Data Analysis. Teacher's Guide

Abstract

This document is the fifth of seven units developed by the Math Network Curriculum Project. Each unit, designed to be a 2-week module, is a teacher's guide which includes detailed directions along with the courseware and software needed. Teacher intervention in the non-computer activities that begin each unit is required, and the consistent use of small-group instruction makes the units usable in a standard classroom if two microcomputers are present. The Data Analysis Unit concentrates on drawing inferences from data, and students learn to graph data and to read graphs. They begin by collecting and analyzing data about themselves and their classmates. Then they use a computer program to analyze the same data. In a program called Cosmic Explorer, students draw conclusions about a population on a mythical planet. Printed copies of the code for Cosmic Explorer and for two other programs are included. Students use the Data Search computer program to learn to graph and analyze data. The Data Maker computer program enables students to create and edit files of data and store them on tape or go on to the Network project. Finally, the class uses the Network to analyze data about students from several other classes. The programs were developed for use on a Commodore PET Computer with at least 16K of RAM using 4.0 BASIC. (NMS)