Middle School Math: Making Sense of Data

We are inundated with data every waking moment. How do we know what to pay attention to? What is valuable and useful data? What is biased? How do we sort and categorize it so we can extract meaning from it? Interpret the messages it contains? Model systems with it? Use it to help us make hypotheses or answer questions?

In this unit we will uncover fundamental statistical models: probability, central tendency, and variability and we will try our hand at making predictions and drawing conclusions from data. Along the way we will learn ways of sorting, organizing and representing data which is key to being able to communicate what it contains to others.

In this first installment we will engage in activities that students can use to build these conceptual models. In the second installment, offered on July 20th, we will engage in activities that you can use to help students apply these models.