Liberal Studies Lesson Plan for LS 4000/4001

I. Academic Content Standards

Math Practices:
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantatively.
4. Model with mathematics.
II. Unit of Study
The unit of study for this lesson is math specifically probability and statistics.
III. Academic Learning Outcomes
1. TLW learn the difference between median, mean, and mode.
2. TLW apply their learning to another collection of data.
IV. Implementation
1. Introduction to Lesson (Hook)
Hello class! Today we will be learning about probability. Does anyone know what
probability is? After I will call on a few hands and echo what they tell me, if no ones knows then
I will tell them. We have been practicing collecting and graphing data these past week and now
we will learn to analyze the data. Can anyone tell me what it means to analyze data? Again I will
call on a few students and if no one knows then I will explain it. Im sure you have all noticed
when coming in the packets of candy sitting at each of your desks that is apart of todays lesson.
We will be analyzing our candy data and at the end of the activity you will get to keep your
candy to take home with you!
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2. Sequence of Activities
TLW meet on the carpet at the beginning for instruction on the lesson so they do not get
distracted by the candy on their desks. TTW model the process TLW use to calculate and
record the median, mean, and mode to the class for their candy using a smartboard. TTW
write the meanings as well as an example for mean, median, and mode to keep on the
board throughout the activity for students to refer to.
TTW have students using a whiteboard during instruction to practice each calculation for
the instructor to see.
Once the learner feels comfortable doing these calculations they may go back to their
seats to practice doing it on their own. As the group gets smaller TTW go around the
group to work with students individually to see what they are having problems with.
TLW will count and organize the number of pieces of candy in their packs by color.
Then use that data to find the mean, which is the average number of pieces of candy of
each color. After comes the median, or the middle number. Last is the mode, which is the
number that occurs most frequently.
TLW each have an iPad to practice graphing their data using an online Create-A-Graph
tool, which we have used before.
TLW have a worksheet where they record their data on and first comes their individual
data.

8. After they will find a partner to record their data together.

9. Next, they will find another partnership to make a group of 4 to collect data for the whole
group.
10. The students will continue this pattern until half the class has been split up into 2 groups.
11. TTW will have students come back together to ask students to go up to the board to
demonstrate their strategies for finding the mean, median, and mode.
12. TLW decide as a class their favorite strategy to use to find each for the whole class.
3. Closure
13. TTW have students discuss with their partner from before what they learned today as
well as what they found most challenging about the activity and what they did to
persevere through the challenge.
14. TTW ask students to volunteer to share what they talked about in their discussion to see if
their peers had similar difficulties.
Grouping Strategies

Whole

As a class we will go over the results of the median, mean, and mode for our whole class
as well as having students discuss some of their answers. We will also have a debrief time
when I ask the students about how they liked the lesson and the level of difficulty it was
for them.

Small

In partners and then small groups they will find the median, mean and mode together
helping to have students collaborate together to find a common answer. During this time I
will go around the classroom to observe student learning while they work in small
groups. They will also discuss in partners at the end what they learned and what they
found challenging.

Independent

Students will independently work to find the median, mean, and mode of their candy
before collaborating with the other students. They will also work on the iPad individually
to graph their data.
Differentiated Instruction
For students who are English language learners I will pre-teach the lesson in a small group
earlier in the day. During this time I will especially focus on the definition of the terms and
examples of each. I will also give them the worksheet during the lesson so they can see what
they will be working on ahead of time. For my struggling students I think it would be beneficial
for them to receive the worksheet ahead of time as well and I would review previous data
collecting skills. For both groups I will monitor who their partner is at the beginning of the
activity to ensure the students are best matched together.
V. Assessment
1. TTW observe and work with the students working in their partnerships and small groups
to see if they are understanding the information and the difference between each term.
TLW also turn in a worksheet that shows their work and their answers from the activity.

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2.

TLW use an iPad to graph their data in order to apply their learning in other ways. TTW
be able to view their graphs and will check them once completed during the activity in
order to check in with the individual student about how theyre doing as well.

VI. Materials
Candy- gummy bears, 8 in each bag for one student
Counting candy colors worksheet
Ipads for each student
Whiteboard and whiteboard marker
VII. References
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp293-02.shtml

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