The purpose of this unit is conduct a statistical investigation to answer a health question such as, "does washing my hands keep me from getting sick?"
At level one, students learn to collect, sort and count data, thus applying their number knowledge and strategies, and begin to use pictographs to display category data. As students create and interpret pictograph data, and become familiar with the features of this data display, they build understanding of how bar graphs can be used to represent the information that they have collected. Students should have the opportunity to clearly identify and discuss the similarities and differences between bar graphs and pictographs as they make this transition towards using bar graphs and more abstract representations of data.
There are conventions used in creating data displays, including the labelling of axes, writing an appropriate title, and using uniform units of scale, that should be modelled for students and emphasised. Providing opportunities for students to talk about their own data displays, and interpret those created by their peers, helps students to recognise these conventions and appreciate their importance as a tool to enhance the clarity of the information presented.
Using the statistical language of comparison is also important in its ability to highlight the relationships that exist within and between the data. Phrases such as "more than, greater than, less than, fewer than," and "the same as" (indicating equality) should be emphasised, alongside the use of appropriate symbols (e.g. <, >, =) in the communication of the data analysis. It is important for students to develop fluency in using this language and these symbols, and for them to recognise the communication of like ideas.
Participation in the PPDAC statistical investigation cycle reinforces the understanding that it is possible to find out important and helpful information by gathering and analysing data. Students should have opportunities to participate in developing an investigative question and in deciding how the information to answer the question will be collected (data collection). Both of these processes require careful scaffolding for students to understand exactly why and how the investigation will be undertaken.
At this level it is important for students to begin to understand that the results from their investigations may only apply to their situation, may not be true for everyone and therefore cannot be generalised. For example, if the sample is very small (students in one class), or the investigation has been undertaken for a very short period of time, these limiting factors that may affect the results.
Helping students to understand the limitations of their investigation results, leads, with support, to them making important "I wonder" statements and posing further investigative questions. To take an investigation to the point of critiquing results and questioning, at this level, is to develop early on, this important disposition associated with statistical literacy.
Personal Health and Physical Development, level 1
The learning opportunities in this unit can be differentiated by providing or removing support to students and by varying the task requirements. Ways to support students include:
The cross-curricular nature of this unit can be adapted to suit the interests and experiences of your students. For example the topic of interest might align with social science outcomes or science outcomes.
The activities in this unit can be adapted to make them more interesting and meaningful for students by adapting them to reflect familiar contexts. Students who attended school from 2019 onwards will probably remember the lockdowns and "stay home" rhetoric experienced as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. You could make links to this, or to other localised health issues (e.g. Measles outbreaks, flus, colds etc.). However, you should be sensitive to students' varying experiences of what "staying at home" looks like, and their reasons for coming to school when they are sick.
Te reo Māori kupu such as and tatau (count), kauwhata whakaahua (picture graph, pictograph), kauwhata pou
(bar graph), tuaka pou (vertical axis), and tuaka pae (horizontal axis) could be introduced in this unit and used throughout other mathematical learning.
Learning activities
Whilst this unit is presented as sequence of five sessions, more sessions than this may be required. It is also expected that any session may extend beyond one teaching period.
Session 1
This session is about acknowledging that a number of students have been absent, introducing a pictograph to keep track of attendance/absences, recognising that there is a health issue in the class, and suggesting what might be causing it. It is helpful if this investigation is undertaken at a time when there has been some history of absences within the class. Be wary of the actual reasons your students are absent - it may be a sensitive topic for some.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Session 2
This session is about posing an investigative question and planning data collection.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 4
The helper for the day will glue the hands on the pictograph when they have finished eating.
Session 3 (and following)
This session and the three following are about gathering and sorting data, and adding it, progressively over several sessions, to three pictographs.
SLOs:
On each day:
At the most suitable time in the day, have students talk in pairs about each of the data displays, then have individual students read each aloud to the class. Remind students that the picture of two hands ‘represents’ one person.
Focus on developing the key language (and associated symbols) of "more than, greater than, less than, fewer than", and "the same as", and on having students become comfortable and familiar with the pictograph data display and its features. You might also talk each day about other possible reasons students are absent (e.g. dentist appointment).
Session 4 (The fifth day of data gathering.)
This session is about having the students understand how the data from the pictographs (made in the first week) can also be represented on a bar graph.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 4
Session 5
This session is about discussing the results of the class investigation, recognising the limitations of the investigation and posing further investigative questions.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Dear families and whānau,
In class we have been making sure that we wash our hands before we eat our morning tea and our lunch. We have been investigating whether this helps to stop us from getting sick.
Please talk with your child about the results of our “Healthy Hands” investigation and visit our classroom to see our investigation display.
Printed from https://nzmaths.co.nz/resource/healthy-hands at 1:14am on the 27th April 2024