MYP unit planner
Unit title
Charting the Circle of Life (Statistics)
Teacher(s)
Louise Barco, George Ealy, Tracy Czudak, Jeff Green, Debbie Gerritz
Subject and grade level
Mathematics Level 2
Time frame and duration
6 weeks
Stage 1: Integrate significant concept, area of interaction and unit
question
Area of interaction focus
Significant concept(s)
Which area of interaction will be our focus?
Why have we chosen this?
What are the big ideas? What do we want our
students to retain for years into the future?
Environments
Animal populations are disappearing at an
alarming rate due to threats like poaching,
habitat loss and overuse of natural
resources. Learning how to protect these
species contributes to a thriving, healthy
planet for people’s health and well-being.
Endangered animals affect our planets
future.
MYP unit question
What does that number mean?
Assessment
What task(s) will allow students the opportunity to respond to the unit question?
What will constitute acceptable evidence of understanding? How will students show what they have understood?
Summative Assessment:
Students will conduct a statistical analysis on data of threatened species in each country by
category including graphical displays of the data.
Part 1: Top Ten Endangered Animals: Collect and statistically analyze data for the top 10
endangered animals in the world. You and your research partner will conduct a thorough statistical
analysis of endangered species around the world (data will be provided to you).
This analysis will include the statistical mean, median, mode, mean absolute deviation, construction of
dot plots, box and whisker plots (including interquartile values), and the overall analysis of the shape,
center, and spread of the data.
Part 2: Reflection: Students will reflect on their findings and complete the questions at the end of the
summative assessment in essay form.
Formative Assessments:
Tests, do Nows, classwork and homework assignments.
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
C Communication in Mathematics
D Reflection in Mathematics
 D2 explain the importance of his or her findings in connection to real life
 D4 suggest improvements to the method when necessary
Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?
C and D
Stage 2: Backward planning: from the assessment to the learning
activities through inquiry
Content
What knowledge and/or skills (from the course overview) are going to be used to enable the student to respond to the unit
question?
What (if any) state, provincial, district, or local standards/skills are to be addressed? How can they be unpacked to develop the
significant concept(s) for stage 1?
7.SP.1 Use Random Sampling to draw inferences about a population.

Understand that statistics can be used to gain information about a population by examining
a sample of the population; generalizations about a population from a sample are valid only
if the sample is representative of that population. Understand that random sampling tends
to produce representative samples and support valid inferences.
7.SP.2 Use Random Sampling to draw inferences about a population.
 Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown
characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same
size to gauge the variation in estimates or predictions.
7.SP.3 Draw informal comparative inferences about two populations.
 Informally assess the degree of visual overlap of two numerical data distributions with
similar variabilities, measuring the difference between the centers by expressing it as a
multiple of a measure of variability.
7.SP.4 Draw informal comparative inferences about two populations.
 Use measures of center and measures of variability for numerical data from random samples
to draw informal comparative inferences about two populations.
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills?
Communication - being informed, informing others
Transfer – making connections
Math Learning experiences
How will students know what is expected of them? Will
they see examples, rubrics, and templates?
How will students acquire the knowledge and practice
the skills required? How will they practice applying
these?
Math Teaching strategies
How will we use formative assessment to give students feedback
during the unit?
What different teaching methodologies will we employ?
How are we differentiating teaching and learning for all? How have
we made provision for those learning in a language other than their
Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will
we know?
mother tongue? How have we considered those with special
educational needs?
Vocabulary
 Mean
 Median
 Mode
 Range
 Mean absolute deviation
 Inter quartile range (IQR)
 Outliers
Activities:
Teacher will introduce and review all
concepts tied to this unit. Students will be
given an overview of the summative
assessment at the beginning of the unit
presentation. Students will also be given
rubrics for assessments to clearly define
expectations.
Students will take detailed notes on all skills.
Data will be gathered via the internet and the use of
the websites provided. This will be done in the
computer lab.
Skills:
Mean: The mean is the average of the numbers.
The students will add up all the numbers and divide
by how many numbers there are.
Median: The median is the “middle number” in a
sorted list of numbers. If there are two middle
numbers, the student must add them and then
divide by two.
Mode: The mode is the number which appears most
often.
Teacher will provide students with practice
problems upon introducing or reviewing a
skill.
Mean and Median are measures of center. Mean is
best to use when the data is clustered together,
whereas median is the best to use when there is a
gap that produce an outlier ion the data.
Students will begin research on endangered
species with regards to data, threats, types
of animals, and ways to help. Students will
The simplest measure of variation is the range,
calculated by subtracting the lowest value from the
highest value.
gather data and apply this to the various
methods of probability and expected values.
Students will use the gathered data and excel
spreadsheets to organize, calculate, interpret,
and analyze results.
Students will use the data to create a bar graph,
a line graph, and a circle graph in Technology
class.
Teacher will present students with videos
and helpful websites on both their research
and math skills.
Students will apply their knowledge to solve
word problems.
Students will write an essay answering
The Interquartile range (IQR) is the range of middle
half of a set of data. It is the difference between the
upper quartile and the lower quartile.
Interquartile range = Q3 – Q1
Outliers are numbers in a data set that are either
way bigger or way smaller than the other numbers in
the data set.
The mean absolute deviation of a set of data is the
average distance between each data value and the
mean.
1. Find the mean.
2. Find the distance between each data value
and the mean. (Find the absolute value of
the difference between each data value and
the mean.)
3. Find the average of those differences.
questions in the summative assessment.
Students will complete their unit project
(summative assessment): Endangered
Species and Statistics.
Mean absolute deviation and interquartile
range are measures of variability.
Mean absolute deviation is best to use when
the data is spread out, whereas interquartile
range is best to use when the data is close
together.
Technology Learning Experiences
Technology Teaching Strategies
Classes 1-2. Excel Notes- review the notes
about the tools and uses for Excel, but stress
the need to refer back to the document often.
Complete Excel Assignment 1 that provides
directions on how to use Formatting in Excel
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 3. Complete Excel Assignment 2 that
provides directions about Sorting and Excel
Assignment 3 that provides directions about
using Auto Sum
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 4. Complete Excel Assignment 4 that
provides directions about creating a Bar Chart
and Excel Assignment 5 that provides directions
about creating a Pie Chart
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 5. Complete Excel Assignment 6 that
provides directions about creating a Line Chart
and Excel Assignment 7 Excel which is a Quiz
assessing their knowledge up to this point.
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 6. Finish any previous assessments and
ensure phase 1 of summative assignment the
investigate is already completed from math
class
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 7. Complete phase 2 of summative
assessment the design in which students
design two possible sets of the four charts and
then state which they will actually create and
why
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 8. Ensure phases 1-3 of summative
assessment are complete so students can
move on to phase 4 the create
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Classes 9-10. Complete phase 4 of summative
in which students create their data table in
Excel and the four charts
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 11. Complete phase 5 of summative
assessment in which students evaluate their
work in the previous four phases.
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Class 12. Complete phase six of the summative
in which students reflect on their actions
through the IB learner profile.
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Classes 13-14 Last opportunity to finish the
summative assessment.
Provide directions in writing and verbally.
Model the steps to complete task.
Show completed sample.
One-on-one instruction.
Working in pairs, and groups.
Differentiated instruction.
Resources
What resources are available to us?
How will our classroom environment, local environment and/or the community be used to facilitate students’ experiences during
the unit?
http://hotmath.com/hotmath_help/topics/statistical-questions.html
http://www.mathisfun.com/mean.html
http://hotmath.com/hotmath_help/topics/interquartile.html
http://alcula.com/calculators/statistics/mean-absolute-deviation/
http://earthsendangered.com/search-region3.asp
http://www.aspca.org/aspcakids/real-issues/endangered-species.aspx
http://math.andyou.com/tools/boxandwhisker.html
http://www.alcula.com/calculators/statistics/box-plot/
http://www.alcula.com/calculators/statistics/mean-absolute-deviation/
worksheets
computers
smartboard
coloring materials
computer lab
web resources
Ongoing reflections and evaluation
In keeping an ongoing record, consider the following questions. There are further
stimulus questions at the end of the “Planning for teaching and learning” section of
MYP: From principles into practice.
Students and teachers
What did we find compelling? Were our disciplinary knowledge/skills challenged in any way?
What inquiries arose during the learning? What, if any, extension activities arose?
How did we reflect—both on the unit and on our own learning?
Which attributes of the learner profile were encouraged through this unit? What opportunities were there for student-initiated
action?
Possible connections
How successful was the collaboration with other teachers within my subject group and from other subject groups?
What interdisciplinary understandings were or could be forged through collaboration with other subjects?
Assessment
Were students able to demonstrate their learning?
•
How did the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate the learning objectives identified for this unit? How did I
make sure students were invited to achieve at all levels of the criteria descriptors?
•
Are we prepared for the next stage?
Data collection
•
How did we decide on the data to collect? Was it useful?
Figure 12
MYP unit planner
Part 1: Top Ten Endangered Animals
Data Collection Table: Research the top ten endangered animals in the world and include how
many are left. Include a picture of the animal.
Name of Endangered Animal
1.
2.
Picture
How many are left?
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Top Ten endangered animal’s statistical analysis:
1. Calculate the mean:
2. Find the median:
3. Find the mode:
4. Calculate the mean absolute deviation:
5. Minimum ________
Maximum________
6. Range:
7. Find the first and third quartile:
8. What is the interquartile range (IQR)?
9. Draw a box-and –whisker plot:
10. Are there any outliers in your data? If so, list them:
11. Which measure of center will you choose to represent your findings? Explain your
mathematical reasoning.
12. Which measure of variability will you choose to represent your findings? Explain your
mathematical reasoning.
Part 2: Essay
Please answer the following questions in essay format:
1. What mathematical concepts did you learn about in this unit?
2. How are the threats to endangered animals affected by the environment?
3. What can you do as a student to help endangered species? (include learner profile)