Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this lesson, students will consolidate learning from the previous two ClimateWatch lessons by taking on the role of a data analyst and communicator. Students consider phenological data samples of the Australian magpie and temperature data to make inferences and predictions. After summarising the data and drawing conclusions, students will work in groups to create a digital report of their findings for an audience of their peers.
This lesson is the third in a series of three lessons that will enable students to analyse, visualise and effectively communicate data. The entire unit of work can be downloaded from the following link, Citizen Science – Mathematics – Years 7 & 8.
The lessons in this unit have been developed in partnership with Earthwatch. Earthwatch developed the ClimateWatch program with the Bureau of Meteorology and The University of Melbourne to understand how changes in temperature and rainfall are affecting the seasonal behaviour of Australia’s plants and animals.
Learning intentions:
- Students are able to analyse raw data to make it more understandable
- Students are able to make predictions based on their analysed data
- Students are able to offer suggestions based on their predictions
- Students are able to explain what their data shows in their own words
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 7 Mathematics:
- Identify and investigate issues involving numerical data collected from primary and secondary sources (ACMSP169)
- Construct and compare a range of data displays including stem-and-leaf plots and dot plots (ACMSP170)
Year 8 Mathematics:
- Investigate techniques for collecting data, including census, sampling and observation (ACMSP284)
- Explore the practicalities and implications of obtaining data through sampling using a variety of investigative processes (ACMSP206)
Syllabus outcomes: MA4-1WM, MA4-3WM, MA4-19SP.
General capabilities: Literacy, Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability
Relevant parts of Year 7 achievement standards: Students construct stem-and-leaf plots and dot-plots.
Relevant parts of Year 8 achievement standards: Students choose appropriate language to describe events and experiments. They explain issues related to the collection of data and the effect of outliers on means and medians in that data.
Topics: Biodiversity, climate change, sustainability
Unit of work: ClimateWatch: Citizen Science – Mathematics – Years 7 & 8
Time required: 120 min.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High – teachers will facilitate class discussions, independent research and digital media creation
Resources required: Device capable of presenting a clip to the class. Enough computers or laptops with Excel installed to enable student to work in pairs or small groups. Magpie Data Set and Temperature Phenology Graphs loaded onto students’ computers or laptops. Student Worksheets – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Access to various technology for creation of digital resources (to be negotiated with students based on what is available in your school).
Keywords: Earthwatch, ClimateWatch, Data, citizen science, climate change, phenology, biodiversity, communications.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.