Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes
Find the mean of a small set of data
Statistics and probability
CCSS 6.SP.B.5.CEngland: Y6 Statistics
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Find the mean of a small set of data.
- 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: Divide a three-digit number by a one-digit number
Leads to: Use the mean to find a missing value
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 (Divide a three-digit number by a one-digit number). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 746 ÷ 2 = ? → 373Prompt: Divide the hundreds first, then the tens, then the ones.
- Aisha cycles 201 km in 3 weeks, the same distance each week. How many kilometres is that per week? → 67Prompt: Share 201 into 3 equal parts.
- 6 × ▢ = 612. What number is ▢? → 102Prompt: Use the inverse operation.
Hook · 3 min
- Take a quick class survey (favorite fruit, travel to school) and ask what the results tell us.
- Share the objective: Find the mean of a small set of data. 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: Find the mean of 20, 20, 20.
- Step 1: 20 + 20 + 20 = 60
- Step 2: 60 ÷ 3 = 20
- Answer: 20
- 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.
- Find the mean of 25, 21, 21, 17, 21. → 21Prompt: Add all the numbers.
- Zara found the mean of 4, 7, 3, 5 by adding them and dividing by 3. Spot the mistake. What is the correct mean? → 4.75Prompt: How many numbers are there?
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.
- Find the mean of 8, 8, 8. → 8Prompt: Add all the numbers.
- Hana found the mean of 7, 6, 7, 9 by adding them and dividing by 3. Spot the mistake. What is the correct mean? → 7.25Prompt: How many numbers are there?
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: Divide a three-digit number by a one-digit number.
- 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
- Move on to: Use the mean to find a missing value.
- 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder