By: Melissa Humphreys
March 1, 2011
Educ 310
Grade Level: Middle School (5-6) Subject: Mathematics
Overview:
This lesson involves probability and using ratiosto decide the outcome of events.
It also shows students how to effectively collect,analyze and graph data as they investigate colordistribution in bags of M&M’s. Students will beusing Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint to collect,summarize and present their work to the classand to the teacher.
Content & Standards
2.7.6.A: Collect data andestimate the likelihood ofoutcomes of an event.
2.6.7.B: Organize anddisplay data using anappropriate data display,such as circle graphs,histograms, line graphs,double bar graphs, andstem-and-leaf plots, Venndiagrams, tables andcharts.
2.6.6.C: Select and use, asappropriate, the mean,median, mode and/orrange to describe sets ofdata
In grades 6–8 allstudents should select,create, and useappropriategraphicalrepresentations ofdata, includinghistograms, box plots,and scatter-plots.
In grades 6–8 allstudents should workflexibly with fractions,decimals, andpercents to solveproblems.
Pennsylvania StateMathematics Standards
National MathematicsStandards
ISTE Standards
Creativity & Innovation
Students demonstratecreative thinking, constructknowledge, and developinnovative products andprocesses using technology.Students:
Apply existingknowledge togenerate new ideas,products, or processes
Prerequisites:
Students can count, sort, and compare data.
Students are familiar with different types ofgraphs.
Students have a general knowledge ofprobability.
Students know how to convert fractions,decimals and percents.
Students know how to calculate the mean,mode, median and range of data.
Students should be familiar with how to useMicrosoft and PowerPoint.
• The learner will demonstrate application of probability bycollecting and analyzing data of M&M’s and by creatingcharts and graphs in Microsoft Excel.
•The student will demonstrate comprehension of centraltendency by classifying the mean, mode, median, and rangeof data collected and comparing data with their classmates
Instructional Objective
Before, During & After
Before:
Using SMART Notebook, use the dice and coinapplication to show probability of flipping a coinand rolling dice
Ask class what the ratio of getting tails is in 20 flips?
What about the ratio of landing on 3 when rolling dice?
Hand out one bag of M&M’s per student
What can the student tell me or predict about what isinside the bags and what do we know about them?
How many colors are in a bag of plain M&M’s?
How many M&M’s are in each bag?
During:
Introduction to the M&M’s activity
Students will open Microsoft Excel and as a class we willset up the first chart
Write colors in M&M bags across Row 1
Write “Prediction” in A2. Go across the row and guess howmany of each color there is in the bag
Now gather “raw data”
Open up the bag of M&M’s and count how many M&M’s thereare total and how many of each color. Create a new Row in A3labeled as “Actual” and enter the data.
Calculate the ratio and percentage of each color
During:
Next, students will create bar graphs with their data
Then, the students will get into groups of 4-5
Students will gather data from other team members andcombine the data and to make new data charts
The groups will then create a pie chart and compare it to thetheir individual bar graph. Are the ratios the same?
Red
Yellow
Green
Orange
Brown
Blue
Total
Prediction
Actual
Percentage
During:
Mean, Mode, Median and Range
Students will be working individually on finding thecentral tendency of their individual M&M bag
Next, the will still work individually at analyzingmean, mode, median and range of the groupsdata. And then come together as a group tocompare their results and check for errors.
Red
Yellow
Green
Orange
Brown
Blue
Total
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
Totals
Mean
Median
Mode
Range
After:
If time allows, groups will work together to put aPowerPoint Slideshow, showing their groups resultsand the charts they made. If not, students willhave time to work on it the next day
I will leave them with the thought: “What otherdata can be collected and analyzed using thisproduct?”
Materials & Equipment
YouTube Video (used for introduction onprobability)
Projector/Projection Screen or Smart Board(used for presenting material)
SMART Notebook (used to show probabilityand ratio examples)
Computers (used for individual and groupactivity)
Software: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint (usedfor creating graphs and group presentations)
M&M Project Rubric (used for assessingindividual and group work)
One 1.69 oz pack of plain M&M’s for everystudent (used for main activity)
Assessment / Evaluation
Each student will be responsible for emailing theteacher his or her individual charts and graphs ANDthe group charts and graphs.
Students will be graded by a rubric for theirindividual work and group presentation
Homework:
Answering several questions and relating to how they canapply this to life scenarios.
Grading Rubric
3
2
1
0
Prediction & Original Count
Both are labeled and answered.
Both are answered, but are notlabeled.
Only one labeled and answered.
Neither labeled or answered.
Individual Data Charts & Graphs
Clearly designed charts with all dataincluded. Graphs are correctly labeledand colored.
Clearly designed charts with most dataincluded. Graphs have mostly correctlabels and color.
Charts are decent in design withminimal data included. Charts havesome correct labels.
Charts are a mess and barely anydata. Graphs are not labeled orcolored.
Group Data Charts & Graphs
Clearly designed charts with all groupdata included. Graphs are correctlylabeled and colored.
Clearly designed charts with mostgroup data included. Graphs havemostly correct labels and color.
Charts are decent in design withminimal group data included. Chartshave some correct labels.
Charts are a mess and barely anygroup data. Graphs are not labeled orcolored.
Math Operations
Numbers and operations in Excel arecorrect. All calculations are accurate.
Numbers and operations in Excel aremostly correct. Most calculations areaccurate.
Numbers and operations in Excel areattempted. Some calculations areaccurate.
Numbers and operations in Excel arenot clear or correct. Few or nocalculations are accurate.
Mean, Mode, Median & RangeSpreadsheet
Numbers and operations in Excel arecorrect. All calculations are accurate.
Numbers and operations in Excel aremostly correct. Most calculations areaccurate.
Numbers and operations in Excel aremostly correct. Most calculations areaccurate.
Numbers and operations in Excel aremostly correct. Most calculations areaccurate.
Group PowerPoint Presentation
PowerPoint is creative and easy toread. Presentation included all themain points. Each student contributedto the presentation.
PowerPoint is creative and readable.Presentation included most of the mainpoints. Mostly all the studentscontributed to the presentation.
PowerPoint attempted creativity.Presentation included a couple mainpoints. Only two or three studentscontributed to the presentation.
PowerPoint is unorganized and messy.Presentation did not include the mainpoints. Only one student contributed tothe presentation.
Accommodations & Modifications
A computer buddy toassist learner byoperating the computer
Have a teacher’s aideavailable to give step-by-step directions andassist in collecting thedata
Give less complexassignments, such as:having a worksheet withcharts already made andthe student, so they willonly have to fill in thedata
Use different types ofM&M’s so it can providemore opportunities foranalysis when makingcomparisons with thedata collected
Using small and largebags of M&Ms to see ifthe color distribution issimilar by percentage
Students can devisetheir own project inwhich they choosesome form of data tocollect, organize, andanalyze
For Students withDisabilities:
Enhancements:
For Students withAllergies:
If students areallergic tochocolate, havethe studentscomplete a similaractivity in adifferent area orclassroom(depending onseverity)
Instead of M&M’s,use jelly beans,froot loops orskittles
Technology
Students will use Excel spreadsheets toorganize their individual and groupdata
Students will create their own chartsand graphs in Excel to represent thedata collected and use appropriatelabels, headings, etc.
Students will correctly use formulaswithin their charts
Self-Assessment
I will be walking around the classroom and seeingif the students are actually enjoying andunderstanding the lesson. I know some students canbe computer-illiterate, so I will provide individualhelp for these students.
Through the presentations, I will see if studentshelped one another in collecting data and if theyall contributed to the project.
Using Excel, will be an easier way to collect theassignment and see if students understood how tofind percentages, means, modes, etc.
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Services/Education/Curric/Activity/candy_qx.pdf
References: