Direct Lesson #6: Graph Club (Day 14 and 15)

My class has scheduled computer lab time each Monday for about an hour.

Standards/Benchmarks:

Benchmark (V 3ES2): Students will describe weather conditions.

ISTE NETS*T Standard 5: Technology Research Tools: Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Benchmark (V 1EE2): Acquire information from observation of their environment.

Grade Level Expectation 6(1:1-3): Identify categories for collecting and sorting data, collect and organize the data into charts, and display the data into picture graphs.

Objectives:

SWBAT compare temperatures collected in the month of October using a bar graph.

SWBAT categorize temperatures by intervals of 10 degrees.

Materials List:

• Whole group access to computer with visible monitor
• Access to Graph Club Application

Anticipatory Set

Throughout the month of October, we have collected temperature readings each morning we are in school. I will explain that we are going to look at this data or information to try to learn some information about fall, the season we are in.

Clearly Sequenced Presentation

I will have the children get out their monthly calendar and we will color code and tally the number of temperatures we recorded in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.We will talk about how fall can have different temperatures and I will review that sometimes the temperature has been above freezing and sometimes it has been below freezing. I will explain that I will make a graph of this information that we will look at the next day.

Use of Instructional/Visual Aides

The children will have their individual calendars to color the appropriate boxes and I will tally temperatures on the board using corresponding colors. The next day, I will have a large version of our graph and I will have small version to give all the children as we discuss the results.

Checking for Understanding

I will ask the children to read the graph by asking them how many days we had temperatures in a particular category.

Guided Practice Provided

Then, I will ask them other, more interpretive questions about the graphs, such as: “Did we have more days in the 20’s or in the 30’s?”

Closure/Summary of What Has Been Learned

I will sum up what we have learned by reminding the children that adults and children can use graphs to learn new information. Scientists gather data, or information, so they can look at it and try to figure out questions they have. Each child will get to take their individual graphs home.

Independent Practice

I will encourage the children to go home and tell their families about the graph and what it tells them about the weather they observed in October.

Assessment

I will note who does well and who needs extra help with interpreting graphs as I ask the children questions. We will have opportunities to make other graphs as we have been this school year.

Inclusion of Diverse Learners

Our ADHD child will likely need some help staying focused during this activity. He could also look at the big graph during literacy choice activities.

Again, I will set high expectation for my class to pay attention and focus during this activity and I will reward positive choices. High expectations can go a long ways in motivating otherwise unfocused students.