Grade 7 – Mathematics: Data Analysis and Circle Graphs

Overview

Students construct, label, and interpret circle graphs to solve problems.

Activate

Class brainstorms examples of data analyses that would result in data suitable for circle graph display. [Plan and Question] Student pairs search for websites for examples of circle graphs. Class determines attributes of circle graphs and constructs assessment criteria. [Gather and Make Sense, Produce to Show Understanding]

Suggestions for Assessment:
To determine which students need differentiation and/or appropriate scaffolding, observe if students realize that examples for circle graphs must involve data that is considered as a part of a whole. Throughout grade 7 data analysis, use the Focused Observation Form to focus on students' growing competence as they construct circle graphs with a title, label or legend and that the data are reported as a percent of the total and the sum of the percents is equal to 100%.

Acquire

Using data from the Statcan website, Population by Aboriginal Group (Provinces and Territories), students convert data to %. Students make circle graphs showing % [Produce to Show Understanding]. Student pairs interpret the graph to answer questions.

Teacher Tip:
Census data collection must take into account difficulty of surveying due to geographic isolation, hesitancy to declare ethnic origin, language barriers, clarity of question, etc. In the 1981 Census, respondents with Aboriginal origins were to mark in status or registered Indian, non-status Indian, Métis, or Inuit. In 1986 and 1991, Aboriginal respondents were asked to indicate North American Indian, Métis, or Inuit by checking the appropriate mark-in circles. In 2001 and 1996, "Métis" and "Inuit" again appeared in the ethnic origin question, while "North American Indian" was replaced by the examples "Cree" and "Micmac". The 2006 census question will read as follows, with the person specifying as many origins as applicable; What were the ethnic or cultural origins of this person's ancestors?
An ancestor is usually more distant than a grandparent. For example, Canadian, English, French, Chinese, Italian, German, Scottish, East Indian, Irish, Cree, Mi'kmaq (Micmac), Métis, Inuit (Eskimo), Ukrainian, Dutch, Filipino, Polish, Portuguese, Jewish, Greek, Jamaican, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Chilean, Salvadoran, Somali, etc.

Support File:
Aboriginal Statistics

Suggestions for Assessment:
Record Focused Observations: Determine if students construct a circle graph with a title, label or legend and that the data is reported as a percent of the total and the sum of the percents is equal to 100%. Record also if students' are interpreting correctly from the circle graph.
Peer Assessment: Have students peer-assess the graphs using the Met/Not Yet with the criteria set in Constructing Student-Generated Criteria for Quality Work.

Apply

Student groups develop and implement a plan for the collection, circle-graph display, and analysis of culturally-related data. [Plan and Question, Produce to Show Understanding]

Teacher Tip:
Examples of investigations may be a survey of ethnic origin or a survey of class' vs. cultural group's favourite sport or favourite celebration food. The meaning of ethnicity is complicated and a common understanding should be established before surveying. In Stats Canada census, as a result of changing immigration patterns and increasing diversity in Canada, modifications are made to the specific ethnic groups and categories captured each census.

Suggestions for Assessment:
Summative strategies such as this one have many possible tagged outcomes. Target assessment on only a few of the criteria/goals such as the ones that were not addressed in your focused observations