Planning and Conducting Statistical Investigations

Learning goal

Students define a statistical question and population, choose sampling and measurement methods, clean data, select displays, compare distributions and report findings with limitations.

Success criteria

• I can represent or identify the concept.
• I can explain the underlying relationship.
• I can select an appropriate strategy or feature.
• I can apply it in a new context.
• I can justify and verify the response.

Teaching routine

1. Represent
2. Reason
3. Calculate
4. Interpret
5. Verify

Use a complete investigation cycle

Use the visual model first. Ask students to identify the quantities, structure or conditions before calculating or explaining.

Plan sampling and data quality

Connect the central relationship to a new context, then verify the conclusion with a second representation, estimate, inverse operation or reasonableness check.

AC9M6ST03: plan and conduct statistical investigations by posing and refining questions or identifying a problem and collecting relevant data; analyse and interpret the data and communicate findings within the context of the investigation

• E1: selecting and using appropriate peripherals; for example, using a scientific probe to collect data about changing soil moisture for plants, interpreting the data and sharing the results as a digital chart
• E2: using a spreadsheet to record and analyse data, recognising the difference between cell formats in spreadsheets; for example, changing the default general format to numerical, text or date as needed
• E3: investigating the daily water usage by a student in the home compared to the World Health Organization claim of 50 litres of clean water allocated per person per day
• E4: collecting sample sets of “discrete numerical data”; for example, the number of cars or pets in a household, where the class is surveyed, then other classes are surveyed, and data is analysed and compared, discussing findings
• E5: collecting ordinal categorical data through the use of a survey; for example, surveying each member of the class where they are asked to indicate their preference on a five-point scale for a particular graphic and colour combination of a proposed school logo
• E6: collecting ordinal data for ranking nominees for school captain with respect to several criteria, contrasting the use of a five-point scale compared with using a four-point scale

Use the central and application models above to connect each elaboration to the same underlying concept.

Check understanding

• Write a statistical question.
• Define population/sample.
• Choose variable type.
• Plan a display.
• State a limitation.

Evidence of mastery

• Represent or identify the concept
• Explain the underlying relationship
• Select an appropriate strategy or feature
• Apply it in a new context
• Justify and verify the response

Decision: continue when students can explain the model, apply it to a new example and justify their check. Otherwise return to the central model and reduce the numerical or representational load.

Australian Curriculum v9.0

AC9M6ST03: plan and conduct statistical investigations by posing questions, collecting or accessing data, selecting and creating displays and interpreting results in context

The Australian Curriculum code and wording are exact. International teachers can use the underlying mathematical concept while matching the lesson to their local grade or year outcomes.

• Australian Curriculum Version 9.0
• NSW Curriculum
• Victorian Curriculum F–10