AUTHOR: Gala Rountree, Dickson Junior High School, Dickson, TN

Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): 8

Subject(s):

• Mathematics/Process Skills

Duration: 4 class periods

OBJECTIVES:

• To collect, organize, and arrange information in a pictograph
• To create a survey and administer it to the class
• To find the range, mode, median, and mean of a set of data
• To create a pie, bar, and line graph on a computer

MATERIALS:

• Multiple computers; printer
• Software: word processing, compatible graphing
• Overhead projector with teacher-prepared transparencies
• Packages of M&M candies (both plain and peanut)

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

• Have the students work in groups to count the different colors of M&M's in each kind of package and then draw a pictograph to show the results.

• Have each group write a program to show their results and then compare the manually-drawn and computer graphs.

• Discuss with the class the differences in and results of the two methods.

• Brainstorm with the class to identify data to graph (favorite pizza, sports, musical groups, pets).

• Have the student groups use the word processing software to create a survey. Have them print copies and administer it to the class, then tabulate results on a chart.

• Teach "Range," "Mode," "Median," and "Mean" concepts. Have each group put their survey results on the board for others to copy. Have the students find the range, mode, median, and mean for each survey.

• Have the groups create a database with the data and display the data as a pie, bar, and line graph.