Practice 8

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Next Generation Science Standards

Materials related to this Standard

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Anatomy of a box plot

Anatomy of a box plot

Details

Slide presentation explaining the anatomy of a box and whisker plot, how to use them to compare two groups, and useful vocabulary.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Subjects:

Earth Science

Topics:

Earth's Surface Systems, Weather and Climate

Statistical Concepts:

Group comparison, Variability

Skills:

Comparing groups, Describing variability, graphing data

Graph Types:

Box plot, Frequency plot

Teacher Instructional or Primer for:

Data Presentation

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice correlating with precipitation data

Practice comparing groups with Belfast temperature data

Practice comparing groups with Cell Phone data

Practice comparing groups: Chromosome Number data

Practice comparing groups with Gas Price data

Practice comparing groups with high tide data

Practice comparing groups: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice comparing groups: Maine lake fish data

Practice comparing groups with midge data

Practice comparing groups: Reaction Time data

Practice comparing groups with AM and PM tide height data

Anatomy of a scatter plot

Details

A slide presentation on making a scatter plot

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Statistical Concepts:

Correlation

Skills:

Correlations, graphing data

Graph Types:

Scatter plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice correlating with precipitation data

Practice correlating with Glass Eel data

Practice correlating: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice correlating: Pen Bay Buoy Air-Water Temperature data

Practice correlating with Tide Extreme data

Practice correlating with US milk production data

Practice correlating: Chlorophyll and phosphorus in lakes

Practice asking questions with balloon ascent data

Blank data spreadsheet (mercury project)

Blank data spreadsheet (mercury project)

Details

For data management in the mercury project.

Grades:

Topics:

Planning and carrying out investigations

Skills:

collecting data, organizing data

Handout for:

Environmental Sampling--Mercury Project

Data Organization

Outlining the project

Experimental Design - Mercury Project

BRI-Mercury Connections

BRI-Mercury Connections

Details

A 28-page article on mercury in the environment; with emphasis on effects on wildlife.

Grades:

Topics:

Cause and Effect, Energy and Matter in Systems, Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems, Stability and Change of Systems, Systems and System Models

Skills:

reading primary literature

Handout for:

Why do we Care about Mercury?

The Road to Toxicity

Mapping U.S. Mercury Emissions

Toxicology and Living Systems

Outlining the project

Mercury in our study site, and how does it move?

Collecting dragonfly larvae and water for mercury

Details

National Park Service citizen science field protocol for collecting draginfly larvae and water samples for mercury analysis

Types of Instruction:

Fieldwork

Subjects:

Earth Science, Life Science

Topics:

Earth's Surface Systems, Human Impacts, Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, Planning and carrying out investigations

Skills:

collecting data, following protocols, information gathering and interpreting, measuring, sampling

Field datasheet explained: nitrogen project

Details

A primer for filling out the field data sheet

Grades:

Topics:

Planning and carrying out investigations

Skills:

collecting data, following protocols, observing, sampling

Handout for:

Environmental Sampling - Nitrogen Project

Experimental Design - Nitrogen Project

Field sampling datasheet: culvert project

Details

Datasheet to be used to record data from the field sampling event

Grades:

Topics:

Planning and carrying out investigations

Skills:

collecting data, following protocols, sampling, observing

Handout for:

Environmental Sampling--Culvert Project

Experimental Design--Culvert Project

Getting familiar with frequency plot types

Details

Slide presentation showing how to construct a dot plot.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Subjects:

Social Science

Topics:

Energy

Statistical Concepts:

Group comparison, Variability

Skills:

Comparing groups, Describing variability, graphing data

Graph Types:

Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot, Histogram

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice describing variability with earthquake data

Practice describing variability with hurricane duration data

Practice describing variability with hurricane wind speeds data

Practice describing variability with tide height data

Graphing data sheet with questions (Data Analysis)

Details

Once the data have been graphed this is a very effective worksheet to state simply what the data say.

Grades:

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Constructing explanations, Using mathematics and computational thinking, Engaging in argument from evidence, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Skills:

graphing data, representing data, analyzing data, interpreting data

Handout for:

Data Interpretation

Data Presentation

Outlining the project

Authoring a research poster

Hydrology-Nitrogen Link: Graph packet

Details

Graphs of stream stage data from 2008 to 2010

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Earth's Surface Systems, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, Systems and System Models, Weather and Climate

Skills:

analyzing data, information gathering and interpreting, thinking about patterns

Handout for:

Linking Hydrology to Nitrogen in Streams

Hydrology-Nitrogen Link: Precipitation dataset

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet

Hydrology-Nitrogen Link: Precipitation dataset

Details

Dataset on precipitation (rain; snow; snow depth) from 2008 to 2010

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Earth's Surface Systems, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, Systems and System Models, Weather and Climate

Skills:

analyzing data, information gathering and interpreting, thinking about patterns

Handout for:

Linking Hydrology to Nitrogen in Streams

Hydrology-Nitrogen Link: Question set

Details

Instructions for working with the Hydrology-Nitrogen Connection datasets and questions for interpreting those data.

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Earth's Surface Systems, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, Systems and System Models, Weather and Climate

Skills:

analyzing data, information gathering and interpreting, thinking about patterns

Handout for:

Linking Hydrology to Nitrogen in Streams

Hypothesis, or Scientific Claim, worksheet

Details

A worksheet for students to use to clearly state their hypothesis, or claim, and the reasoning behind that claim (with space for hypothetical graphs).

Grades:

Topics:

Asking questions, Engaging in argument from evidence, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Skills:

argument, asking questions, communicating, formulating hypotheses, thinking about patterns

Handout for:

Developing research questions and hypotheses

Hypothesis peer review

INSTR 1c. Graph Choice 1 of 3

Details

The Graph Choice Chart: a flow chart to help students decide what kind of graph based on the kind of question asked. 1 of 3

Grades:

6, 7, 8

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data

Statistical Concepts:

Statistical questions

Skills:

Graph choice

Graph Types:

Bar graph, Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot, Histogram, Line graph, Scatter plot

Data Activity File for:

Practice asking questions with Gas Price data

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice asking questions with precipitation data

Practice asking questions with balloon ascent data

Practice asking questions with Gas Price data

Practice asking questions: Solar Panel data

Practice asking questions with Tide Table data

Practice correlating: Chlorophyll and phosphorus in lakes

INSTR 1c. Graph Choice 2 of 3

Details

The Graph Choice Chart: a flow chart to help students decide what kind of graph based on the kind of question asked. 2 of 3

Grades:

6, 7, 8

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data

Statistical Concepts:

Statistical questions

Skills:

Graph choice

Graph Types:

Bar graph, Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot, Histogram, Line graph, Scatter plot

Data Activity File for:

Practice asking questions with Gas Price data

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice asking questions with precipitation data

Practice asking questions with balloon ascent data

Practice asking questions with Gas Price data

Practice asking questions: Solar Panel data

Practice asking questions with Tide Table data

Practice correlating: Chlorophyll and phosphorus in lakes

INSTR 1c. Graph Choice 3 of 3

Details

The Graph Choice Chart: a flow chart to help students decide what kind of graph based on the kind of question asked. 3 of 3

Grades:

6, 7, 8

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data

Statistical Concepts:

Statistical questions

Skills:

Graph choice

Graph Types:

Bar graph, Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot, Histogram, Line graph, Scatter plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice correlating: Chlorophyll and phosphorus in lakes

Instruction on interpreting: peer review of presentations

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

Instruction on interpreting: peer review of presentations

Details

One-page handout checklist for students to "score" peers' presentations and give feedback.

Types of Instruction:

Peer Review

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Topics:

Engaging in argument from evidence, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Statistical Concepts:

Question, Evidence, Claim, Reasoning

Skills:

reviewing

Language for asking questions

Language for asking questions

Details

Handout with sample phrasings for questions about variability, comparing groups, correlations and time series.

Grades:

6, 7, 8

Topics:

Asking questions

Statistical Concepts:

Statistical questions

Skills:

Asking statistical questions

Graph Types:

Bar graph, Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot, Histogram, Line graph, Scatter plot

Teacher Instructional or Primer for:

Data Presentation

Data Activity File for:

Practice asking questions with Gas Price data

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice asking questions with precipitation data

Practice asking questions with balloon ascent data

Practice asking questions with Gas Price data

Practice asking questions: Solar Panel data

Practice asking questions with Tide Table data

Language for comparing groups

Details

A helpful document with language for describing and discussing comparisons of data from different groups.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Engaging in argument from evidence, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, Patterns

Statistical Concepts:

Group comparison, Question, Evidence, Claim, Reasoning

Skills:

argument, communicating, Comparing groups, graphing data, interpreting data

Graph Types:

Bar graph, Box plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice comparing groups with Belfast temperature data

Practice comparing groups with Cell Phone data

Practice comparing groups: Chromosome Number data

Practice comparing groups with Gas Price data

Practice comparing groups with high tide data

Practice comparing groups: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice comparing groups: Maine lake fish data

Practice comparing groups with midge data

Practice comparing groups: Reaction Time data

Practice comparing groups with AM and PM tide height data

Language for describing correlations (slideshow)

Details

A slide presentation with language for describing and discussing relationships between two variables.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Patterns

Statistical Concepts:

Correlation

Skills:

analyzing data, argument, Correlations, graphing data, interpreting data, organizing data, representing data, thinking about patterns

Graph Types:

Scatter plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice correlating with precipitation data

Practice correlating with Glass Eel data

Practice correlating: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice correlating: Pen Bay Buoy Air-Water Temperature data

Practice correlating with Tide Extreme data

Practice correlating with US milk production data

Practice correlating: Chlorophyll and phosphorus in lakes

Language for describing relationships (correlation document)

Details

A helpful document with language for describing and discussing relationships between two variables.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Patterns

Statistical Concepts:

Correlation

Skills:

analyzing data, argument, Correlations, graphing data, interpreting data, organizing data, representing data, thinking about patterns

Graph Types:

Scatter plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice correlating with precipitation data

Practice correlating with Glass Eel data

Practice correlating: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice correlating: Pen Bay Buoy Air-Water Temperature data

Practice correlating with Tide Extreme data

Practice correlating with US milk production data

Practice correlating: Chlorophyll and phosphorus in lakes

Language for describing time series

Details

A helpful document with language for describing and discussing time series data.

Types of Instruction:

Data Interpretation

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Engaging in argument from evidence, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, Patterns

Statistical Concepts:

Time series, Variability

Skills:

argument, Correlations, interpreting data, Time series

Graph Types:

Time series

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice time series with Bald Eagle data

Practice time series with earthquake data

Practice time series with Gas Price data

Practice time series: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice time series with Moon Phase data

Practice time series: Pen Bay Buoy Air-Water Temperature data

Practice time series with tide speed data

Practice time series with Penobscot River Flow data

Language for describing variability

Details

A helpful document with language for describing variability in a dataset.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Topics:

Analyzing and interpreting data, Engaging in argument from evidence, Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information, Patterns

Statistical Concepts:

Group comparison, Variability

Skills:

analyzing data, Describing variability, graphing data, interpreting data

Graph Types:

Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot

Teacher Instructional or Primer for:

Data Presentation

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice describing variability with earthquake data

Practice describing variability with hurricane duration data

Practice describing variability with hurricane wind speeds data

Practice comparing groups with Belfast temperature data

Practice describing variability with tide height data

Practice comparing groups with Cell Phone data

Practice comparing groups: Chromosome Number data

Practice comparing groups with Gas Price data

Practice comparing groups with high tide data

Practice comparing groups: House Insulation and Temperature data

Practice comparing groups: Maine lake fish data

Practice comparing groups with midge data

Practice comparing groups: Reaction Time data

Practice comparing groups with AM and PM tide height data

Make a box plot from a dot plot

Details

Slide presentation showing how to turn a dot plot into a box plot.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Subjects:

Life Science, Physical Science, Social Science

Topics:

Demographics, Energy, Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms

Statistical Concepts:

Variability

Skills:

Describing variability

Graph Types:

Box plot, Dot plot, Frequency plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice describing variability with earthquake data

Practice describing variability with hurricane duration data

Practice describing variability with hurricane wind speeds data

Practice describing variability with tide height data

Making a dot plot and scaling its axis

Details

Slide presentation showing how to scale an axis and make a dot plot.

Grades:

6, 7, 8, 9+

Subjects:

Life Science

Topics:

Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms

Statistical Concepts:

Variability

Skills:

Describing variability, graphing data

Graph Types:

Dot plot, Frequency plot

Data Literacy Instructional for:

Practice describing variability with earthquake data

Practice describing variability with hurricane duration data

Practice describing variability with hurricane wind speeds data

Practice describing variability with tide height data