{"id":1333,"date":"2022-04-12T00:01:27","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T07:01:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hailstonesequence.com\/?p=1333"},"modified":"2023-12-28T23:51:50","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T07:51:50","slug":"8th-grade-scatter-plot-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hailstonesequence.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/8th-grade-scatter-plot-project\/","title":{"rendered":"8th Grade Scatter Plot Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I made this project to give my 8th graders the opportunity to use their statistical skills (collecting, organizing, describing, and analyzing data) by exploring a research question of their own creation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Develop a research question.<\/strong> (about 30 minutes)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I “modeled” how to develop a research question by pretending to create the question “What’s the association between an animal’s weight and its brain weight?” which I borrowed from Unit 6 Lesson 8 of IM<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then students worked alone or in pairs to create a research question and a plan for collecting data. I gave students three options for collecting data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. researching online<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. experimenting on their classmates<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. surveying their classmates\/community<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    To inspire students, I offered them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. A list of materials they could use to design an experiment.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. A list of sample survey questions to get them thinking<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Many books about animals. (Just because animals are appealing to many students AND easy to research online.) Here are some of the ones I purchased on a spree to the bookshop. I love having math-y picture books…my classroom feels instantly more stimulating. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Kids spent some time picking their topic and worked alone\/with a partner to complete this project plan handout.<\/a> Nearly everyone needed to revise their research questions and add significantly more detail to their plan. I created this checklist of “look-fors” to help me and my co-teacher give feedback to kids:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Step 2:<\/strong> Practice Round<\/strong> (55 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      During the next lesson, students learned about the project expectations by helping me with “my research project.” I modified lesson 8<\/a> to fit this purpose. Students used the data provided by IM to construct, describe, and analyze a scatter plot<\/a> with a linear model while familiarizing themselves with the checklist of expectations<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Step 3:<\/strong> Students collected data for their projects. A fun + chaotic day! (55 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Research questions included: Is there an association between….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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