Unit 1 Contents

Analyze Data to Answer a Question

Students in a fifth-grade class decided to investigate the big question, “How much does our class like animals?” The students wanted to persuade their teacher to get a class pet with this information. The class collected data on the number of pets that students in room 305 had.

Read their class discussion in small groups to see how the teacher and students analyzed the results of their investigation.

Mr. Moreno:

How much does the class like animals?

Jacob:

Not that much.

Mr. Moreno:

Jacob, what makes you say, “Not that much”?

Jacob:

Because I have six pets. Most students have two. Two isn't that many.

Keenya:

Well, I don't have any pets. Two is a lot.

Michael:

Maybe it depends on what you're used to.

Mr. Moreno:

You may be on to something, Michael. How could you answer the question so that it doesn't depend on what you're used to?

Michael:

Some of us have a lot of pets and some not as many.

Mr. Moreno:

Can you say that with numbers?

Michael:

Some of us have 0 pets. The most was 6 pets.