Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes
Read dot plots (line plots)
Statistics and probability
CCSS 6.SP.B.4England: KS3 Statistics
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Read dot plots (line plots).
- 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: Read histograms with equal class widths
Materials: Squared paper for charts, Class survey data, Sticky notes for a live chart, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 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.
- Elena 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.
- Fatima 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.
- Luis 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? → 7Prompt: Each × is one leaf.
Hook · 6 min
- Take a quick class survey (favorite fruit, travel to school) and ask what the results tell us.
- Share the objective: Read dot plots (line plots). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Model one question from the student sheet, thinking aloud.
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
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
- Move on to: Read histograms with equal class widths.
- 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