Ashley Lawson

NC School Report Card What is a typical school grade?

Mathematics Learning Objectives:
1. Students will be able to interpret a mean, median, standard deviation, IQR in context.
2. Students will be able to sketch a box plot.
3. Students will be able to explain the relationship between a dot plot and a box plot.
4. Students will be able to identify the Q1, Q3, IQR, and median on a box plot.
5. Students will be able to calculate the IQR.
6. Students will be able to compare subsets of data.

Language Objectives:
1. Students will be able to define the Q1, Q3, IQR, and median on a box plot.
2. Students will be able to express what a Q1, Q3, IQR, and median mean in context.
3. Students will be able to discuss the relationship between a dot plot and a box plot.
4. Students will be able to defend (and express) their conclusions about data based on their models.

Essential Questions:
What is the relationship between a box plot and a dot plot?
How can we use measures of center and spread to describe the NC School Performance Grades?
How can we use measures of center and spread to compare subsets of the NC School Performance Grades?

North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Mathematics Standards:

1. NC.M1.S-ID.1 Use technology to represent data with plots on the real number line (histograms, and box
plots).
2. NC.M1.S-ID.2 Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median,
mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets. Interpret
differences in shape, center, and spread in the context of the data sets.
3. NC.M1.S-ID.3 Examine the effects of extreme data points (outliers) on shape, center, and/or spread

Common Core State Mathematical Practice Standards:

1. CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
3. CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

Materials:
Warm-Up Google Form: Form Data Explanation sheet: Definitions
Google Slides: Slides Student Website for links & materials:
CODAP File: http://tinyurl.com/y7kwpetg www.building4tomorrow.weebly.com/minions

Notes to the reader:

The first day of the lesson we covered mean, median, and standard deviation using this same data. We used
CODAP to find a modal cluster, justify our reasoning, and extrapolate to the concept of the standard deviation.
We also established the concept of the mean and the median as measures of center or balance points. We
walked through choosing these features using the modal cluster they identified.
For homework, students had the opportunity to explore how a mean changes when given points are made more
extreme. They explored that the median does not change when points are made more extreme.
We reviewed some of the definitions for each column yesterday. We also explained that some of these
definitions are not of importance yet. We will go into further detail when we start talking about bivariate data.

Detailed Plan for Instructional Time

Time: 90 minutes
Time What is the teacher doing? (Be sure to include
questions the teacher will ask and academic
language supports and details of technologies or
other materials used)
5-7 Warm-up: Show the first slide: Find the mean,
mins median, and standard deviation for the School
Performance Grade Score from the NC Report
Card Data from yesterday. Explain in Google
Forms.
CODAP File
Questions they answer:
1. What is the mean? What is the median? What do
they mean in CONTEXT?
2. What Letter Grade would the mean receive if
you round up to a whole number using the
following scale: A=85-100, B=70-84, C=55-69,
D=40-54, F=less than 40.
3. What Letter Grade would the median receive
using the following scale: A=85-100, B=70-84,
C=55-69, D=40-54, F=less than 40.
4. What is the standard deviation? What does it
mean in CONTEXT?
***This in a Google form because I want to be able
to quickly see that students do understand what we
covered yesterday in case we need to go over
something again.
***I can also review this by selecting a students
response and sharing that on the screen.
5-7 Review: Select one student who had a great
mins submission that seemed to really understand the
concepts. Have them explain their answers and
what they were thinking.
Teacher can add anything while the student is
explaining. Initial thoughts are here:
Mean: 69.51
Median: 69
1st Standard Deviation: 13.21
What are students doing? If they are
interacting with a technology tool or other
materials, please describe.
Students will be working individually at first and
then can compare with their table mates (they
should know where to sit since these are assigned
every unit).
Students are opening the CODAP file, linked on
my website and then finding the mean, median, and
standard deviation. They must explain it in context.
Using CODAP they will plot the School
Performance Grade Scores by dragging it to the
graph. They will use the ruler to select the mean
and median. They will work explain what this
means in context.
If students do not remember what a mean, median,
or standard deviation is, they may struggle. They
will work with their tablemates to review what that
means if necessary.
It is likely that students will struggle with
interpreting the standard deviation. Remind them
about the normal distribution and what percentage
this might fall into.
CODAP should give the following results:
Mean: 69.51
Median: 69
1st Standard Deviation: 13.21
Context: Mean this is total sum of the scores
divided by the total number of scores. This gives
the typical score for the school performance
scores. The typical school has a grade of a lower B.
Median this is the middle value for the scores,
this is not affected by the outliers. The typical
school has a grade of an upper C.
Standard deviation 68% of schools fall within
13.21 points from both sides of the mean. So, 68%
of schools scored between 56.3 and 82.72. Thus,
68% of schools fall between
Students will close the Google Form once they
submit since they do not need it right now. They
will be copied on their response later with some
detailed feedback as to what they had to say. Initial
feedback is given during the Review section so
they can determine if their ideas were correct
compared to a peer.
Students should be listening to their peer and be
ready to ask any questions.
 Context: Mean this is total sum of the scores
divided by the total number of scores. This gives
the typical score for the school performance
scores. The typical school has a grade of a lower B.
Median this is the middle value for the scores,
this is not affected by the outliers. The typical
school has a grade of an upper C.
Standard deviation 68% of schools fall within
13.21 points from both sides of the mean. So, 68%
of schools scored between 56.3 and 82.72. Thus,
68% of schools fall between
5 Launch: We explored some information about the
mins NC Report Cards yesterday when we looked at our
school data and looked through the table in
CODAP. We calculated the mean, median, and
standard deviation for these School Performance
Scores and we talked about that it was calculated
using (0.8)*School Achievement + (0.2)*Growth.
What are other ways that we can describe the
School Performance Scores? Would you always
want to use a dot plot? Do we always need to see
the individual dots for each school? Were going to
learn about a new way that we can describe this
data.
Put the slide up with the information on adding a
box plot.
45-50 Activity: Have students follow along to answer the
mins individual questions for this activity on Poll
Everywhere. Students will add the boxplot to their
dot plot using the ruler. Demonstrate this activity
on the board so they know what it should look like.
Q1: What do you think the + indicates?
Students will send in responses. Have students
include their names on the post so you can see
these later. Walk around and listen to students.
Pose the deeper understanding question and take
notes about what they are struggling to understand
or great ideas so you can bring it up in the group
discussion. During discussion if the students made
any great comments on the poll make sure to point
them out and have them explain further.
Pose this question for deeper understanding:
How are the scores for dots with + above them
different from the scores of other dots?
Define an outlier as a point that lies an abnormally
large distance from the other values. Outliers can
Students will listen when the teacher adds
information and should follow along on CODAP if
the teacher is using CODAP.
Have students leave their CODAP file open with
the mean, median, and standard deviation still
selected.
Students will listen and think about potential
different models.
They may answer some of the questions posed.
Some responses might include drawing it
differently (since we havent learned about
histograms yet). They may argue that we dont
always want to use a dot plot because sometimes
we want to see the whole group data and not the
individual data in comparison.
Students will work in pairs at their table. These
tables were assigned when we started the unit.
Tables were decided by who would work well
together and learn from one another. They were
also sat next to someone who would work well as a
partner. (If someone is absent, have them work
with the whole table or find another partner
depending on student attendance that day.)
Q1: Students will pose ideas. They can discuss
with their partner and then the table. They will
submit responses as a pair. They must include their
names on the post.
Student Reponses: Students may suggest that it is
the lowest values (since there are no upper
outliers). Students will not guess that it is an outlier
since we have not learned the vocabulary yet.
Students may say that they are much lower than the
other values. Students may struggle to answer Q1
without the extra question.
be above or below the data. In our example, we A student will write the definition of an outlier on
have 2 outliers below the rest of our data. But we the board using the help of their classmates.
could have had outliers that were above the rest of
our data.
After defining an outlier, have a student write the
definition of an outlier on the board. The class can
help them and you can help them, but it must be the
all the students understanding of an outlier. (We
will examine this further tomorrow when we look
at box plots a little more and practice some skills.
We will define how to calculate one tomorrow.)
Q2: Click the line to the left of the box (this is Q2: Students will see that some of the dots light up
called a whisker). What happened? What do you as blue when they click on the left whisker. They
think this represents? may see that the whisker is over all the dots that
Walk around and listen to student thinking. Make turn blue. They may think that the whisker
notes to bring up during whole class discussion. represents these dots. Students may guess that it
During discussion if the students made any great covers the bottom 25% of data, but I doubt it. They
comments on the poll make sure to point them out may suggest that it covers the bottom portion of the
and have them explain further. data.

Explain that Q1 is the middle value of the first half Students should answer 25% or half of 50%.
of the data on the dot plot. Ask students if it is the
middle value for the first 50% of our data, what Students should help their classmate define Q1 on
does value does Q1 represent? Thus, Q1 represents the board.
the value of the point at 25% of the data. Point out
that the bottom line of the box represents the Q1.
Explain that the Q represents the word quartile
which is like quarter which means or 25%.
Have a student write the definition of Q1 up on the
board with the help of classmates as before.

Explain that the left whisker is a line that goes from Students should help their classmate define the left
the minimum value for the data (outliers may be whisker on the board.
lower, but we establish where the whisker ends as
the minimum point) to the Q1 (value for 25% of the
data). So, the left whisker represents the bottom
25% of data.
Have a student write the definition of the left
whisker on the board with the help of classmates.

Q3: Click on the right whisker (line to the right
of the box). What happens? What do you think
this represents?
Walk around and listen to student thinking. Make
notes to bring up during whole class discussion.
During discussion if the students made any great
comments on the poll make sure to point them out
and have them explain further.
Q3: Students may guess that it represents the upper
25% of data since we just covered the left whisker.
Students may also note that when they click on the
right whisker, the dots with that line also turn blue.
They may guess that the line at the end of the box
is Q2 since we just did Q1.

Explain that this is called the Q3 (and I will explain Students may say this is the upper 25% mark or
why in a minute). The Q3 is the middle value of the something of the like. A few students may guess
second half of the data on the dot plot. Ask students
if it is the middle value for the second 50% of our
data, what does value does Q3 represent? Thus, Q3
represents the value of the point at 75% of the data.
Point out that the upper line of the box represents
the Q3. What does Q represent?
Have a student write the definition of Q3 up on the
board with the help of classmates as before.
Explain that the right whisker is a line that goes
from the Q3 (value for 75% of the data) to the
maximum value for the data. So, the right whisker
represents the upper 25% of data.
Have a student write the definition of the right
whisker on the board with the help of classmates.
Q4: Where is the middle box located in
relation to the Standard Deviation? What do
you think the box covers?
Walk around and take notes for the group
discussion. During discussion if the students made
any great comments on the poll make sure to point
them out and have them explain further.
Ask students, if the left whisker represents the
bottom 25% of data and the right whisker
represents the upper 25% of data, what could the
box represent?
Explain that the box does cover the middle 50% of
data. Also, explain that the box goes from Q1 to
Q3, so we now have an interquartile range. Since
we know that the Q represents the word quartile
which means quarter, and we know what a range is,
what do you think the interquartile range means?
What is a range? Explain that we call the
interquartile range the IQR for shorthand.
Have a student right the definition of the IQR with
the help of classmates and what the middle box
represents.
Q5: Remove the median from the plot using the
ruler. What do you notice about the box?
Walk around and take notes for the group
discussion. During discussion if the students made
any great comments on the poll make sure to point
them out and have them explain further.
Explain that we also call the median Q2 because it
divides the box into sections of 25% as well.
Once students realize that there is a line in the box
for the median, ask them why we would want to
that it represents the value of the point at 75% of
the data.
Students should say Quartile or Quarter.
Students should help their classmate define Q3 on
the board.
Students should help their classmate define the
right whisker on the board.
Q4: Students may note that the box is located
within the boundaries for the standard deviation.
Since they know that the first standard deviation
represents the middle 68% of data, they may guess
that the box represents a smaller percentage than
68%. They may struggle to guess what it covers.
With the extra question, students might calculate
that the box represents the middle 50% of data.
Students will share definitions of a range that it is
the maximum value minus the minimum value.
Eventually as a class they will work through and
get that the IQR is the Q3 Q1.
Students should help their classmate define the IQR
and the middle box on the board.
Q5: Students may notice that there is a line in the
middle of the box where the line they had for the
median was. Eventually as a class they would
explain that the line in the middle of the box
represents the median.
Students will realize that the mean is dependent
upon extreme values of the data (or outliers) and
the median is not because it is the middle value.
 use a median over a mean? Ask about what did
your homework explain?
Jump in and throw in statistics vocabulary as we
work through this understanding of the mean and
median.

Ask since we have a standard deviation for the
mean, do you think there is something similar for
the median? What do you think it could be? It
needs to be something that could explain the spread
of our data.
15-25 Subsets of Data: Do you think that there are
mins differences in the measures of center or measures
of spread for the School Performance Score for
schools that did not meet, met, or exceeded growth
expectations?
Explain that students need to come up with a way
to present their argument. They can present their
argument on a Google Slide, a Piktochart (which
weve used before), or another app they would like
to use. However, they must be able to explain it to
their peers the next day for discussion.
Ask them to explain the data in context. They may
need to identify different points. Explain that the
definitions that we wrote on the board may be
useful to them.
Eventually as a class they will get the IQR is a
measure of spread when using the median as the
measure of center.
Students will explore this with their partners.
Students will separate the data by growth. They
may drag it onto the graph as a legend which may
make determining centers and spread difficult.
They may also drag it on the y-axis to sort the data
into 3 rows where they can then create individual
box plots for each growth level.
They will work in pairs to create a presentation
of their findings using Google slides, Piktochart, or
other conveyance tools as long as the teacher
approves of them. They will need to include
pictures of their graphs and they will need to write
explanations or justifications. They need to explain
the reasoning they used for their claim.

Ask them questions to get them thinking. Do the

mean and median differ by very much on any of
these three plots? Are the means and medians very
different between the different growth statuses? Do
any of these have a larger spread? What statement
can you make about the relationship between
growth status and School Performance Grade
Scores?
Answer any questions students have.
5 Homework: Explain that they will have a
mins homework that is on my website. They will
practice with creating a box plot, finding the Q1,
Q2 (median), Q3, and IQR. They also must explain
each of these in context.
***Note: We may not get to this section. If
students need to spend more time on the first
activity, this will be bumped to the next day. I have
this section in case we develop a really strong grasp
on box plots and have time to compare data. I do
not want to run out of learning activities.
Students will turn in this assignment. They can
answer it in a Word Document and submit it online
or they can ask for a printed copy to turn in the
next day (since some students may not have
computer access).

Notes about Unit:

In the notes to the reader one can find what we covered previously. Throughout the unit we will continue to use
this data set. We will create histograms using this data after this lesson has ended. We will then build on this to
find if there are relationships between a higher School Performance Grade Score and other features such as
funding, racial diversity, teacher education, and the percentage of economically disadvantaged students to teach
the least squares regression line and explain bivariate data. Students will complete a project at the end of this
unit with the motivating question, what makes a school good? They will explain these relationships. They will
also discuss if they think the School Report Cards have a good method for scoring or if other factors should
be considered or even a different formula.

References
Data on how School Performance Grades are calculated:
NC Department of Pubic Instruction, Communication and Information Services Division, (2015). 2014 Ready
accountability background brief supplement: North Carolina school performance grades. Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability/reporting/spgbckgrndpack15.pdf

Data from: https://www.kaggle.com/lazyjustin/ncschools/data

Homework taken exactly and shortened from:

http://www.troup.org/userfiles/929/My%20Files/MS%20Math/7%20Math/7%20Unit%205/Concept%202/Box
%20and%20Whiskers%20Worksheet%201.doc?id=13185

Appendix
Pictures of what work may look like:
Homework

Box & Whisker Worksheet

For questions 1 6, refer to the box & whisker graph below which shows the test results of a
math class.

Test Scores (as %) for 6th Period

38 72 88 96 102

________ 1. What was the high score on the test?

________ 2. What percent of the class scored above a 72?

________ 3. What was the median score on the test?

________ 4. What percent of the class scored between 88 & 96?

5. Do you think that this test was too hard for the students? Explain.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6. Would you expect the mean to be above or below the median? Explain.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
For questions 7 15, refer to the following data that shows the total number of points scored in
each of the rose bowls from 1970 until 2006.

Year Total Year Total Year Total Year Total

Points Points Points Points
1970 13 1980 33 1990 27 2000 26
1971 44 1981 29 1991 60 2001 58
1972 25 1982 28 1992 48 2002 51
1973 59 1983 38 1993 69 2003 48
1974 63 1984 54 1994 37 2004 42
1975 35 1985 37 1995 58 2005 75
1976 33 1986 73 1996 73 2006 79
1977 20 1987 37 1997 37 2007 50
1978 47 1988 37 1998 37
1979 27 1989 36 1999 69

7. Make a box & whisker graph for the total points scored in each decade. Make sure your 4
graphs are drawn with the same scale so you can compare them. You may draw them or
create them using software.
Refer to your box & whisker graphs to answer the following questions.

________ 8. In which decade is the total points scored the most consistent?

________ 9. In which decade is the total points scored the most diverse?

________ 10. In which decade is the largest number of total points scored?

________ 11. In which decade is the 3rd quartile the highest?

________ 12. In which decade is the median the highest?

________ 13. In which decade is the 1st quartile the highest?

________ 14. In which decade is the outlier the most dramatic? Explain.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

15. What is the general trend that your 4 box & whisker graphs reveal?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
 KEY
Box & Whisker Worksheet
For questions 1 6, refer to the box & whisker graph below which shows the test results of a
math class.

Test Scores (as %) for 6th Period

38 72 88 96 102

1. What was the high score on the test? 102

2. What percent of the class scored above a 72? 75%

3. What was the median score on the test? 88

4. What percent of the class scored between 88 & 96? 25%

5. Do you think that this test was too hard for the students? Explain.
Varies. Look for discussion of minimum, spread (IQR), median, and max.

6. Would you expect the mean to be above or below the median? Explain.
Smaller. Discuss the outlier.
For questions 7 15, refer to the following data that shows the total number of points scored in
each of the rose bowls from 1970 until 2006.

Year Total Year Total Year Total Year Total

Points Points Points Points
1970 13 1980 33 1990 27 2000 26
1971 44 1981 29 1991 60 2001 58
1972 25 1982 28 1992 48 2002 51
1973 59 1983 38 1993 69 2003 48
1974 63 1984 54 1994 37 2004 42
1975 35 1985 37 1995 58 2005 75
1976 33 1986 73 1996 73 2006 79
1977 20 1987 37 1997 37 2007 50
1978 47 1988 37 1998 37
1979 27 1989 36 1999 69

7. Make a box & whisker graph for the total points scored in each decade. Make sure your 4
graphs are drawn with the same scale so you can compare them. You may draw them or
create them using software.
Refer to your box & whisker graphs to answer the following questions.

8. In which decade is the total points scored the most consistent? 1980s

9. In which decade is the total points scored the most diverse? 1990s

10. In which decade is the largest number of total points scored? 2000s

11. In which decade is the 3rd quartile the highest? 2000s

12. In which decade is the median the highest? 1990s

13. In which decade is the 1st quartile the highest? 2000s

14. In which decade is the outlier the most dramatic? Explain. 1980s
Outlier is much larger than other values. Varies.

15. What is the general trend that your 4 box & whisker graphs reveal?
Any true trend that is justified. (ex. Scores increasing overtime, Q1 increasing over time,
median mostly increasing, Q3 mostly increasing.)