AUTHOR: Jeanette Pawlik, Dolgeville Central School, Dolgeville, NY

Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5, 6

Subject(s):

• Mathematics/Process Skills

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:
1. gather and interpret data.
2. find averages and draw conclusions.
3. draw a bar graph.

MATERIALS:

• One or multiple computers
• Software: database
• Calculator(s)
• Bags and boxes of colored candies
• Sorting trays (ice cube trays or egg cartons)
• Graph paper and various data sheets; crayons, colored pencils

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

• Give the students bags of colored candies. Without opening the bags, the students should do the following, record their answers on the data sheet, and input their answers into the database:

  (1)Estimate how many candies are in the bag;

  (2)Estimate what colors;

  (3)Estimate how many of each color; and

  (4)Draw conclusions.

• Have them use the calculator to find the class average of estimations, record the information on the data sheet, and key it into the database.

• Have the students open the bags and "eye" the candy to determine if estimations are close. Have them use the sorting trays to check estimations and draw conclusions. Have them use the calculator to find class averages of the actual count.

• Discuss how to construct and label a bar graph. Have the students use colored pencils and crayons to graph the number of candies for each color.

• Have the students follow the same procedure using the boxes of colored candies.

• Have the students compare the data sheets from the bags and the boxes and draw conclusions.

FOLLOW-UP/EXTENSION: