|
Numeracy Focus |
Handling data. |
|
Learning Objectives |
· To revise rounding of non-integral values.
· To investigate connections between body measurements.
· To use sorted lists to test hypotheses. |
|
Resources / organisation |
Download
and make copies of the activity
sheet for this lesson. A large display or OHP is essential for reviewing
pupils' work. |
|
Key vocabulary |
Rounding,
decimal places, evidence, hypothesis |
Revision /
oral |
Recap
the special formula to calculate the average of a range of values. Remind
children how to format cells to zero decimal places. Ask quick-fire questions
on rounding: "What, to the nearest whole number, are 3.99, 6.51,
7.09?" A greatly-expanded number line showing numbers that lie between
two integers will be helpful. |
|
Main activity |
Review some of the sheets completed by pupils. Discuss accuracy: do
any odd results stand out?
Give out the activity sheet. Ideally, pupils should have finished entering
data at this stage. The sheet asks children to speculate a connection
within the data. A statement such as "I think that tall people
have longer feet" is a hypothesis. To prove (or disprove)
a hypothesis we need evidence drawn from the data. Who are the
tallest children? Do they have the longest feet?
On the computer, ask children to sort columns. This is the quickest
way of finding the biggest / smallest in the range.
|
|
Support |
Check
that children have completed at least four rows, and that there are no
gaps. Ask straightforward questions to encourage them to look carefully
at the data: "Who has the biggest ...?" "Who is taller
than you?" |
|
Extension |
As shown on the sheet, there is much scope for adding columns to the
right. The ratio of two values may be calculated. For example,
divide height by foot length. The difference
between two measurements may also be calculated. What do the results
show?
Pupils may begin working out these results manually, while waiting
for the computer.
|
|
Plenary |
Review
the hypotheses suggested by the class. Does the evidence support? If you
have a large display, sort columns: do the same names appear in the top
group for "Height" and "Foot length"? Ask pupils who
have done the extension task to report. |
