NFL Score Box Plots

Mathematics Learning Objectives:

- Students will be able find the numbers needed to create a box plot.

- Students will be able to explain how they found the numbers needed to create a box
plot.

Language Objectives:

-Students will be able to explain the steps to creating a box plot.

-Students will be able to define minimum, maximum, median, first quartile, and third
quartile.

Essential Question:

How do we create a box plot?

Common Core State Mathematics Standards:

S-ID.1 Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).

Common Core State Mathematical Practice Standards:

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 Model with mathematics.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 Look for and make use of structure.

Materials:

Powerpoint:
https://docs.google.com/a/ncsu.edu/presentation/d/1HZOZGor8IqGQPfkfJTLGUz-
Xcy_q2Ax0XYA0MMthM3M/edit?usp=sharing

http://www.imathas.com/stattools/boxplot.html

smore.com

Notes to the reader:

It is assumed that the students have Internet access.
It is also assumed that students have prior experience with data sets and some terms
(median, maximum, and minimum will be familiar to them.
Detailed Plan for Instructional Time
Time: 90 minutes
Time What is the teacher doing? (Be sure to
include questions the teacher will ask and
academic language supports)
5 min The teacher instructs students to take out a
piece of paper and make a KWL chart on
box plots. As students are working, the
teacher is walking around and making sure
everyone is on task.
5 min The teacher draws a KWL chart on the
board.
What did you know about box plots?
What did you what to know about box
plots?
5 min Review of Data:
Who remembers what a median is?
(Expected answer: the middle of a data set)
How do we find the median?
(Expected answer: by listing the data in
numerical order and finding the middle
number)
What is the minimum of a data set?
(Expected answer: the lowest number)
What is the maximum?
(Expected answer: the highest number)
20 The teacher instructs students to take notes
min during this time.
PowerPoint:
-(Slide 1) The teacher explains that this is a
box plot and shows where the minimum,
maximum, and median are located. The
teacher also introduces the terms first
quartile and third quartile to the students
by showing where they are on the graph.
-(Slide 2) The teacher defines first quartile
and third quartile and once again shows
where they fall on the graph.
-(Slide 3) What is the minimum?
What are students doing?
Students are filling in their
KWL charts. They will
probably have more information
in the W column than the K
column.
The students raise their hands to
share their answers for the K
and W sections of the chart
when the teacher calls on them.
These questions should be easy
for students to answer because
of their prior knowledge. They
should be actively paying
attention.
During the note taking period
students are actively paying
attention and taking notes based
on the powerpoint.
Possible misconceptions could
be being confused by the
first/third quartiles being a
median of the median and the
min/max.
The best way to address
this is by showing how
the first and third
quartiles are between the
 What is the maximum? Median? First
quartile? Third quartile?
-(Slide ) The teacher reads off how to
construct a boxplot. Do you have any
questions?
40 The Task:
min The teacher introduces the first part of the
task, which is to find the number of points
their favorite NFL team scored in each
game this past season. Then they must use
an online tool to generate a box and
whisker plot.
Before moving on from the first
slide that introduces the task, the
teacher will write the URL of the
box plot generator as well as the
note about the information the
students need to input.
The next slide explains what the students
must do after they find and generate their
box plot. It also lists what they must
include on their flyers.
Do you have any questions?
min/max and the median.
The students are expected to be
working alone on their flyers,
even if two students pick the
same team. They may need help
figuring out what to do when
there is an odd number of data
and they must find the average
between two numbers to find the
median (this is something that is
assumed they already know, but
some students may forget).
They should be find the
minimum, maximum, median,
first quartile, and third quartile
by hand before inputting the
data into the box plot generator.

While students are working:

What team did you pick?
What is the range of their scores?
How did you find that was the median/first
quartile/third quartile?
10mi The teacher asks for volunteers to share Students volunteer to share their
n their Smore flyers. The teacher puts the flyers. Students who are not
flyer that is being shared on the board. sharing their flyers are paying
What was the range of your data? attention to the students who are
Where is your sharing.
minimum/maximum/median/first
quartile/third quartile on your box plot?
What does the shape of your box plot tell
you?
5 min Exit Ticket: Students write what they have
The teacher tells the students to now take learned in the learned section
the time to fill in the Learned section of and turn in their KWL charts on
the KWL chart as an exit ticket. This can be the way out.
used to assess the students take away from
the lesson. (The KWL charts will be
returned the following class so the students
can have them for notes).
Student Work: https://www.smore.com/sx5pa-panthers-box-plot