Sixth Grade

Power Standards

• Determine measures of center (mean, median, mode) and measures of variation (range) for a numerical data set. (6.SP.3)

Concepts and Skills

* Power Standard Content

• * Determine measures of center (mean, median, mode)
• * Determine measures of variation (range, interquartile range, mean absolute deviation)
• Use center, spread, and overall shape to describe a set of data collected
• Create numerical displays of data (line plots, histograms, box plots)

Language Usage

• A student in 6th grade will demonstrate the ability to apply and comprehend critical language by recognizing and writing statistical questions and summarizing numerical data sets in relation to the context.

Content-Specific Vocabulary

• Mean
• Median
• Mode
• Measure of center
• Range
• Interquartile range
• Mean absolute deviation
• Measure of variation
• Spread
• Distribution
• Shape
• Line plot
• Histogram
• Box plot
• Quartiles
• Number line
• Deviation
• Pattern
• Data
• Attribute

Process-Specific Vocabulary

• Create
• Recognize
• Determine
• Summarize
• Describe
• Vary

Essential Understandings

• Data is collected, organized and graphed in order to answer questions and make generalizations.
• A set of data can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape.
• Data can be summarized in different numeric ways.
  • A measure of center summarizes all of the values in a set of data with a single number.
  • A measure of variation summarizes how much the set of data varies with a single number.

Factual Guiding Questions

• How are different representations (table, line plot, box plot, histogram) of the same data alike? Different?
• What does the mode/median tell you about the distribution of a set of data?
• Can the mode/median be used to describe both categorical and numerical data?
• How do you find the mode/median/mean/range of a set of data?

Conceptual Guiding Questions

• Can the mode and median of a set of data have the same value? Can they be different?
• Why is it helpful to give the range when you describe the distribution of a set of data?
• How can you describe what is typical of a set of data?
• How do you decide when to use a line plot, histogram, or box plot?
• When would you use a measure of center as opposed to a measure of variation?

Engaging/Debatable Guiding Questions

• Which representation is best for analyzing a set of data?
• Why do you think they are called measures of center?