We Scream for Ice Cream

We have been breaking down different standards these past few weeks and each of us chose a specific standard to focus on. The standard I have been working with is standard CC.2.4.2.A.4 which states; represent and interpret data using line plots, picture graphs, and bar graphs. This standard is under the domain measurement, data, and probability. This week I will be reviewing an assessment from the Balanced Assessment Project that follows my standard. The Balanced Assessment Project provides teachers with various assessments that they can use to assess their students in the different areas of mathematics. The assessment that I chose to review is called We Scream for Ice Cream which follows the standard CC.2.4.2.A.4. 

We Scream for Ice Cream had the students vote on their favorite flavor of ice cream and then record the data onto a chart to visually represent the data that was collected. The students were then asked a few questions that would guide them to interpret the data on the chart. To help students describe the trends in the data, I could provide questions that would help guide them to the trends I want them to see such as which ice cream flavors have the most cones. This would allow me to assess what students understand the concept and what students need more guidance. A question from this activity states, If the class can only buy two different flavors for the ice cream party, which two should they buy? Why? This gets the children thinking about which two flavors were most popular or which two flavors had the most votes. They are able to refer to the chart and count which two flavors had the most ice cream cones or just look at the chart and see which two flavors have the most cones. The data shows that orange sherbet and vanilla were the two most popular flavors and would be the two flavors bought for the ice cream party. Then to continue, the next question could be, How many students will not get their favorite flavor? How do you know? This will guide them to look at the other flavors that did not have as many votes as the top two flavors and why that is the reason that those flavors did not get picked. 

To be able to determine whether the students are grasping the concept or not, I would give the students another scenario such as what is their favorite color. I would have all students put their favorite color on the board. I would then give them three different types of data displays to choose from and organize the data on the board with the students help so they would not be confused and were able to be involved in the organization of the data as well. Then I would let them create their own type of data display using the data they collected and the knowledge they have with displaying data in various ways.