mini-Lesson Two: Researching Statistics in the Real World

Standards GPS: MGSE6.SP.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to
their context, such as by:
a. Reporting the number of observations.
b. Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation,
including how it was measured and its units of measurement.

ISTE: 2c. Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect

for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual
property.

3a. Students plan and employ effective research strategies to

locate information and other resources for their intellectual or
creative pursuits.

Information Fluency 1E. Learners select and apply appropriate search strategies to
Focus effectively and efficiently locate reliable digital information
related to their academic learning goal(s)

2B. Learners evaluate the quality of a search result to determine

Katrina Poff
Middle Grades Education: Math & Social Studies
FRIT 7234 Information Fluency & Inquiry
Mini-lessons: 6th Grade Statistics

the reliability of its content.
- Investigate internal content reliability (accuracy)

3A. Learners ethically use digital information

- Learners cite the source and/or author for the selected digital
information

Inquiry Focus Appropriate Use of Technology, Student Success (project broken

down into chunks), Connecting with Experts (examples from
news sources), Ethical Citizenship (citing sources)

Essential Question Why is it important to carefully evaluate data and sources of

information?

Resources https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/ethicaluse13

Student Learning 1) Students will view a few Flipgrid responses from the last class
Activities and discuss any interesting research approaches or learning goals.

2) The teacher will explain the Statistics project in more detail.

Students are to become news reporters by evaluating data and
graphs in the real world and presenting the information to their
classmates. To help create their presentations, partners are to
research examples and non-examples of misleading graphs and
data on social media and various news platforms using their
Chromebooks (see curated resources on ethical use).

3) Students must cite their sources as they find pertinent

information: example graphs, charts, facts, etc. A citation graphic
organizer will be posted on Google Classroom for partners to
keep track of what sources they find as well as any notes they
want to take to help create their presentation.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bHqltwDHibzTDBLBk-
P0sXdmymXmIi5blV_RAdH57VM/edit?usp=sharing

4) If finished with their research and assessment, students can use

BibMe to start putting the citations in the proper format.

Assessment One graphic organizer per group will be submitted via Google
Classroom to show their list of sources. They must include the
partners’ names, their chosen topic, and at least one reason why
it’s important to carefully evaluate data and sources of
information.
Katrina Poff
Middle Grades Education: Math & Social Studies
FRIT 7234 Information Fluency & Inquiry
Mini-lessons: 6th Grade Statistics

Mini-Lesson Three: Creating Statistics Presentation

Standards GPS: MGSE6.SP.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to
their context, such as by:
c. Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean)
and variability (interquartile range).
d. Relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the
shape of the data distribution and the context in which the data
was gathered.

ISTE: 6a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for
meeting the desired objectives of their creation or
communication.

6b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or

remix digital resources into new creations.

Information Fluency
Focus 1C. Learners effectively and efficiently select digital
collections based on their characteristics
- Learners understand the organization of digital information
- Select other digital collections (and sub-collections) based on
their characteristics

1D. Learners select digital search tools based on their

effectiveness and efficiency.
- Select features of a variety of digital tools based on the
probability of effectiveness and efficiency
Inquiry Focus Appropriate Use of Technology, Student Success (project broken
down into chunks), Assessment (rubric), Deep/Performances of
Understanding (presenting acquired information & discussion
posts)

Essential Question How are statistics used or misused in the real world?

Resources https://pin.it/phs7oq265jibpk

Student Learning 1) Students will explain their understanding of how social media
Activities and news platforms display statistics through a multimedia
presentation. Partners will use a web 2.0 tool of their choice with
examples and non-examples of the topic they have selected (see
curated resources).
Katrina Poff
Middle Grades Education: Math & Social Studies
FRIT 7234 Information Fluency & Inquiry
Mini-lessons: 6th Grade Statistics

2) Students will submit their presentations on Google Classroom

and classmates will post constructive comments to continue the
class discussion. Students are responsible for making sure all
comments on Google Classroom are appropriate.

3) Students will review each other’s presentations as well as their

own as part of their project rubric grade.

Assessment Student research, citations, and presentations will be graded using

the following rubric:
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubr
ic_id=2803377&