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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Homerun hoopla

This lesson is designed for students to gather and analyze data about baseball figures. The student will use the Internet or other resources to collect statistical data on the top five home run hitters for the current season as well as their career home run totals. The students will graph the data and determine if it is linear or non-linear.

A lesson plan for grades 8–12 Mathematics

By Anne Walters

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Learning outcomes

  • The students will learn to gather data from internet or other sources.
  • The students will determine independent and dependent axes on a graph.
  • The students will determine scale for each of the axes.
  • The students will distinguish between linear and non-linear graphs.
  • The students will determine whether predictions can be made from the graph.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

55 minutes

Materials/resources

  • access to internet or other data source
  • pencils/paper
  • graph paper
  • colored pencils/markers
  • ruler

Technology resources

computer with internet access

Pre-activities

The student should have had sufficient experience with graphing upon entering the ninth grade to be successful in this activity.
Two days before the lesson, the student will be asked to gather data from the internet or other source, concerning the top five home run hitters for the current season. They will find their total home runs for the current season and their total career home runs.

Activities

  1. The teacher will explain dependent and independent axes and involve students in discussion to decide which data is which.
  2. The teacher will explain scale and involve students in a discussion to discern an appropriate scale for their graph.
  3. The teacher will supply students with aforementioned materials and have them use their data to construct their graphs.
  4. As the students complete their graphs, the teacher will ask whether the graph appears linear or non-linear and, as time permits, whether a prediction can be make from the graph.
  5. The student will submit their graphs by the conclusion of the period.

Assessment

The teacher will determine the student’s comprehension of the aforementioned goals by observing the graphs the students have submitted.

Supplemental information

Comments

This lesson is intended to be used at the beginning of the school year to stimulate interest in data gathering and graphing. Many students (and teachers) are interested in baseball and are following the home run competition at that time. Students should find that the graph is not linear and therefore no equations or predictions can be developed from the data. The teacher should point out that this graph is comparative in nature.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 9–12 — Algebra 1

  • Goal 3: Data Analysis and Probability - The learner will collect, organize, and interpret data with matrices and linear models to solve problems.
    • Objective 3.03: Create linear models for sets of data to solve problems.
      • Interpret constants and coefficients in the context of the data.
      • Check the model for goodness-of-fit and use the model, where appropriate, to draw conclusions or make predictions.
  • Goal 4: Algebra - The learner will use relations and functions to solve problems.
    • Objective 4.01: Use linear functions or inequalities to model and solve problems; justify results.
      • Solve using tables, graphs, and algebraic properties.
      • Interpret constants and coefficients in the context of the problem.
    • Objective 4.03: Use systems of linear equations or inequalities in two variables to model and solve problems. Solve using tables, graphs, and algebraic properties; justify results.

  • Common Core State Standards

    • Mathematics (2010)

      • Grade 8

        • Statistics & Probability
          • 8.SP.3Use the equation of a linear model to solve problems in the context of bivariate measurement data, interpreting the slope and intercept. For example, in a linear model for a biology experiment, interpret a slope of 1.5 cm/hr as meaning that an additional...

      • High School: Algebra

        • Creating Equations
          • ALG.CE.2Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities; graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales.