Algebra 1: Single Variable Statistics and Spreadsheets

This is the first course in a year-long sequence which covers standards and ideas in Algebra 1 intended for learners in middle school ready to begin Algebra 1 or high school learners who need additional support. These courses are taught in small-groups to provide individual instruction and social-learning opportunities aligned with a social constructionist or situated cognition view of learning. 

The curriculum is problem-based this means instead of lectures or videos students work together as a small group to solve problems to discover principles and strategies with teacher guidance, as necessary. Therefore, we will spend approximately 90% of each class period working on problems and discussing them as a group. The use of discussion and problem-solving leads to generalized mathematics or proofs and students will construct their own models or proofs of real-world scenarios in project based assignments. This process prepares students well who may seek advanced mathematics in high-school or beyond. 

In this unit, we will review and  expand upon the previous foundation of statistics developed in k-8 mathematics including the difference between statistical and non-statistical questions, numerical and categorical data, representing and interpreting data displays, calculating summary statistics using technology, interpreting values in context, standard deviation, outliers, and measures of variability and centers. Students will pose and answer their own statistical questions by designing experiments or surveys, collecting data, and analyzing it. They will share this information using data displays. 

Week 1:
- Readiness Check which allows instructor to identify areas of potential acceleration or needs for extra support for individual learners and the whole group. 
- Numerical and Categorical Data
- Statistical and Non-Statistical Questions
- Review of Data Displays: Histograms, Box Plots, Dot Plots.
- Representing and Interpreting Data using Displays
- Describing Distributions: Symmetric, Skewed, Uniform, Bimodal, Bell-Shaped

Week 2: 
- Review of Mean, Median, Mead Absolute Deviation, and IQR
- Introduction to Spreadsheet Functions, Shortcuts, and Terminology
- Using Technology to Create Data Displays
- Defining "statistic" and statistics as a field of study

Week 3: 
- Mid-Unit Assessment
- The Effect of Extremes on Shape and Center
- Variability of Data
- Comparing and Contrasting Data Sets
- Standard Deviation

Week 4
- Continue Standard Deviation
- Outliers
- Comparing Data Sets (Part 2)
- Analyzing Data
- Modeling Project
- Final Assessment