Comparing Data
Created By:
Cassandra Barnett
Title/Role:
Librarian
Organization/School Name:
Fayetteville High School Library
Location:
Arkansas
Grade Level:
10 Type of Lesson:
Stand-alone lesson Type of Schedule:
Flexible Collaboration Continuum:
Limited Content Area:
Mathematics Content Topic:
Using InspireData™ software to compare data. Scenario:
The school librarian (SL) is approached by an algebra teacher who attended a professional development session where the SL demonstrated InspireData™, software that allows students to use a variety of charts and graphs to manipulate and analyze data. She wants the SL to teach her students how to use this software. The SL suggests that the lesson will be more effective if the students actually have data to input. They schedule the teacher’s six classes in the library computer lab for a 50-minute lesson on InspireData™. The teacher decides that students will plan a trip to Chicago. As part of that planning, they must decide on the best mode of transportation based on the cost of travel and the amount of time that particular mode takes. The students will use pre-determined websites to collect costs and times needed to travel by train, car, bus and plane. Once they have collected their data, they will receive instruction on the use of InspireData™. The SLMS will guide the students through the features of the software at which time they will input their data. They take their printed graphs with their data back to class for review, presentation and assessment. Overview:
Tenth grade students in algebra class examine and manipulate various types of graphs to determine the appropriateness of different graphs in relation to the data. Final Product:
Students produce graphs comparing cost and time of various modes of transportation. Library Lesson:
Students will learn to use the features of InspireData™ and explore the various types of graphs that can be made using the software. They will use data collected about the cost and time it takes to get from their hometown to Chicago using several modes of transportation. In the process they analyze how best to graph the data depending on the intended purpose. Estimated Lesson Time:
45 minutes Have you taught this lesson before:
Yes