Expected level of development
Australian Curriculum Mathematics V9: AC9M6ST02
Numeracy Progression: Interpreting and representing data: P4
At this level, students develop their statistical literacy skills and critically analyse the way statistical information is presented in the media.
Understanding statistical presentations in the media is an important skill to develop. Provide opportunities for students to analyse and judge the information they view.
Use examples of different data representations, both useful and those that misrepresent information, mislead or are inaccurate. Use questioning to prompt students to carefully analyse the statistical information and describe positive and negative points. Encourage students to consider why the statistical data – for example, statistical data represented as a graph – was used in the media, and what the data is being used to convey.
Teaching and learning summary:
- Explore the way graphs are used to display information.
- Choose appropriate graphs and justify any issues or usefulness of each type.
- Critically analyse the use of statistical data and graphs in the media.
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Teaching strategies
A collection of evidence-based teaching strategies applicable to this topic. Note we have not included an exhaustive list and acknowledge that some strategies such as differentiation apply to all topics. The selected teaching strategies are suggested as particularly relevant, however you may decide to include other strategies as well.
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Explicit teaching
Explicit teaching is about making the learning intentions and success criteria clear, with the teacher using examples and working though problems, setting relevant learning tasks and checking student understanding and providing feedback.
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Questioning
A culture of questioning should be encouraged and students should be comfortable to ask for clarification when they do not understand.
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Multiple exposures
Providing students with multiple opportunities within different contexts to practise skills and apply concepts allows them to consolidate and deepen their understanding.
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Mathematics investigation
By giving students meaningful problems to solve they are engaged and can apply their learning, thereby deepening their understanding.
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Teaching resources
A range of resources to support you to build your student's understanding of these concepts, their skills and procedures. The resources incorporate a variety of teaching strategies.
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Advertising claims
This is a level 4 statistics activity from the Figure It Out series. It is focused on critiquing the statistics used in advertising claims. A PDF of the student activity is included.
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Data distortion
This is a level 3 statistics activity from the Figure It Out series. It is focused on critiquing and improving graphs. A PDF of the student activity is included.
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Dinner time ads
This is a level 3 statistics activity from the Figure It Out series. It is focused on constructing a tally chart, constructing a bar graph, describing the features of a data set and writing investigative questions. A PDF of the student activity is included.
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