YEAR LEVEL:

CLASS SIZE: 27

5&6

DURATION:

60

DATE: 07/09/16

minutes

Lesson title: Mean, median and mode

MENTOR TEACHER: Tim Hemsworth
Victorian curriculum STATEMENTS:
-

Identify and investigate issues involving numerical data collected from primary and
secondary sources(VCMSP268)
Construct and compare a range of data displays including stem-and-leaf plots and dot
plots(VCMSP269)
Calculate mean, median, mode and range for sets of data. Interpret these statistics in
the context of data(VCMSP270)
Describe and interpret data displays using median, mean and range (VCMSP271)

Learning intention:
Understanding that there are three types of averages;
Understanding that the mean is adding the numbers and dividing by how many
Understanding the mode is most frequent
Understanding median is the middle number.
Success criteria:
I can calculate the mean, median, mode and range for sets of data.
I understand that there are three types of averages
I understand that the mode is the most frequent
I understand that the median is the middle number.
I understand that the mean is adding the numbers and dividing by how many
I understand that the range is the difference between.
RESOURCES and MATERIALS
Basketballs (at least 15)
Mean, median and mode posters.
Calculator
Maths books, pencil case

LESSON OUTLINE (written

TIME

TEACHING POINTS:

in numbered point form -

Key questions

focusing mainly on what the

teacher and students will be

Key

expected to be doing)

organisational/management
issues

Introduction/Opening
Students will be taken to the gym,

15

Bring your maths book and a pencil

minute
s

The teacher will time them dribbling a

basketball for 1 minute (half the class
at a time). Students are to count how
many dribbles they can get with their
right hand, then their left hand.
Students to record this number in their
workbooks

Activities

35

Teacher will determine the range, starting

As a class students will create a dot

graph to discuss the results of the
activity.

mins

with a number, did anyone get below 10?

giving an indication for what number to
start the graph at and end the graph at.

Show the students the posters

describing the mean, median and
mode, students read it out and try to
work out the mean/median/mode for
left/right hand.

Closure/Pulling it all together

Group reflection

Teacher to model with one of the tables of

results and then students attempt with the
other set of results independently.

10
mins

Why would we need this information?

Brainstorm how these could be applied in
other situations.
Which strategy did you find the easiest or
the most challenging and why?

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

- Student engagement
- Critical thinking
- Understanding the importance of interpreting data

Evaluation:
This session ran really well, despite the interruption in the middle (an unplanned visit
to the grade one, twos to see their space projects) we got through half of the
session, which means it will be continued at a later date. The students were turned in
and I was able to use the success criteria to keep the students on task. This went
surprisingly well considering in between the tuning in and the lesson the students
were out of the class, they came straight back ready to work.