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Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes

Recognise statistical questions

Statistics and probability

CCSS 6.SP.A.1England: KS3 Statistics

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Recognise statistical questions.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Line plots and tables

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Squared paper for charts, Class survey data, Sticky notes for a live chart, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Line plots and tables). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Arjun measured some leaves (in inches) and made a line plot: 1/4: ×××××, 2/4: ×, 3/4: ×, 4/4: ×××××. How many leaves were measured in total? → 12Prompt: Each × is one leaf.
  2. Grace measured some leaves (in inches) and made a line plot: 1/4: ×××, 2/4: ××, 3/4: ×××, 4/4: ×. How many leaves were measured in total? → 9Prompt: Each × is one leaf.
  3. Kai measured some leaves (in inches) and made a line plot: 1/4: ××, 2/4: ×××, 3/4: ×××, 4/4: ×××. How many leaves were measured in total? → 11Prompt: Each × is one leaf.

Hook · 3 min

  • Take a quick class survey (favorite fruit, travel to school) and ask what the results tell us.
  • Share the objective: Recognise statistical questions. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this a statistical question? “How many legs does a spider have?”
  • Step 1: There is one fixed answer, so it is not statistical.
  • Answer: No
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is this a statistical question? “How many legs does a spider have?” (Yes / No) → NoPrompt: A statistical question expects answers that vary.
  2. Which question is a statistical question? (How tall is the school building? / How many minutes do Year 7 students spend on homework each day? / How many pages are in my maths textbook? / What time does the library open on Monday?) → How many minutes do Year 7 students spend on homework each day?Prompt: Look for a question whose answers vary from person to person or day to day.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this a statistical question? “How many legs does a spider have?” (Yes / No) → NoPrompt: A statistical question expects answers that vary.
  2. Which question is a statistical question? (What time does the library open on Monday? / How many pages are in my maths textbook? / How tall is the school building? / How many minutes do Year 7 students spend on homework each day?) → How many minutes do Year 7 students spend on homework each day?Prompt: Look for a question whose answers vary from person to person or day to day.

Watch out for

  • Forgetting to put data in order before finding the median.
  • Reading a bar's height wrongly when the scale goes up in 2s or 5s.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Line plots and tables.
  • Use concrete materials: squared paper for charts.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-6.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Recognise statistical questions

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which question is a statistical question?

    • A. How many legs does a spider have?
    • B. What time does the library open on Monday?
    • C. What were the daily high temperatures in our town last month?
    • D. How many pages are in my maths textbook?

  2. Question 2

    Is this a statistical question? “How tall is the school building?”

    • A. Yes
    • B. No

  3. Question 3

    Is this a statistical question? “How many pages are in my maths textbook?”

    • A. Yes
    • B. No

  4. Question 4

    Is this a statistical question? “What time does the library open on Monday?”

    • A. Yes
    • B. No

  5. Question 5

    Is this a statistical question? “How many legs does a spider have?”

    • A. Yes
    • B. No

  6. Question 6

    Is this a statistical question? “How many minutes do Year 7 students spend on homework each day?”

    • A. Yes
    • B. No

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Answer key: Recognise statistical questions

  1. 1. C. What were the daily high temperatures in our town last month?

  2. 2. B. No

  3. 3. B. No

  4. 4. B. No

  5. 5. B. No

  6. 6. A. Yes