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Level One > Statistics

Christmas Tree

Keywords:
Achievement Objectives:

Achievement Objective: Conduct investigations using the statistical enquiry cycle: posing and answering questions; gathering, sorting and counting, and displaying category data; discussing the results.

Specific Learning Outcomes: 

Sort objects into categories and display the results

Count the objects in a category

Devise and use problem solving strategies to explore situations mathematically (use equipment).

Description of mathematics: 

This problem involves sorting objects into categories and then counting them. This experience is the foundation for displaying data in pictograms.

Required Resource Materials: 
Christmas decorations
Copymaster of the problem (English)
Copymaster of the problem (Māori)
Activity: 

Problem

Mum wants to know which decorations she has the most of.  Can you help her sort them out?

ChirstmasTree.

Teaching sequence

  1. Display a box of Christmas decorations (limit to 4 types with fewer than 10 of each). Ask the students for ideas on sorting the decorations so that they could tell someone what was in the box.
  2. Sort the decorations into types.
  3. Discuss the results.
  4. Share ideas for displaying the results – eg as a real object "graph"
  5. Pose the problem for the students to work on. As they work they may choose to cut out the objects to form groups or they may redraw them.
    How are you sorting the decorations?
    How many bells are there?
    Which decoration are there the most of?
  6. Share solutions.

Extension to the problem

Make a picture graph of the Christmas tree decorations.

Solution

There are many ways of displaying the decorations to answer Mum's question. As this problem develops the skills required for graphing the students may decide to cut out the shapes and put them into columns for comparison.

ChristmasTreeAns.

AttachmentSize
Christmas.pdf37.81 KB
ChristmasMaori.pdf52.78 KB

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