Southwest Temperatures Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 5^th Grade

Time Needed: 3 class periods of 45 minutes

Materials: 

• Computer(s) with Excel Spreadsheet Program
• Internet Access
• Worksheet and Pencil for notes

Essential Content of Lesson: Students will locate the high and low temperatures from 3 different cities in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. Students will use Excel to record the data to determine the mean, median, mode, and range temperature for the southwest region.

Connection to the Standards:

2M-E3- Display and use measures of range and central tendency (e.g., mean, median, and mode)

PO1- Find the mean, median, mode and range of data using concrete and illustrative models.

3T-E2- Use a variety of technology tool for data collection and analysis.

PO1- Use technology devise(s) to collect and record data probe.

PO2- Create and use a spreadsheet to analyze data.

Instructional Objectives:

·Students will use the Internet to find the high and low temperatures from 3 different cities in 4 different states in the southwest.

·Students will use Excel to record their data to determine the mean, median, mode, and range temperatures for the southwest region.

·Students will create a graph using the Excel data.

Special Needs Students: Specific adjustments in the lesson could be made on a case-by-case basis so that the students are successful without being overwhelmed.

Introduction:

• Students have been learning about mean, median, mode, and range in math and studying the southwest in social studies. 
• Teacher will ask students what the southwest states are. Student Recorder will record responses on the whiteboard.
• Teacher will ask for specific cities from each of these states. Student Recorder will record underneath the appropriate state.
• Teacher will explain that one of the preconceptions of our region is that temperatures are similar. We are going to explore this further.

Development: Day One

• Teacher explains the task. Students will use the Internet to collect the high and low temperatures for that day in 3 different cities in 4 different states for a total of 12 cities. 
• Teacher will have students visit the Weather Channel web page to gather their data.
• Students will use worksheet to record the data as they find it.

Day Two/Three

• Teacher will review mean, median, mode, and range with students. 
• Teacher will reinforce how to enter data into the Excel spreadsheet template and how to use/enter formulas.
• When entering formulas, students will use the function button, Fx, and will use the appropriate function in the “ALL” category.
• When finding the mean, students would use the AVERAGE function, choose the appropriate cells and click ENTER.
• When finding the median, Students will use the MEDIAN function, choose the appropriate cells, and click ENTER.
• When finding mode, students will use the MODE function, choose the appropriate cells, and click ENTER.
• When finding the range, students will click in the appropriate range cell, click on the equals button, select the cell with the greatest temperature and subtract from it the cell with the lowest temperature.
• Students will enter their data collected during the previous lesson into the provided template.
• Using the graph wizard, students will create a column graph using the data inputted.
• Students will cut graph out of Excel and paste into Word document.

Closing/Assessment:Students will answer the following questions using the data and materials collected during this lesson in their word document.

Is the preconception that southwest temperatures are similar true or false? Explain your answer using examples from your data.

How did entering the data and creating a graph help you answer the previous question?

Access the Spreadsheet Template Here

Access the Worksheet Here