MYP unit planner ~ Year 2: A better future for all

Teacher(s) Louise Fung Subject group and discipline Mathematics

Unit title A better future for all MYP year 2 Unit duration (hrs) 6 weeks (23 hours)

Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit

Key concept Related concept(s) Global context

Form Representation Fairness and development

Validity Exploration: Imagining a hopeful future

Statement of inquiry

Forms of data representations and statistical measures informs us of the state of the world and validates the action required for a better future for all.

Inquiry questions

Factual – What is numerical data? What is an outlier? What is a measure of dispersion?

Conceptual - How do the concepts of “data” and “information” differ? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different statistical measures?
Debatable – Is development always for the better?

Objectives Summative assessment

Outline of summative assessment task(s) including Relationship between summative assessment task(s) and
assessment criteria: statement of inquiry:

B: Investigating patterns
i. select and apply mathematical problem-solving
techniques to discover complex patterns
ii. describe patterns as relationships and/or general
rules consistent with findings
iii. verify and justify relationships and/or general rules
C: Communicating
i. use appropriate mathematical language (notation,
symbols and terminology) in both oral and written
explanations
ii. use appropriate forms of mathematical
representation to present information
iii. move between different forms of mathematical
representation
iv. communicate complete and coherent mathematical
lines of reasoning
Which list is which?: Criteria B & C
Goal: To use statistical forms and representations to identify
characteristics and make valid conclusions of an unknown
list of data.
Role: You work for a United Nations task force that
specifically focuses on the sustainable development goal:
Zero hunger, and teenagers’ access to healthy nutrition. In
particular you are currently investigating the weight of
teenagers between countries.
Audience: Your line manager who heads up the Zero Hunger
task force
Situation: The database that you used to collect your data
samples is playing up and has jumbled up your lists of data
Which list is which?: Criteria B & C
In this assessment, students will be tasked to examine
unknown lists of data and to look for different statistical
forms of representations and measures to determine which
data sets belong to which of the given contexts. Students will
be allowed to select whichever measures and forms to use
and compare the data sets, and will be encouraged to explain
their chosen approaches.
With reference to the SOI, this assessment will enable
students to use their evidence to justify their conclusion,
which is to determine which lists of data belong together.
 v. organize information using a logical structure with your colleague’s investigation on climate action and
global temperatures. You don’t have time to go and collect
new data and so you have to work out which samples belong
to you and which don’t.

Product: You will produce a data analysis report that outlines

the process you took to identify your samples. It will include
evidence that justifies how you came to your decisions about
the data.

Standards: The assessment will be completed individually in

class during a double lesson. A task-specific rubric will be
shared prior to the assessment too.

Reference: https://nrich.maths.org/7731

Approaches to learning (ATL)

viii. Critical-thinking skills

In order for students to select and apply mathematical problem-solving techniques to discover complex patterns, describe patterns as relationships and/or general rules consistent with
findings, and verify and justify relationships and/or general rules, students must interpret the data and the statistical forms and representations.

vi. Information literacy skills

In order for students to use appropriate forms of mathematical representation to present information, move between different forms of mathematical representation, students must present
information in a variety of formats and platforms as evidence of the similar characteristics that the data lists have.

i. Communication skills
In order for students to communicate complete and coherent mathematical lines of reasoning, students must structure information in summaries, essays and reports.

Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry

Content Learning process

Collecting and presenting data
 Understand the differences between the concept of a
"census", "population" and "sample"
 Understand that representative data samples help us
make valid inferences about a population
 Collect data by designing and conducting surveys and
questionnaires
 Recall that there are two categories of data: numerical
and categorical (quantitative and qualitative)
 Recall that there are two forms of numerical data:
discrete and continuous
 Recognize that numerical data can be presented in three
forms: as a list, a frequency table or grouped frequency
table
Measures of central tendency
 Calculate and interpret the mean of a data sample (given
in any form)
 Calculate and interpret the weighted mean of a data
sample (given in any form)
 Understand how the effect of different weightings
change the value of the weighted mean
 Calculate and interpret the median of a data sample
(given in any form)
 Calculate and interpret the mode of a data sample (given
in any form)
 Calculate measures of central tendency using GDC
technology and spreadsheet software
 Use appropriate strategies to calculate measures of
central tendency according to the information wanted
 Compare measures of central tendencies and infer
information about two or more data samples
Measures of spread (or dispersion)
 Calculate and interpret the range and interquartile range
 Calculate and interpret the variance and the standard
deviation
 Calculate measures of spread using GDC technology and
spreadsheet software
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Collecting and presenting data
-Population and data sampling
Through introducing the context of the UN’s sustainable goals, students will learn about how information is gathered
about a population. Students will initially brainstorm statistical questions that we could possibly look at and they will
mimic the collection of data by creating a survey. In producing representative data samples, we will discuss the process
in producing reliable samples and how to use the sample to make inferences about the population. The conceptual
inquiry question, “how does data differ from information?” will be addressed here.
-Data sorting
This activity will ask students to identify connections between types of data and sort out data values into categories.
Terms and definitions will be determined by inquiry and at the end, students will complete a series of templates
following the Frayer models that will help firm up the definitions. This will also be helpful in organising information in
student notes.
Measures of central tendency
-Mean, median and mode: short problems
Students will complete a series of short problems and investigations. Students will record their answers in a booklet that
encourages them to verify and justify their findings, drawing upon similar criterion B strands. In these tasks, students
will be writing to explain their solution to their peers to practice conveying their critical thinking skills. (Reference:
Statistics - short problems https://nrich.maths.org/9386)
-Which method is best? Part 1
This will be a discussion where students will debate which measure of central tendency is appropriate. Considering
different contexts, students will vote (agree, disagree, don’t know) and explain their reason for choosing an appropriate
strategy. Then considering the concept of an outlier and alterations to the data samples, students have to reconsider
which measure is still the most appropriate. Towards the end of the activity, students will consider the
characteristics/form of each measure and gather points discussed earlier.
Measures of spread
-Which method is best? Part 2
Similar to the activity above but this time students will consider measures of spread. Weighing up the characteristics,
students will vote (agree, disagree, don’t know) and explain their reason for choosing an appropriate strategy.
Discussions will include looking into percentiles and quartiles so that there is more focus on these concepts. The
definition of an outlier can now be defined more formally with a calculation.
-Match cards: Graphical representations
Students will match cards showing representations of the same data and construct the missing representation. This can
be done firstly with stem and leaf diagrams, box plots and bar charts for a discrete data sample. This can then be
followed up with box plots, histograms and cumulative frequency graphs. This activity will encourage students to be
flexible and use the representations interchangeably. (Reference: Box plot match https://nrich.maths.org/11002)
A assessment: SDG statistics
  Compare measures of spread and infer information about
two or more data samples
Data representations
 Construct and interpret stem and leaf plots
 Construct and interpret box plots
 Construct and interpret histograms
 Construct and interpret cumulative frequency graphs
 Calculate above data representations using GDC
technology and spreadsheet software
 Extract measures of central tendency and dispersion
when data is presented in a graph
Analysis and use of statistical measures
 Identify outliers
 Understand how outliers affect the measures of central
tendencies
 Choose appropriate statistical measures and
representations to analyze data samples
Common Core State Standards: 6.SP.1-5, 7.SP1-4,
CNC: Grade 7 Book 1 Ch6, Grade 8 Book 1 Ch6
MYP 2: Ch7
Through a series of familiar and unfamiliar questions, students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of
statistical measures and representations by solving problems in the context of different sustainable development goals.
Making comparisons and valid inferences
- What’s my evidence?
Students will be given raw data sets and they have to choose appropriate statistical measures to draw inferences. They
will be given an “answer”, from which they have to create a question and then produce two pieces of statistical evidence
that supports the claim of the original statement. In the conclusion of this activity, students will be led through a
discussion of the reliability of making inferences using statistical measures as evidence. This will prepare them for the
B/C assessment where students will have to analyse data and look for commonalities across a variety of statistical
methods.
B/C assessment: Which list is which?
Students will investigate jumbled data samples and using the knowledge learnt in this unit, they will identify
characteristics that will help them collect data lists together.
Formative assessment
5 Quick Qs: Diagnostic testing and self-reflections
Students will complete a series of 5 quick questions that help students with retrieval practice. Questions will range from
short, medium and long term retrieval, and include prior knowledge for this unit. Uses of the GDC would be practiced
here too.
Facts and definitions consolidation
A series of Frayer models will be used to graphically organised definitions such as discrete and continuous data;
measures of central tendency versus measures of spread
Statistics - short inquiry tasks
Students will complete several investigations that imitate the assessment strands in criterion B. These tasks will be
integrated within the learning content so students become more familiar with elements of investigating, whilst
developing their knowledge and understanding of statistical measures.
Skills checks and practice (on paper and on IXL/Mangahigh)
Students will regularly complete tasks that review a specific topic that has recently been taught in class.
Differentiation
Word wall and definitions (in English and Chinese)
Key mathematical vocabulary that is relevant to this unit will be developed
Question practice on statistical measures
Students will complete questions (following simple, more complex, challenging and unfamiliar scaffolding). When
completed, extra resources for consolidation or extension will be provided per measure.
Revision of concepts (tri-mind activity)
 To review the concepts, terms and definitions, students will develop a summary based on key facts and skills, they can
create example situations of when certain statistical measures are used they can collect data and carry out statistical
research that includes the concepts we have learned. In whichever form they choose students should be able to centralize
and review the information.

Possible extension topics/questions/activities could be:

● What happens to the measures when the data changes?
● Constructing histograms with different class sizes
● Common misconceptions of statistical measures.
● Examples of statistics being used in real-life, e.g. newspaper headlines
● How reliable is data?

Resources

● UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home.html

● nationmaster.com and gapminder.com for real-life, global data
● Newspaper headline posters
● Question practice, worksheets and puzzles: measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion
● Investigating activities e.g. nRich investigations on data: https://nrich.maths.org/9386
● IXL & Mangahigh platform and log-ins
● MYP Mathematics 2: A concept-based approach (Oxford University Press) - Chapter 7: Univariate data

Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

Prior to teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit

There are a lot of new definitions, vocabulary and
terminology that students (in particular EAL) may not have
seen before, so it is key to regularly refer to the word wall
and build their communication around it.
Within the mathematical concepts there is a lot to remember
that are specific properties of particular forms and
representations, e.g. how to find the mean from a list, from a
table and from a grouped frequency table. Producing a way
(we will try Frayer models) to centralise/mindmap this
information will help students revise and consolidate the
techniques.
Upon reviewing the unit halfway through, the context of
equality seems difficult to apply. So far, the students have
learnt about the calculating statistical measures using the
context of the United Nations’ SDGs. Discussion on equality
has been limited and seems very specific, beyond the
introduction of the SDGs. The theme of equal opportunities
seems to be better suited to older students who are more
capable of drawing meaningful comparisons between data
sets.
It was felt that the learning objectives are appropriate for this
unit, however delivery of the global context needs a little
more thought to truly embed the UN SDG goals and inquiry
questions into the lessons. Language is a big issue to address
so that students can access the content more easily. Perhaps
extending the time on graphical representations by half a
week would be useful so that students can consolidate their
understanding further.