Introduction to Statistics: Mean, Median, and
Mode
Abstract
The goal of this lesson is to introduce the concepts of mean, median and
mode and to develop understanding and familiarity with these ideas. The
Mean and Median Activity lets
students explore
mean and median in an efficient way; the Mean, Median and Mode Discussion
helps them to formalize their knowledge.
Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, students will:
- understand three different measures of "center"
- have been exposed to multiple ways of expressing a set of numbers
- have practiced their arithmetic skills
Standards
The activities and discussions in this lesson address the following
NCTM standards:
Algebra
Understand patterns, relations, and functions
- represent, analyze, and generalize a variety of patterns with tables, graphs, words, and, when possible, symbolic rules
Data Analysis and Probability
Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data
- find, use, and interpret measures of center and spread, including mean and interquartile range
Links to other standards.
Student Prerequisites
- Arithmetic prerequisites: Students should understand sums,
differences, and quotients for all activities.
- Technological prerequisites: Each student or group of students
working together will need a computer with a Java-capable browser.
Students should be comfortable using the computer and browser. Calculators
may be helpful for solving problems that arise in discussions.
Teacher Preparation
- Students will need access to a Java-capable browser
- Students will need pencil and paper.
- Students will need copies of the following worksheet:
Key Terms
This lesson introduces students to the following terms through the included discussions:
Lesson Outline
- Focus and Review
Remind students of what they have learned in previous lessons that will be pertinent to this lesson and/or
have them begin to think about the words and ideas of this lesson:
- Does anyone know what "average" means?
- Objectives
Let the students know what they will be doing and learning today. Say something like
this:
- Today, class, we are going to learn about mean, median, and mode.
- We are going to use the computers to learn about mean,median, and mode,
but please do not turn your computers on until I ask you to. I want to show you a little about
this activity first.
- Teacher Input
- Lead a discussion, or the instructor can prepare a
"live" discussion, to deepen and formalize the students' intuitive understanding
of mean, median, and mode. (10-20 min)
- Guided Practice
- Introduce and develop the concepts of mean and median with the Measures activity. Students will
change parameters and discover patterns related to mean and median. Students
can choose their own focus of measure, their own quantity, and their own units. (20 min)
- Independent Practice
- Closure
- You may wish to bring the class back together for a discussion of the findings.
Once the students have been allowed to share what they found, summarize the results of
the lesson.
Alternate Outlines
- Combine this lesson with the Bell Curve
Lesson for a look at how means are tied to distributions
Suggested Follow-Up
This lesson introduced the students to some basic ways of describing sets of
data. The next lesson, Histograms and Bar Graphs, introduces
histograms, bar graphs and the concept of class interval. Students will learn to
distinguish between bar graphs and histograms and to use each in the appropriate
situations.
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