EDSC 330

Names: Anna Maddela Subject Area(s): Math

Lesson Topic: Correlation vs Causation Grade Level(s): 9th-10th

Standards
Literacy Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

Content Area Standard(s):

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.C.8
Compute (using technology) and interpret the correlation coefficient of a linear
fit.

English Language Development (ELD) Standard(s):

CCSS.ELD.9-10.P1.A.3.Ex
Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations (e.g., to provide counter-
arguments) using a growing number of learned phrases (I see your point, but…) and
open responses to express and defend nuanced opinions.

Lesson Objectives & Supports

Content objectives:
SWK the difference between positive and negative correlation
SWBAT predict if a correlation is stronger or weaker

Literacy objectives:
SWBAT argue why a certain factor is more strongly correlated than another

Academic vocabulary:
Tier II (General): Argue, Predict, Compute, Interpret, Present
Tier III (Domain specific): Positive Correlation, Negative Correlation,
Coefficient

Literacy strategies and Integrated ELD Strategies (SDAIE, Specially Designed

Academic Instruction in English):
 Inquiry Chart: Students will use this strategy to question about life expectancy
factors through the lens of correlation and causation.
(Buehl, 2017, p. 123,124).

Assessment: How will you know if students met your objectives?

Content Objectives: Students will write and adjust predicted correlation coefficients
based on each individual factor and explain what effect a positive or negative correlation
has on life expectancy. This will be collected at the end of class

Literacy Objectives: Students will discuss in groups to convince each other of which factor
is the strongest predictor of life expectancy. We will formatively assess to hear key phrases
of comparison such as “more positively/negatively correlated because…” in their
argument.

Instruction: What you’ll teach, and how

Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set

Time Teacher Does
Teacher welcomes students into class,
groups them into mixed groups with
different levels of readers, ELs, and
advanced students in each group and lets
0-7min them know that they’ll be starting a new
unit on statistics and probability. The
first topic is correlation.
Student Does
Students come into class and get into
their seats and take out their notebooks.
Students will answer what their
definition of correlation is.

While discussing, write on the board.

Does anyone know what correlation is?
Correlation is the relationship between
two or more factors. (Write on the word
wall in the classroom for reference) The
number we use for determining
correlation is called the correlation
coefficient, which ranges between -1
(perfect negative correlation) and 1
(perfect positive correlation). 0 is no
correlation/relationship at all.

For positive correlation, as one factor

increases, the other increases and vice
versa) .01, .56, and .74 are all positive
correlation coefficients. but the closer to
1, the more strongly positively
correlated. For negative correlation, as
one factor increases, the other decreases
and vice versa. -.004, -.38, and -.7 are
all negative correlation coefficients. The
closer to -1, the more strongly negatively
correlated. An example of positive
correlation would be that as
temperature goes up, ice cream sales
increase. Can anyone give me another
example of either positive or negative
correlation? Does anyone have
questions on what correlation is and
what the coefficients mean?

Lesson Body
Time Teacher Does
7-12 min We’ll be using correlation to think about
what factors affect life expectancy. What
has a positive impact and what has a
negative impact? Have students discuss
in groups.
Student Does
Students discuss at their table everything
they know about life expectancy and
positive and negative impacts. ELs will
practice communicating in English and
will practice their listening skills.
 While students are discussing, walk
around to listen in and make sure
students are on the right track.

Have students come back together and
12- hand out a blank inquiry chart. The topic
17min will be Life Expectancy. There will be
three resources for them to use. Before
filling out the rest of the chart, have
students, in their groups, write 3-4
questions related to life expectancy
through the lens of positive of negative
correlation. E.g. Why does smoking
matter more than drinking when
determining life expectancy?
17-
27min
Students write their questions about life
expectancy and positive/negative
correlation on the inquiry chart. EL/EBs
can be given sentence structures to help
them along
Students will read through the Newsela
article, and use the two life expectancy
calculators to find out what factors are
important. They will start to think more
about positive correlation and negative
correlation.

After they write down questions, have Students will rank the factors in order
27- them use the sources to help answer the from negative to positive correlation and
37min questions. On the back of the inquiry then assign correlation coefficients to
chart, have them write a list of all the each. They will try to convince each
factors that affect life expectancy. other why theirs is more accurate and
then adjust accordingly.
Have students rank the list and assign
correlation coefficients to each factor.
Tell them once they’re done, they can
discuss and convince each other why
their ranking makes more sense and why
they used the correlation coefficients
they did. Let students know that they
can adjust their rankings and coefficients
as they are discussing.

Walk around to listen to discussions and

formatively assess their understanding.
For those who are struggling, stay with
them and use Socratic Questioning.

37-45 Bring class back together as a whole to Students present their arguments to the
min discuss their findings and what their class as a whole
rankings were
 Lesson Closure
Time Teacher Does Student Does
Show students a few scatter plots and
show them what positive, negative, and
Students look at the scatter plots and see
no correlation look like. What do they
how the relationship works. They will
notice about strength of correlation?
discuss how they can tell if it’s more
positively or negatively correlated.
Let students know that we’ll be working
45-
with scatter plots and calculating
50min
correlation coefficients on their
calculators starting tomorrow.

As an exit slip, have students turn in

Students turn in exit slips and leave.
their inquiry charts and
rankings/coefficient assignments.

Instructional Materials, Equipment & Multimedia

List any readings, websites, materials, handouts, technology, etc. necessary for your lesson.
Use APA format for any citations, and attach copies of any handouts or other print
materials used during the lesson.

-Computers
-Inquiry Chart (attached) Retrieved from readwritethink.org
-Newsela Article
Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff. (2016, December 13). CDC report finds that

Americans’ life expectancy got shorter in 2015. Newsela. Retrieved from

https://newsela.com/read/life-expectancy-2016/id/24812/

-Life Expectancy Calculators (online)

Blueprint Income. (n.d.). How long will I live? Retrieved from

https://www.blueprintincome.com/tools/life-expectancy-calculator-how-long-will-

i-live/

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. (n.d.). Lifespan calculator. Retrieved from

https://media.nmfn.com/tnetwork/lifespan/#0

Differentiation:
Indicate how you could adapt this lesson for each of the following groups of students.
Adaptations might include additional literacy supports or scaffolds, texts written at multiple
levels, etc.

English learners: English learners could be paired with more advanced students
and given sentence structures to form arguments.

Striving readers: When it comes to the Newsela article, we can adjust the lexile and
have students use that reading to argue their points.

Students with special needs: Can provide more visual clues when it comes to
explaining correlation. Give them a checklist of each step of today’s lesson to take
one step at a time and keep track of their progress.

Advanced students: Advanced students could be given a list of factors to create a

scatterplot (e.g. frequency of smoking as the x-value, life expectancy as the y-value)
and predict correlation.