Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Data Representation

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The objective-setting stage is crucial to guide both the teacher and students on what is expected to be achieved by the end of the lesson. In this context, the main objectives aim to ensure that students understand the variety of forms of data representation and are able to apply this knowledge in interpreting and creating graphic elements and tables. This clarity of goals helps direct classroom activities and ensures that all students are aligned with the competencies to be developed.

Main Objectives:

1. Enable students to identify multiple forms of data representation, recognizing the versatility of graphic formats, tables, and spreadsheets.

2. Develop the ability to recognize and interpret the main components of graphs, tables, and spreadsheets, facilitating understanding and use of these tools in information analysis.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage critical thinking and the ability to make data-based decisions through practical examples and everyday situations.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students with the lesson topic by using problem situations they may encounter in their daily lives, thus stimulating practical application of prior knowledge. Additionally, the contextualization shows the relevance of the subject, linking it to real and curious situations that might spark students' interest in a deeper study of data representation tools.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are the organizer of a video game tournament at school and need to decide which game will be chosen. You have a list of student preferences but need to present this information clearly to everyone. How would you do that using different types of graphs?

2. A supermarket is analyzing which products sell the most in each season of the year. They have a large amount of data in spreadsheets. How could they use graphs or tables to visualize and share this information effectively with their staff?

Contextualization

Data representation is an essential skill not only in mathematics but in many aspects of our daily lives. From deciding which traffic route is the most efficient to understanding public health statistics, the ability to read and create graphs, tables, and spreadsheets aids in making informed decisions. Moreover, stories of great discoveries and avoidable errors due to data interpretation failures highlight the importance of this topic.

Development

Duration: (65 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to allow students to apply their prior knowledge of data representation in a practical and interactive manner. Through playful and contextualized activities, students can explore the diversity of representation forms and consolidate their learning. The proposed activities aim not only to develop mathematical skills but also to promote teamwork, creativity, and communication skills, essential in various everyday situations and future professions.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Great Data Map

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop the ability to collect data, tabulate, and represent it in different ways, in addition to practicing the skills of presenting and interpreting graphs.

- Description: In this activity, students will create a data map representing their class's leisure preferences using different types of graphs. They will collect information about each student's hobbies and interests and then transform this data into bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs to visualize the information clearly and comparatively.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute cards where each student should note their 3 main hobbies or interests.

• Each group will collect the filled cards from their class and tabulate the data.

• With the tabulated data, each group will create three types of graphs (bar, pie, and line) on paper or in spreadsheet software.

• At the end, each group will present their data map to the class, explaining what each graph represents and what insights can be obtained.

Activity 2 - Supermarket Challenge

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Promote the ability to interpret data and the importance of choosing the most appropriate representation for different types of information.

- Description: Students, organized into groups, will take on the role of market analysts for a supermarket. They will receive fictional data about the sales of different products over the course of a year and will need to create graphs and tables to visualize this information effectively, helping management make decisions about promotions and inventory.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students and distribute fictional product sales data to each group.

• Students should analyze and decide which information is most relevant for graphs and tables.

• Each group creates at least two graphs (one line or column and one pie chart) and one table with the provided data.

• After creation, each group presents to the class, explaining their choices and what the graphs and tables reveal.

• Conclude with a discussion on how different representations can lead to different conclusions and decisions.

Activity 3 - Birthday Party: Graphs and Spreadsheets

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Teach students to use spreadsheets to organize financial data and create graphs that facilitate the visualization and interpretation of information.

- Description: In this activity, students will use fictional data about a birthday party to create a financial plan and visualize expenses and revenues in graphs and tables. They will have to decide what is most effective to show data such as the initial budget, expenses by category, and the distribution of guests by age.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to 5 and provide each group with fictional data about a birthday party, including budget, expenses, and guest list.

• Students should plan the expenses by filling out a spreadsheet with the provided data.

• Based on the spreadsheet data, each group will create at least two graphs (one line or column and one pie chart) and one table.

• Each group presents their financial plan and the graphs/tables to the class, discussing the decisions made and the insights obtained.

• Conclude with a reflection on the importance of planning and visually representing financial data.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this feedback stage is to consolidate learning, allowing students to reflect on what they learned and share their discoveries with peers. This discussion helps reinforce the understanding of data representation concepts, enables students to critically evaluate their own work and that of their peers, and promotes communication and argumentation skills. Additionally, through the key questions, the teacher can assess students' understanding and direct future activities to reinforce points that may have been more challenging.

Group Discussion

To start the group discussion, the teacher can ask each group to briefly share what they discovered through the activity and what they found most challenging. Then, suggest that each group presents one or two graphs or tables they created, explaining their choice of representation types and what they reveal about the collected data. Encourage students to ask each other questions and offer suggestions to improve the representations made.

Key Questions

1. What were the main insights you gained from analyzing data in different types of graphs?

2. How can the choice of a graph or table type affect others' perception of the data?

3. Was there any challenge in trying to represent the data in a way that was clear for everyone?

Conclusion

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion is to consolidate learning, ensuring that students have a clear and summarized view of the concepts learned and the practical applications performed during the lesson. Furthermore, it aims to highlight the importance of the theme for daily life, reinforcing the utility and applicability of the acquired knowledge. This stage also serves to ensure that students can make connections between what they learned and how this knowledge is relevant and usable in various contexts.

Summary

To conclude the lesson, the teacher should summarize the main points covered, emphasizing how data can be represented in various ways and the importance of choosing the most suitable form for each situation. The types of graphs discussed, such as bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs, should be revisited, highlighting the function of each in representing different types of data.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was a bridge between theory and practice, where students not only learned about data representation but also applied this knowledge in various practical activities. This allowed for a deeper and more realistic understanding of how graphs and tables are used in everyday life, connecting mathematical concepts with real and contextualized situations.

Closing

Finally, it is crucial to highlight the relevance of studying data representation in daily life. These skills are not only useful in mathematics but in many areas of life, from making informed decisions to understanding complex information in news or studies. The ability to read and create graphs and tables is a valuable tool for students in their academic journey and beyond.