Chapter 8: Lessons and Activities

Activity Name Activity Description
Plop It! Students click to build dot plots of data and view how the mean, median, and mode change as numbers are added to the plot. Parameters: Range for observations.
Measures Students enter data and view the mean, median, variance and standard deviation of the data set. Parameters: Number of observations, range for observations, which statistics to view, identifiers for the data.
Normal Distribution Students can change the standard deviation of the graphed normal distribution to create a new distribution, allowing them to observe properties like how well the histogram fits the curve and how areas under the curve correspond to the probability that a number is selected. Parameters: standard deviation, number of trials, class intervals.
Skew Distribution Students can change the median standard deviation of the graphed normal distribution to create a skewed distribution, allowing them to observe properties like what it means for the mean, median, and mode to be different. Parameters: median, standard deviation, number of trials, class intervals.
Boxplot Students can view boxplots for either built-in or user-specified data, and experiment with outliers. Parameters: Data sets, definition of outliers.
Graphit! Students can graph functions and sets of ordered pairs on the same coordinate plane -- similar to a graphing calculator.
PieChart Students view piecharts. Parameters: Number of sectors, size of sector as a percent.
Stem and Leaf Plotter Students view stem-and-leaf plots of their data, and then get to practice finding means, medians and modes. Parameters: Data.
Histogram Students can view histograms for either built-in or user-specified data, and experiment with how the size of the class intervals influences the perceptions. Parameters: Data sets, class sizes.
Simple Plot Students can plot ordered pairs of numbers, either as a scatter plot or with the dots connected.

Lesson Name Lesson Description
Statistics and Shopping Looks at statistics and data analysis concepts from the practical questions that arise in everyday life.
Mean, Median and Mode Introduces statistical measures of center.
Stem-and-Leaf Plots Introduces students to stem-and-leaf plots and calculating the mean, median, and mode from the plots.
Histograms and Bar Graphs Introduction and fine points of using bar graphs and histograms.
Box Plots Introduces students to quartiles and box plots.
The Bell Curve Introduces the normal distribution and looks at the bell curve controversy.