One of the main standards that students in the eighth grade must meet deals with scatter plots and examining correlations between quantitative data. In order for students to meet this standard, I decided to build a unit around statistics that would provide students with a review of basic data analysis and graphing. I selected four learning goals to build the necessary skills for targeting the standard. Not only did this get students to meet the standard, but it also came just in time for the MEAs and their stock market projects which requires proficiency with many of the learning goals. 

 

The first learning goal is comprised of four objectives, all dealing specifically with displaying univariate (single variable) data. In order for students to achieve our main eighth grade scatter plot standard, they needed to be familiar with univariate data sets and how they are displayed before moving on to bivariate (two variable) data sets. The result of the pre-assessment questions dealing with displaying univariate data showed me that the students needed practice specifically with histograms, stem and leaf plots, and box plots. When giving direct instruction on displaying univariate data, most of the examples were related to those three types of displays to ensure that students were familiar with them.

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The second learning goal is comprised of three objectives that contribute to the students' abilities to analyze data. Students responded to questions about data sets and graphs that required the ability to read and interpret univariate displays. Similarly to the first learning goal, the students were comfortable with interpreting bar graphs and line graphs. In the pre-assessment, all of the students correctly answered the questions regarding a bar graph. While checking for understanding, I noticed that the students had difficulty interpreting histograms, box plots, and stem and leaf plots. My instruction and formative assessments focused primarily on how to read these types of displays and how to gather information from them.

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The third and fourth learning goals focus on the construction and interpretation of scatter plots. ​In the pre-assessment, only a few students correctly constructed the scatter plot, and many made no attempt at all. Only one student was able to correctly insert a line of best fit. Since these learning goals align with an eighth grade standard, they were the primary focus of the unit. The first and second learning goals built the foundation for basic statistical displays as to strengthen students' skills before they moved onto scatter plots. Students got in the habit of using correct vocabulary and analysis skills which helped them during the lessons on scatter plots. Since students have not yet learned y=mx+b form, the informal insertion of a line of best fit seemed most appropriate. It did not make sense to teach y=mx+b in context of this unit, and for time restraint purposes, the decision to have students use an informal method for finding the line of best fit worked well for achieving the goals of the unit. 

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