Browse lesson plans

An average autumn

This lesson will be a review of skills for calculating mean, mode, median, and range of a set of numbers to be created by the students. It will result in a seasonal display for the classroom or school-wide bulletin board.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–6 Mathematics)

By Scott Counce.

Careers in real estate and customer service: Working with central tendency

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 3.8

In this lesson plan, students compare the mean and median salaries of two different careers and answer questions analyzing the data.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Mathematics)

By Valerie Davis, Sonya Rexrode, and Monika Vasili.

Leap frogs tend toward the center?

Students learn the meanings of the central tendency concepts range, mean, median, and mode. They will make origami frogs, jump them across a track and record the length of their jumps and the total number of jumps across trials.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Mathematics)

By Erin Foerster.

Raisins, Raisins, Raisins

This lesson involves students in collecting data,organizing data into a line plot, discussing statistics, calculating mean, medain and mode and consumer awareness.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–6 Mathematics)

By Melanie Simmons.

Resources on the web

Alphabet soup

Using pasta letters, students count the number of letters in their names and determine whether any value occurs more times than all others. Students also construct and use box-and-whisker plots to identify the mean, mode, median, and range of the data set.... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

The Celebrated Jumping Frog

In this lesson, one of a five-part unit from Illuminations titled “Games, Measurement, and Statistics,” students participate in games and activities that develop concepts of measurement and statistics. Using the story “The Celebrated Jumping... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

The clucking chicken

Students learn about data analysis and probability in this lesson, using a box plot to identify the mean, mode, median and range of the data set. As an introductory activity, students work in small groups to find the mode and range of the number of letters... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Comparing averages

Students create a box and whisker plot and compare the mean, median, and mode of a set of data. This lesson uses the Representation Process Standard. The activities in this lesson use student names to teach data collection and probability skills. Students... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Comparing counties

Students use the data from previous lessons to find the range, median, and mode of the populations and compare their data with their partner's data. Students will: Compare numbers by ordering data from greatest to least. Find... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Comparing properties of the mean and the median through the use of technology

Using interactive software, students can compare and contrast properties of measures of central tendency, specifically the influence of changes in data values on the mean and median. As students change the data values, the interactive figure immediately... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Dealing with data in the elementary school

This project-based unit on statistics furnishes a vehicle for problem solving through real-world data collection and analysis. Students use the mean, mode and median to analyze their data and use graphs to represent their findings. Illuminations provides... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Heights of students in our class

In this activity students collect data and then construct a box and whisker plot to display the results. The activity sheet presents a sequence for setting up a box and whisker plot. Illuminations provides an activity sheet and detailed instructions for... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Let's compare

Students collect numerical data, generate graphs, and compare two data sets and find the mean, mode, median, and range of the data sets. Students communicate with each other and the teacher and practice their problem-solving skills. With the help of another... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Long distance airplanes

Students make paper airplanes and explore attributes related to increasing flight distances. Each student collects data from three flights of the airplane and finds the median distance and then collect, organize, display, and interpret the median distances... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

The one in the middle

This Science NetLinks lesson provides simple activities to review and reinforce the concepts of mean, median, and mode. There are various activities, all based on the number of siblings of the students. The lesson is intended to supplement other instruction... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Mathematics)

Provided by: Science Netlinks

Pitching cards

Students measure distances using standard and nonstandard units and record their measurement in various tables. Then use descriptive statistics to report the results. After the teacher demonstrates how to “pitch” cards from a set distance, students... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

The pizza palace

In this activity, students will construct box plots independently and will identify the mean, median, mode, and range of a set of data. Illuminations provides a handout, a link to the box plot tool, and detailed instructions for completing the lesson.... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Spinning tops

Students measure distances using standard and nonstandard units and record their measurement in various tables. Then they are asked to use descriptive statistics to report the results. Illuminations provides an activity sheet and detailed instructions for... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

State data

Students create graphs based on the characteristics of the names of the 50 States, and find measures of center and of spread. Illuminations provides grid paper, a link to a state data map applet, and detailed instructions for completing the lesson.... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations