US Department of Commerce
Make Data Speak
Data displays are more than just a bunch of numbers. Small groups access census results and create eye-catching data displays. Teams choose a statistic and collect data points for five locations. Classmates present their infographics to...
Education Development Center
Creating a Polynomial Function to Fit a Table
Discover relationships between linear and nonlinear functions. Initially, a set of data seems linear, but upon further exploration, pupils realize the data can model an infinite number of functions. Scholars use multiple representations...
Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching
Ten Data Analysis Activities
This thirteen page data analysis worksheet contains a number of interesting problems regarding statistics. The activities cover the concepts of average measurements, standard deviation, box and whisker plots, quartiles, frequency...
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Eruptions: Old Faithful Geyser
How long do we have to wait? Given several days of times between eruptions of Old Faithful, learners create a graphical representation for two days. Groups combine their data to determine an appropriate wait time between eruptions.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Spreadsheet Tutorial 2: Autofill Data, Cell References, and Standard Deviation
If you've always wanted to know more about spreadsheets, here's a perfect resource for you. A self-paced tutorial introduces how to autofill and copy formulas in a Google sheet or Excel spreadsheet. It also shows users how to find range,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Spreadsheet Tutorial 5: Histogram
A professional-looking histogram is just a few clicks away. The last installment of a five-part Spreadsheet Data Analysis series focuses on histograms. Learners work through a tutorial to see how spreadsheets can help make frequency...
Curated OER
Dice Games
Games and activities are wonderful for igniting interest in nearly any topic. With a pair of dice, your class will practice their basic math and social skills at the same time. Learners battle it out to see who can roll only odds or only...
Teach Engineering
Energy Perspectives
The data says ... the resource is great to use. Using Microsoft Excel, pupils analyze data from the US Department of Energy in the fifth lesson of a 25-part Energy Systems and Solutions unit. Each group looks at a different data set and...
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Nannofossils Reveal Seafloor Spreading Truth
Spread the word about seafloor spreading! Junior geologists prove Albert Wegener right in an activity that combines data analysis and deep ocean exploration. Learners analyze and graph fossil sample data taken from sites along the...
US Department of Commerce
How Does Our Class Compare?
Compare the class to the country. As a group, pupils collect data on the types of activities boys and girls do after school. Learners compare the number of girls to the number of boys for each activity. Using census data, individuals...
101 Questions
Shipping Routes
The product of the hard work is learning. Scholars use a simulation tool to collect information to analyze. They must decide when two ships traveling back and forth across a river at different rates will meet on the same side. The intent...
Saxon
Plotting Functions
Youngsters use a graphing calculator to assist in creating a function table. They graph the function on a coordinate plane. They explore the relationship between the domain and range in the graph. This four-page worksheet contains two...
Scouts
The Deadly Picnic: A Lab on Deductive Reasoning
Whodunnit? Find out who killed Mr. Brooks through a logical examination of evidence. Class members fill out a couple of data tables to help them pin down the suspect. After they've figured out just who the culprit is, pupils compose...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Playing with Parachutes
This lesson certainly will not be a drag! Little engineers design parachutes that make use of air resistance and, as a result, slow the descent of the payload as much as possible. It is an opportunity to teach about many motion concepts:...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom
Winogradsky columns are ideal for observing the role of bacteria and other microorganisms in an ecosystem. This student activity guide is complete with data tables for observations and analysis questions for processing what was observed....
Illustrative Mathematics
Who Has the Best Job?
Making money is important to teenagers. It is up to your apprentices to determine how much two wage earners make with their after school jobs. Participants work with a table, an equation, and a graph and compare the two workers to see...
101 Questions
How Many Hot Dogs?
Top off your hot dogs with a little math. Learners view a video on a hot dog eating contest, and then answer questions using estimation. Using a table of hypothetical data, they create algebraic expressions to represent the situation.
Heidi Songs
Zoo Animal Probability Graph
Capture the engagement of your young mathematicians with a collaborative graphing activity. Using a deck of zoo animal picture cards, students select a picture from the deck, record the chosen animal on a graph,...
US Department of Agriculture
Sink or Float?
Will it sink or will it float? Learners predict the outcome as they drop random objects into a container of water. Then, they keep track of the results and record the data in a t-chart to draw a final conclusion.
Illustrative Mathematics
Rolling Dice
Rolling dice is a great way for your mathematicians to get a hands-on approach to probabilities. Use the chart to record whether they rolled a six during ten attempts. Calculate results individually (or in small groups) and then record...
Curated OER
Weathering Lab
Assist your middle school class with one of the most inclusive weathering and erosion labs available. Individuals use sugar cubes and alka-seltzer to demonstrate the process of physical and chemical weathering. They sketch results...
Curated OER
Sunrise, Sunset
What locations on Earth get the longest number of hours of daylight in the summer? Hint: It's not the equator! Use real-world sunrise and sunset data to develop trigonometric models that can be used to estimate the number of hours of...
Teach Engineering
Building-Testing-Improving Paper Airplanes: Head's Up!
Take foldables to all new heights. Pupils build and fly different types of paper airplanes in the 14th portion of a 22-part unit on aviation. Groups collect data on distance and flight time for each plane and compare the data from the...
Teach Engineering
Energy on a Roller Coaster
Roll with your class into the idea of conservation of energy. Pupils use a roller coaster track to collect data to reinforce the concept of conservation of energy and the influence of friction. Class members then create a graph from...