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Tables

Tables

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to construct maps, graphic organizers, simple tables, charts, and bar graphs using tools and current technology to organize, examine, and evaluate measured data.

Essential Understanding

The student uses scientific inquiry methods during laboratory and outdoor investigations.

Science Background

Using Graphs and Visual Data: Visionlearning (website) - Detailed information about the use and importance of visual representations (i.e., graphs and figures) for data analysis and interpretation. Includes references for further reading and additional learning modules.

Using Graphs and Visual Data
Visionlearning, www.visionlearning.com/

Organizing Information: McGraw Education (website) – Information about making and using tables are included in the article about organizing information.

Organizing Information
McGraw Education, www.glencoe.com

Signature Lesson

Track the Weather with Weather Charts: Education.com (website) - Students conduct a three-part study to track the microclimate in their backyards, collecting data and creating representative charts and graphs on temperature, rainfall, and observed weather. By organizing, examining and evaluating the data, students will learn about local temperature trends and rainfall frequency.

Track the Weather with Weather Charts
by Erica Loop, Education.com

Supporting Lessons

Impact Craters: NASA (PDF) - Impact craters are formed when impactors, such as meteorites, smash into the moon’s surface. In this activity, students use “impactors” of different masses (marbles, ball bearings, etc.) to study the relationship of an impactor’s velocity to crater size. Students construct graphs, tables and charts to represent and evaluate the data collected.

Impact Craters
NASA, www.nasa.gov

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Learning to Make Data Tables: SEDL (PDF) – A tutorial for students on how to make a data table.  Examples are provided.

Learning to Make Data Tables
SEDL, www.sedl.org

Assessment Ideas

Experiment with Fat: HowToSmile.org (website) – Students determine the fat content in foods using brown paper bags and then display and organize their data with a table.  To complete a thorough assessment, students can create their own tables (with guided help) instead of filling in the provided chart. Click the green “Go to Activity” link to obtain the lesson plan.

Experiment with Fat
How To Smile, www.howtosmile.org

Literature Connections

Great Tables, Graphs, Charts, Diagrams & Timelines You Can Make. Zike, Dinah (ISBN-13: 978-1882796144)

Beginning Charts, Graphs & Diagrams. Carratello, Patty (ISBN-13: 978-1557341686)

Related Science TEKS

(3.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including observing a schoolyard habitat.

(3.1B) Recycling/Disposal of Science Materials
The student is expected to make informed choices in the use and conservation of natural resources by recycling or reusing materials such as paper, aluminum cans, and plastics.

(3.2A) Plan and Implement Descriptive Investigation
The student is expected to plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking and answering questions, making inferences, and selecting and using equipment or technology needed, to solve a specific problem in the natural world.

(3.2B) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data by observing and measuring using the metric system and recognize differences between observed and measured data.

(3.2C) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected to construct maps, graphic organizers, simple tables, charts, and bar graphs using tools and current technology to organize, examine, and evaluate measured data.

(3.2D) Analyze Evidence and Explain
The student is expected to analyze and interpret patterns in data to construct reasonable explanations based on evidence from investigations.

(3.2E) Value of Repeated Experiments
The student is expected to demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results.

(3.2F) Communicate Conclusions
The student is expected to communicate valid conclusions supported by data in writing, by drawing pictures, and through verbal discussion.

(3.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, compasses, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, sound recorders, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system models; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(3.4B) Safety Equipment
The student is expected to use safety equipment as appropriate, including safety goggles and gloves.

Related Math TEKS

3.13A  The student is expected to collect, organize, record, and display data in pictographs and bar graphs where each picture or cell might represent more than one piece of data.

3.13B  The student is expected to interpret information from pictographs and bar graphs.

Additional Resources

Representing Data, Introduction: KS3 Bitesize/BBC (website) - Links to information on creating and understanding different types of graphs or charts used to organize and represent scientific data: bar charts, line graphs, pictograms, pie charts, frequency diagrams and scatter diagrams.

Representing Data, Introduction
KS3 Bitesize/BBC, www.bbc.co.uk

Analyze Data and Draw Conclusions: Discovery Education (website) – Practice analyzing data on a sample table filled with data on plant height and number of leaves.

Analyze Data and Draw Conclusions
Discovery Education, school.discoveryeducation.com

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