Derrick McCann and Connor Johnson

Intro to ‘Standard Deviation’ and Its Uses.

Mathematics Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to define ‘standard deviation’. Students will also be able to analyze
standard deviation in context to a sample distribution. Students will be able to estimate
proportions of a population based on the understanding the 65-95-99.7 rule. Finally, students will
also be able to calculate standard deviation from a given formula.

Language Objectives:
Students will make the connection between standard deviations and the distribution of a sample.
Students will explain the uses of standard deviation in comparison to the 65-95-99.7 rule, and
how that rule relates to sample proportions. Students will lastly be able to compare and contrast
the differences between standard deviation and general range.

Essential Question:
What rules or tools can we use to draw inferences about a standard deviation and spread of a
sample?

Common Core State Mathematics Standards:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.A.4
Use the mean and standard deviation of a data set to fit it to a normal distribution and to estimate
population percentages. Recognize that there are data sets for which such a procedure is not
appropriate. Use calculators, spreadsheets, and tables to estimate areas under the normal curve.
We will be looking primarily at this portion of this standard in this lesson “Use the mean and
standard deviation of a data set to fit it to a normal distribution”, with the other parts coming in
subsequent lessons.

Materials:
● Powerpoint for Notes
○ https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1tIRXhc5mm942uk0TeUHOSAPj
Bw_WbmjXH__5Hm1nhuQ/edit?usp=sharing
● Graphing Calculators for calculations
● Laptops
● Cell Phones to answer Google Survey
○ Google Survey
○ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUhwFjGyhtqtE8skdecn76i
D1lDLScfA-I62Yv1bRqIItAmw/viewform?usp=pp_url
 ● Google Sheets with responses from survey
○ https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15yk8L1fcOFUxG5HqyXe6zU7t
D3X7Bu3yjCbdzTY9h3Y/edit?usp=sharing
● StatKey
○ http://www.lock5stat.com/StatKey/descriptive_1_quant/descriptive_1_qua
nt.html
● Padlet
○ https://padlet.com/cbjohn15/Mcjs6zgkmxq4
● Projector/SMART Board

Notes to the reader:

You as the teacher should have already covered how to find the mean of your data set, and what
is a normal distribution. You should also give the students the survey ahead of time, so that they
can fill it out the night or class before the lesson as homework. The lesson that would follow this
one would be an introduction to Z scores using mean and standard deviation, which would then
lead into calculating proportions of a distribution.

Detailed Plan for Instructional Time

Time: 50 minutes

Time What is the teacher doing? What are students doing? If

(Be sure to include they are interacting with a
questions the teacher will technology tool or other
ask and academic language materials, please describe.
supports and details of
technologies or other
materials used)

5 minutes Checking completion of Students are sitting down and

survey, taking attendance, and getting organized. They are
getting organized. then completing the warm-up.
(Technology: Projector) (Technology: Google Survey
from previous night)

3 minutes Reviewing the warm-up Comparing their answers with

activity with the students. Ask the teachers review of the
students how they felt with warm-up activity.
the warm-up.
(Projector)
 15 minutes Introducing students to new Taking notes on new material
material with the use of with paper and pencil.
created normal distribution.
(Google Slides)

2 minutes Have students log on to Students listen intently to

Padelt via a class website and instructions and get out their
answer questions on Padlet in laptops to go to Moodle.
groups about the data from (Laptops)
google sheets and StatKey.
(Projector, Google Slides,
StatKey)

15 minutes Teacher is roaming the room, Students work in groups

answering questions where (assigned by each table) to
needed. complete the questions on
Padlet while also recording
their answers as comments.
(Laptops, StatKey, Google
Sheets, Padlet)

10 minutes Teacher reviews answers the Students write down in their

class found, and also works notes the overall class
through their own answers. responses to the ending
(Projector, Google Slides, prompts based on the Padelt
StatKey) responses.

Materials:
All materials are listed above under technology, with answers to the Padelt activity as comments
under each group section. Data is created from assumptions with random assignment and is
provided as an example. It is not actual data. Specific questions or prompts that a teacher should
address are listed in the powerpoint and as comments in Padlet.
StatKey sample Statistics worked out:
Heights:

Water:

Sleep: