Sample Lesson Plan (Teacher)
Title
Gender and Mathematics
Level
Key Stage 4
Domain
Histogram, Box-and-Whisker Diagram, Central Tendency and Dispersion
Objectives
1. To understand the two important statistics concept: central tendency and
dispension and their use for comparison
2. To understand the box-and-whisker diagram and its use for comparison.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Frequency Table, Frequency Polygon and Histogram
Data Source
1995 TIMSS gender and mathematics data set 1 (Hong Kong)
1995 TIMSS gender and mathematics data set 2 (Singapore)
1995 TIMSS gender and mathematics data set 3 (England)
Preparation
1. Visit the following websites (or any others) to collect information about gender
issues in science, mathematics, and technology
http://www.edc.org/WomensEquity/
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/math/ma100.htm
2. Read this article and think about the plausible causes for mathematical gender
gap
http://www.apnet.com/inscight/07191999/grapha.htm
3. Try to know one or two female mathematicians
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/women.htm
Motivation
1. Discuss with your students about the gender gap in science and mathematics in
your class, in your school, in Hong Kong and in other countries.
2. Discuss with your students about the plausible causes of mathematical gender
gap.
Main Task 1
1. Ask your students to fill in the following survey questions in your class.
Part I – Personal Information
1. Gender
2. Class:
3. Level:
Male
Female
(F.1 – F.7) ________
________
Part II – Confidence in mathematics learning
(SA = Strongly Agree) (A = Agree) (D = Disagree) (SD = Strongly Disagree)

4. I usually do well in mathematics
SA A D SD
4 3 2 1
5. Mathematics is an easy subject
SA A D SD
4 3 2 1
Part III – Attitudes towards mathematics learning
SA A D SD
1 2 3 4
7. I would like a job that involving using mathematics
6. Mathematics is boring
SA A D SD
4 3 2 1
Part IV – Last test/examination score
Your score is _______
2. Teach your students to use various summary statistics and graphing tools of
Stat.Net to summarize the results of Part II (Q2+Q3), Part III(Q4+Q5) and Part
IV.
3. By splitting boys and girls in the data file and using various summary statistics
and graphing tools, ask your students to analyze and discuss the gender
differences in Parts II to III, and IV.
Main Task 2
1. Discuss with your students about the difficulties in investigating the Hong Kong
situation. [Briefly introduce the concept of sampling and the standardizaed test
for mathematical achievement]
2. Open the 1995 TIMSS dataset 1 with over 5,000 S1-2 respondents. [Briefly
introduce the TIMSS research and the Hong Kong results].
3. Ask your students to find the approximate number of boys and girls by using
Stat.Calc.
4. Ask your students to get the histogram, box-and-whisker diagram, the mean and
standard deviation of the whole sample.
5. By splitting boys and girls in this data file and using the histograms,
box-and-whisker diagram, means and standard deviations etc., ask your students
to analyze and discuss the gender differences in Parts II to IV.
Exercise
1. Investigate the gender differences in Singapore, by using dataset2.
2. Investigate the gender differences in England, by using dataset3.
Enrichment
Investigate the between-country differences. Compare these between-country
difference with the between-gender differences. Which are more significant (not in
rigorous statistical comparison sense)? Why (just proposing plausible causes)?
Remarks
You can use these large datasets to demonstrate normal distribution. You may also
mention about the importance of sampling procedure and normal distribution for
rigorous statistical comparison.
Proposed Follow up Project
Construct an online school survey to collect data for all students in your school and
report on the mathematical gender gap within your school. Analysis may include the
comparison of the results for different classes, levels. Students may be encouraged to
propose plausible causes for such differences. Furthermore, you can ask your students
to compare the school situation with the Hong Kong situation.