'Statistics: How far goes my car?' is one of our new teaching sequences for V9
- On the 'Sequence overview' tab you'll find all the tasks in this sequence, a suggested implementation plan and curriculum alignment.
- The 'Our design decisions' tab shows how key mathematical ideas develop over the sequence, and feature an overview video to explain the sequence design.
- Have you taught this sequence? Use the Feedback button to let us know how it went!
Tasks in this sequence
Lesson 1 • How far might my car roll?
Students make predictions about how far a toy car might roll.
Lesson 2 • Rolling, rolling, rolling!
Students collect data to refine their predictions about how far a toy car might roll.
Lesson 3 • Rolls on a ramp
Students collect data to refine their predictions about how far a toy car rolls down a ramp.
Optional investigations • We can ask more questions about our cars
A series of new questions opens up further statistical investigations using the students’ toy cars.
Suggested implementation
This time plan is just one way that you might choose to implement this sequence. We have used a warm-up activity at the start of most lessons, and some lessons are split across two lessons. The timing provided in the lessons’ documentation align with this implementation advice.
| Monday | Lesson 1 • How far might my car roll?
|
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Lesson 2 • Rolling, rolling, rolling!
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| Wednesday | Lesson 3 • Rolls on ramps
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| Thursday | You might choose to do some of the optional investigations. |
| Friday | You might choose to do some of the optional investigations. |
Curriculum and syllabus alignment
Achievement standards
Students collect and record categorical data, create one-to-one displays, and compare and discuss data using frequencies.
Australian Curriculum V9 alignment
Statistics
Acquire and record data for categorical variables in various ways including using digital tools, objects, images, drawings, lists, tally marks and symbols
Represent collected data for a categorical variable using one-to-one displays and digital tools where appropriate; compare the data using frequencies and discuss the findings
In Year 1, we develop students’ capacity to collect and record data. In this sequence, we use the context of rolling a toy car to investigate the question How far do you think a toy car might roll?. Students predict how far their car might roll, then go through a process of rolling, predicting, rolling again and collecting more data, and then predicting again. This process of rolling and predicting emphasises that predictions are informed by evidence from data, and our predictions are improved the more data we collect.
This sequence encourages students’ use of informal representation, through the use of student-invented markings to record the car roll data. Students begin to see the need to be able to share their evidence to improve their ability to interpret data and increase the credibility of their prediction for other students.
| Investigation | Learning goals | Students’ statistical inquiry |
Lesson 1 • How far might my car roll? Introduction | We make predictions in response to a question. | Students make predictions. They familiarise themselves with rolling their toy car to notice some of its attributes. |
Lesson 2 • Rolling, rolling, rolling! Prediction and data collection | Data is evidence for a prediction. Recording data allows us to refine our predictions. | Students develop ways to keep track of their data so they can make informed predictions. |
Lesson 3 • Rolls on ramps Prediction | Recording data allows us to see the story that the data is telling us. We use this story to make predictions. | Students explore a new scenario with a ramp. They make predictions and test these predictions with new data. |
'Statistics: How far goes my car?' is one of our new teaching sequences for V9
- On the 'Sequence overview' tab you'll find all the tasks in this sequence, a suggested implementation plan and curriculum alignment.
- The 'Our design decisions' tab shows how key mathematical ideas develop over the sequence, and feature an overview video to explain the sequence design.
- Have you taught this sequence? Use the Feedback button to let us know how it went!