Chapter 9: Data Analysis and Displays

Section 1: Scatter Plots

Grade Level: 8th Grade
Duration: One class (60 minutes)
Materials: Smart Board, White Boards with Graphing Paper, Markers, Erasers, Basketball, Golf Ball,
Softball, Pre-Made Grids (4), Stickers, Post Its
Learning Goals/Objective(s): Students will be able to construct and interpret scatter plots and describe
patterns in scatter plots.
Key Background Knowledge: Students are familiar with recognizing positive and negative slopes of
linear equations and can identify if a graph is linear or non-linear. Students are familiar with plotting
points (x, y) on a coordinate grid. Students are familiar with graphing in one quadrant. Students should
be able to label the x and y-axis of a graph.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics:
o 8.SP.1 Construct and interpret scatter plots for bivariate measurement data to investigate patterns
of association between two quantities. Describe patterns such as clustering, outliers, positive or
negative association, and nonlinear association.
Common Core Mathematical Practice Focus:
o MP1a Make Sense of Problems
o MP3 Construct Viable Arguments and Critique the Reasoning of Others
o MP4 Model with Mathematics
Activities and Procedures:
o Do Now (5 minutes): Students will enter the room and sit down in their assigned groups. The
board will say: Draw a (1) linear equation and (2) a non-linear equation. Draw a linear equation
with a (3) positive and (4) negative slope. After giving the students a few minutes to answer, the
teacher will ask each group to hold up their white boards to see the different answers from each
student and proceed to begin the lesson.
o Activity 1 (20 minutes):
On the Smart Board will be textbook page 372 with Activity 1.
The teacher will begin the activity by holding up a basketball, golf ball and softball. The
teacher will ask the students, What is the circumference of a sphere? ( = ), Which
has the biggest circumference? (Basketball), Which has the smallest circumference?
(Golf ball), Which do you think is the heaviest? (Basketball), Which do you think is
the lightest? (Golf ball), Did you notice a relationship between the size and the weight
of these items? (Answers will vary: Most likely, yes. The bigger, the heavier.)

 The teacher will say, Think about a bowling ball. How are bowling balls similar to other
sport balls. Think about size!. (A bowling ball is about the same size of a basketball or
volleyball.) Then the teacher will say, But what is different about it? (Its a lot heavier).
The teacher will begin the lesson by showing students the difference measurements of
sports ball on the textbook page of Activity 1.
In groups students will have a white board with graph paper to create a table. Together,
we will list the size and weight of each sports ball as coordinates (x, y). Then we will
label each axis and create a title for the table together. The students will then plot each
point.
We will discuss the relationship based on our graph (as the weight increases,
circumference increases). We will discuss whether the table can be described as a
positive or negative relationship (correlation) and if the table is linear or non-linear. We
will also discuss the vocabulary word, gap from looking at the graph.
Then we will talk about plotting a point for a bowling ball that weights 225oz with a
circumference of 27 inches. (It is an outlier.)
Teacher will ask, Was the relationship between weight and size of sports balls obvious
before plotting our points?
o Activity 2 (20 minutes):
Teacher will scroll to textbook page 373 on Smart Board to move on to Activity 2 with
students.
To begin Activity 2, the teacher will describe the chart (absences vs. final grade). The
teacher will ask, Do you think there is a relationship between the number of times a
student is absent and their grade for the class?. Lets find out!
Students already have a table of values, students may need help labeling each axis and
creating a title. Teacher will help if trouble arises and introduce the concept of a broken
graph for the grades going from 0 to 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100.
Students in their groups will plot the coordinates on their whiteboards.
Once finished, the class will begin a discussion about the relationship between absences
and final grades. Students will be asked to compare the relationship to the relationship
between weight and circumference of sports balls.
Students will be asked what grade do you think a student with 6 absences will have based
on this graph and the relationship? (About an 80%)
o Activity 3 (5 minutes):
Teacher will scroll down to the three graphs in Activity 3.
This will be a quick classroom discussion matching the three scenarios to each graph by
recognizing what kind of correlation each situation has to each other.
o Class Activity/Exit Ticket (10 minutes):
On the chalkboard in the back of the room there will be four tables labeled with an axis
for shoe size and an axis for height.
Each student will be given a sticker to write their name on, go up to the appropriate table
for their class period and plot their shoe size vs. their height.

 After all stickers are plotted, at their desks students will have post its and write on them
what relationship they can describe from the graph of shoe size vs. height.
These post its will be used as their exit ticket and as they get up to leave they will stick
the post its next to their periods table on the chalkboard in the back of the room.
Accommodations made for Students with Disabilities and for English Language Learners (ELLs):
Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners will benefit by placed in specific groups that
cater to their needs and strengths. The visuals using the basketball, golf ball, and softball examples will
bring the lesson to life for students. Students will also be able to have the textbooks open at their desks
to follow along with the Smart Board.
Assessment: This lesson will consist of mostly formative assessments. Students will be assessed on
prior knowledge with the do now visually by seeing students answers on the white boards. During
Activity 2, the teacher will walk around to assess students understanding and providing help to students
who need it. The final activity will be used to showcase student understanding and will be assessed with
the exit tickets. The exit tickets will provide feedback for the teacher for possible re-teaching the
following day.