Statistics and Probability for Middle-School Math Teachers:

Addressing the Common Core

Teacher Notes

Statistical Questions
Logistics
This lesson is intended for students in Grade 6 as an introductory lesson
into the concept of statistical variability. This lesson is written for class
sizes larger than 18 students. For smaller class sizes, students may need
to generate multiple questions for a valid data set.
Materials: 1 – 3” x 24” tag board sentence strip per student
1 – marker per student
(Optional) colored sentence strips for headings
(Optional) magnetic tape to adhere strips to whiteboard

Time: This lesson should be completed in one 45 – minute class period.

Objectives/Standards
The objectives of this lesson are to:

 Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability References to Common Core are
in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the adapted from NGA Center/CCSSO ©
Copyright 2010. National Governors
answers. CCSS.Math.Content.6.SP.1 Association Center for Best Practices
and Council of Chief State School
 Formulate questions that can be answered with data and make Officers. All rights reserved.

sense of practical problems by turning them into statistical

investigations. CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1
 Interpret variability in terms of the question being asked.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2

Introduction
For this inquiry, students will generate questions that they are interested in
asking their classmates. These questions will be sorted by the teacher into
those that are statistical vs. those that are not statistical without revealing
why they are being sorted in that manner. Students will look at the
characteristics of statistical questions and will determine what makes a
question “statistical” in nature, and will use this information to shift a non-
statistical question into one that is statistical. Finally, students will select
among the generated questions to develop a method for collecting data to
answer the selected statistical question.

Activity 1: What makes a question a “statistical” question?

This will be the guiding question for this lesson. Provide each student with
a sentence strip and a marker. If you have a small class size (<18
students) you may wish to have each student complete two sentence

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Statistics and Probability for Middle School Teachers: Addressing the Common Core
Professional Learning Day; February 28, 2014
 Statistics and Probability for Middle-School Math Teachers:
Addressing the Common Core
Teacher Notes
strips. Pose the following prompt to your students:
 Write one question that you would like to ask members of this
class.
If students ask for clarification on what “the teacher” would like them to
ask, tell them that their question is entirely up to them (but should be
appropriate to ask in a classroom setting). As students complete their
questions, direct them to bring them to the teacher. Questions will be
sorted by whether or not they are statistical in nature.
For example, if a student writes, “How tall is Johnny?” it would not be
considered statistical in nature since the question does not anticipate
variability in Johnny’s age. There is a deterministic answer to the
question. However, if the question is worded, “How tall are the students
in my class?” then it would be considered statistical because there is
anticipated variability in the heights of the students within the class.
Similarly, if a student asks, “Do students in this class have more dogs
than cats?” we would not consider this a statistical question since we
can find the total number of dogs and the total number of cats students
own and take the higher value to get a single absolute answer. In
contrast, asking, “What pets do students in this class prefer?”
introduces variability. We are looking for the mode of a data set that can
have multiple categories (dog, cat, fish, gerbil, ferret, etc.) and each
student in the class could give a different response.

What pets do students in this class prefer?

In general, a statistical question is one in which the population is
specified, variable answers are anticipated, and the question asks for
interesting information. Many times, students will write questions which
can be answered with only two choices: yes or no. Often, these
questions can be reworded to introduce more variability in the answer
responses. However, we also do not want to ask questions with too
much variability or the data can become meaningless.
 For initial student questions, sort them into two categories:
Statistical Questions Non-Statistical Questions

Statistics and Probability for Middle School Teachers: Addressing the Common Core
Professional Learning Day; February 28, 2014
 Statistics and Probability for Middle-School Math Teachers:
Addressing the Common Core
Teacher Notes
At first, do not place the headings at the top of the columns. Post the
responses on a whiteboard using magnetic tape, or tape sentence strips
to a sheet of butcher paper. Teacher-written “seed” questions may be
included among the student questions.

 Form student teams of three to four students.

 Ask student teams to look at the questions on the left and compare
them to the questions on the right. Discuss with their teams what they
notice. If students are having difficulty, direct them to look at a question
on the left (statistical) and write down what responses students in the
class might choose. Also have them do the same for a question on the
right (non-statistical).
 Have each team share their observations of the sorted questions.

A discussion of variability as the “number of possible answer choices you

have” can lead students to realize that if their question can only be
answered one way, then it is not a statistical question. Answers need to
vary among the students in the class to provide data that has variability.

At this point, introduce the headings “Statistical Questions” and “Non-

Statistical Questions” to the students. Tell students statistical questions:

 Specify populations and measurements of interest.

 Anticipate answers based on data that vary.

As a whole class, go down the list of statistical questions and discuss why
each one of the questions categorized under the heading “Statistical
Questions” meets the criteria of a statistical question. Then, have each
team choose one “Non-Statistical Question”. Be sure to have several
non-statistical questions ready if students did not self-generate enough
for each team to have a question. Their task will be to determine why a
question was categorized as non-statistical and to reword the question to
make it a statistical question. Allow time for student teams to discuss
their response and re-write the new question on the back of the original
question’s sentence strip. Each student team will present to the class:

 The original question and why it was non-statistical.

 The new question and why it is now a statistical question.

Following a team’s presentation, other groups will be asked if they agree

or disagree with the new question’s wording. If a group disagrees, they
will provide a reason for the disagreement. A whole-class discussion will
then be facilitated by the teacher to reach consensus on how the
question should be categorized.

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Statistics and Probability for Middle School Teachers: Addressing the Common Core
Professional Learning Day; February 28, 2014
 Statistics and Probability for Middle-School Math Teachers:
Addressing the Common Core
Teacher Notes
Activity 2: Sorting question types

In the next part of this lesson, have student teams separate into partner
teams of 2 students each. Provide each student team a set of unsorted
questions and a t-chart of “Statistical Questions” vs. “Non-Statistical
Questions” and have students cut out the questions and glue under the
appropriate heading.

As partner teams complete the activity, provide an answer key for

students to compare their answers. If students have made mistakes,
encourage them to determine why that particular answer was incorrect
and share with the teacher prior to advancing to the next activity.

Activity 3: Data Collection Plan

Once partner teams have checked their work, provide each team with one
“Data Collection Plan” worksheet. For this activity:

 Student partner teams will select one question from the original
student-generated list of “Statistical Questions.” If there are
enough questions for each partner team to select one question,
remove that question from the board as a team selects it.
Otherwise, multiple teams can utilize the same question set.
 Students will identify the population to whom the question applies
as well as what is being measured and the variability that is
expected in the answers to the question.
 Students will determine a strategy to collect the data that is
necessary to answer their question. Advise students that they
should be specific in how they are going to get the answers to their
question but do not lead them to a specific technique.
 Student partner teams will also brainstorm how they are going to
organize their collected data.

Activity 3 is an excellent way to prepare students to discuss the concepts

of bias in data collection strategies as well as introduce data organization
techniques for quantitative data (line plots, histograms, and boxplots) and
review categorical data organization tools such as bar graphs.

Conclusion
This lesson is intended to introduce the idea of variability in data to
students through the use of carefully worded statistical questions.
Students should leave this lesson with the knowledge that a statistical
question will lead to a set of data that will have different values and will
set the stage to looking at the data set as a “distribution” which can be
described by its center, spread, and overall shape.

Statistics and Probability for Middle School Teachers: Addressing the Common Core
Professional Learning Day; February 28, 2014
 Statistical vs. Non-Statistical Questions

Cut out the questions below. Sort them on the T-chart according to whether you and your partner
agree it is a “Statistical Question” or a “Non-Statistical Question”. You must agree on where a
question belongs before you glue it down into position. Once you are finished, ask your teacher
for the answer key to check your work.

How many hours a night do you spend How many text messages do students in
on homework? our class send in one day?

What are the heights of the players on

Do you like listening to music?
the Chicago Bulls basketball team?

How many times did students in our

How many students in this class turned
class eat at fast-food restaurants in the
in their science project on time?
last month?

How many words are there in the Pledge How many hours per day do students in
of Allegiance? this class spend playing video games?

How many miles do the teachers in our

What is your favorite type of soda?
school travel to work each day?

What were the weekly cupcake sales at a What color M&M appears most often in
local bakery for the past year? 1.69 oz bags of the candy?

How many hours did you sleep last What is the favorite pizza type of 6th-
night? graders at your school?

What is the average number of words on How many times did you eat the school
a page in your math textbook? lunch last month?

Statistical Questions Student Pages 1

 Statistical vs. Non-Statistical Questions Sorting

Name: ______________________________ Partner Name: _____________________________

Statistical Questions Non-Statistical Questions

Statistical Questions Student Pages 2

 Data Collection Plan for Statistical Questions

Name: ______________________________ Partner Name: _____________________________

1. What is the statistical question you are going to ask?

2. What is the population (collection of people, animals, plants or things from

which we may collect data) to which your question is referring?

3. What is your question measuring?

4. Describe the variability that you expect in the responses to your question:

5. How are you going to collect the data?

6. How might you organize your collected data?

Statistical Questions Student Pages 3

 Statistical vs. Non-Statistical Questions
ANSWER KEY

STATISTICAL QUESTIONS NON-STATISTICAL QUESTIONS

How many text messages do students in How many hours a night do you spend
our class send in one day? on homework?

What are the heights of the players on

Do you like listening to music?
the Chicago Bulls basketball team?

How many times did students in our

How many students in this class turned
class eat at fast-food restaurants in the
in their science project on time?
last month?

How many hours per day do students in How many words are there in the Pledge
this class spend playing video games? of Allegiance?

How many miles do the teachers in our

What is your favorite type of soda?
school travel to work each day?

What were the weekly cupcake sales at a How many hours did you sleep last
local bakery for the past year? night?

What color M&M appears most often in How many times did you eat the school
1.69 oz bags of the candy? lunch last month?

What is the favorite pizza type of 6th-

graders at your school?

What is the average number of words on a page in your math textbook?

Statistical Questions Student Pages 4