Year 6 Mathematics · AC9M6ST03

Planning and Conducting Statistical Investigations

Pose questions, collect representative data and communicate justified findings

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Learning goalsSay it simply

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
Curriculum focus: plan and conduct statistical investigations by posing questions, collecting or accessing data, selecting and creating displays and interpreting results in context
Key conceptTeach from the board

Use a complete investigation cycle

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

1pose statistical question
2define population/variables
3plan sample/method
4collect and clean
5represent
6analyse
7conclude
8evaluate and communicate

The question determines the data and display. A strong conclusion is proportionate to the sample and method.

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.

decisionquality questionpopulationWho or what is the conclusion about?sampleHow can selection be fair and practical?variableCategorical, discrete or continuous?measurementUnit, precision and consistency?cleaningDuplicates, missing values, categories?reportFinding, uncertainty and limitation?

Digital tools support collection and analysis, but they cannot repair a leading question or biased sample automatically.

Clean visual examplesOne-page board

Clean one-page examples

AC9M6ST03 - Planning and Conducting Statistical Investigations
Example 1

1 pose statistical question

Example 2

decision quality question population Who or what is the conclusion about? sample How can selection be fair and practical? variable Categorical, discrete or continuous? measurement Unit, precision and consistency? cleaning Duplicates, missing values, categories? report Finding, uncertainty and limitation?

Example 3

: 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

Example 4

: 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

Curriculum examplesCopied content

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.

Questions and answersWith answers

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.

Practice and reviewReady for practice
Question has one fixed answerStatistical questions expect variability.
Convenience sample generalised broadlyState selection limitations.
Data cleaned by changing inconvenient valuesCorrect only documented errors.
Conclusion written before analysisLet evidence guide it.
Curriculum alignmentStart here

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