Shirley Arnberger & Troy Rall
Math & Science Methods
Micro Teaching
Teacher Information:
Title: Usage
and Interpretation of Graphs
Topics: Math: Process-Reasoning, Product-Data Analysis
Science: Process-Predicting, Product-Graph
Student level: 3-6 grade
Objectives: The students will be able to:
- Define the following terms:
- Bar graph
- Line graph
- Pie graph
- Vertical axis
- Horizontal axis
- Interpret data and make a graph given data
- Interpret graph for some practical application
Materials: One sheet of poster board with an X and Y-axis;
strips of different color construction paper 2"x 12";
scissors for each group, examples of graphs from newspapers.
Prerequisite skills: The student should know how to
construct a bar graph, multiplication skills, and averaging skills.
Time required: 25 mins.
Teaching Procedures:
Introduction: For the past several
weeks we have been learning about graphs. We learned how to collect
the data, and how to make a graph. Today we are going to learn
how to use those graphs in real life situations.
Review: Mrs.
Arnberger is going to review some of the different graphs we have
been using over the last few weeks.
- Bar graph
- Line graph
- Pie graph
- Vertical axis
- Horizontal axis
Strategies:
- Students will be placed into groups, have
them count off then assign their group according to their number.
- Give the assignment to the class, the groups
are to predict how many eyelets are in the classroom without
looking at the others students' shoes. I will tell the student
that there are 12 eyelets in running shoes, and that hightops
and boots will have approx. 24 eyelets (So a pair of hightops
will have 48 eyelets) Also remind the students that some shoes
will have no eyelets.
- Double check with the students to make sure
they understand what the assignment is asking for.
- Ask the students to make an individual prediction
as to how many eyelets they think are in the classroom. Then
have the students discuss their predictions with in their individual
groups and come up with a group prediction for the whole class.
- Tell the groups that they may look at the
shoes of each member of "their group only".
- Give each group a strip of construction paper
(colored). One inch on the strip will be equal to 100 eyelets.
After the groups have gathered and discussed their data they
will cut the strip to the length equal to the actual # of eyelets
in their group.
- On the master graph at the front of the classroom
have a member from each group bring their strip of paper up to
the poster and tape it on the graph for their group.
- After the groups have posted the number of
eyelets in their group, count up the total number of eyelets
in the classroom, and have the groups compare their predictions
with the actual number, asking them to share their prediction
and what methods they used to get them.
- Ask the student how could knowing the number
of shoe eyelets possibly ever help someone. (Looking for answers
like shoelace sales, the company that make materials for eyelets
& laces.
Conclusion: Ask
the students to think of some other ways that reading a graph
and interpreting the data may help them, or other people. Tomorrow
we are going to show how estimating can be used in forestry.
Evaluation: Students
will make a graph with the number of eyelets in the class, They
will also share their estimates with the rest of the class and
fill out the graph worksheet provided by the teacher.
Extensions: Forestry
exercise, medicine (cardiograph), politics (polling), Music (sales
of popular music).
Resources: USA
Today