Looking for Relationships: Teacher Notes

Overview

In this activity students graph data involving two variables to create a visual model and determine if there is a relationship between the variables.

Important Mathematical Ideas

  • A scatter plot is a graph that attempts to show a relationship between two variables by means of points plotted on a coordinate grid.
  • Points on a scatter plot often show a pattern or trend.

Prior Knowledge

  • Characteristics of a good graph (appropriate title, labeled axes with units, uniform scale, points plotted correctly, independent variable on the horizontal axes, dependent variable on the vertical axes).
  • Plotting and interpreting points on a scatter plot.

Common Misconceptions

  • Distinguishing between the dependent and the independent variable.

Curriculum Notes

  • Creating scatter plots using the Linear Graphing Tool was introduced in Unit 2.

Information to support/ enhance/ extend learning

  • Students are asked to keep a journal for each unit in the course. It should contain notes of important mathematical ideas with examples and new vocabulary.
  • ePortfolio may be used for these journal entries.
  • Students can make individual choices whether this is a paper or digital personal resource.
  • Consider a variety of formats as alternatives to journal entries (e.g., student note, pair/share, group discussion, exit card, poster, electronic posting).
  • Develop a Word Wall and continue it throughout the unit as new vocabulary and terms arise that require clarification.

Minds On

Task 1: Number of Flowers vs. Plant Height

  • Students review interpreting points on a scatter plot
  • solutions are provided

Discussion Prompts and Notes

1)How did you match the pictures with the points?

Strategy used to match the pictures with the points

2)Which points on the scatter plot were easy to match? Explain why.

3)Which points on the scatter plot were more challenging to match? Explain why.

An explanation of which points were easy to match and which ones were difficult

Reversing the information on the axes when interpreting points

Action

Task 2: Water Park Occupants

  • Students will :
  • make predictions about the temperature and the number of people that are likely to attend a water park
  • add points to predict data for the other nine days on the scatter plot
  • answer questions about interpreting data points
  • Sample solutions are provided
  • This activity may be organized as a Think/Pair/Share followed by whole-class discussion using the questions provided

Task 3: Fast Food Calories vs. Fat

Students will:

  • examine the relationship between the number of calories and the amount of fat in fast food
  • create a scatter plot using the Linear Graphing Tool
  • the Linear Graphing Tool plots scatter plots and linear relations in the first quadrant
  • students may benefit from a review of plotting points on a Cartesian Plane by playing the Hit The Coordinate game
  • students should be informed about graphing technology in addition to the CLIPS Linear Graphing Tool (e.g., Excel, Quattro Pro, Fathom, Tinkerplots, The Geometer's Sketchpad)
  • other online apps: Shodor Interactive, Alcula
  • students using tablets and smartphones can search for free graphing apps
  • check their answer with a sample solution

Discussion Prompts and Sample Responses

1)Describe any trend you see in the data on the scatter plot. Is there a relationship between the number of calories and the amount of fat in fast food?

There seems to be a linear relationship/trend.

The greater the fat content, the higher the number of calories.

2)How does looking at the scatter plot help you understand the data better than looking at the table?

The scatter plot helps to see a trend.

Consolidation

Task 4:Math Is Fun – Scatter PlotsPractice

Students will:

  • review what a scatter plot is
  • see an example
  • answer questions
  • feedback is provided

Task 5:Assignment 2 Is There A Relationship?

  • Posted with unit.
  • See sample solution in the Teacher Notes posted on the Virtual Learning Environment (vLE).

Task 6: Student Reflection

  • Students are asked to reflect on their understanding of this topic.
  • These reflections can be used as assessment for learning to help determine next steps for individual students.

Grade 9 Applied Blended Learning: Unit 3 Activity 1 Page 1 of 3