Data Management: Stem-and-Leaf Plots
This lesson taken and adapted from “Big Ideas from Dr. Small 4-8” by
Marian Small: pgs 185 - 186
Math Learning Goal:
• I can create an analyze a stem-and-leaf
plot.
60 min
Big Ideas:
• Pictographs, bar graphs, histograms, and
stem-and-leaf plots are particularly useful for
comparing the frequency of data in
different categories.
Grade 6/7
Materials
• Big Ideas
from Dr. Small
by Marian
Small
Curriculum Expectations:
• select an appropriate type of graph to represent a
set of data, graph the data, and justify the choice
of graph (from types already studied, such as
pictographs, horizontal or vertical bar graphs,
stem-and-leaf plots, double bar graphs, brokenline graphs, and continuous line graphs)
Small Group: Open Question
Part One:
Mind’s On
5 min.
Use the following EQAO question to activate prior
knowledge. Students work in pairs to answer then
share with the whole group.
• post question
on
smartboard
or provide
students with
attached
handout
Part 2:
Action!
35 min.
Pairs: How Many Paper Clips Can We Link in 2
Minutes?
• this activity from page 185
• give students paper clips to link
• time students and see how many clips they can
link together in two minutes
• afterward, record the data in a central location
(chalk board, chart paper, etc.) where students
can see it
• Provide students with the following parallel task:
Choice A: Organize the data into a stem and leaf
plot.
Choice B: Organize the data into a stem and leaf
plot. Record the range, mean, median, and mode
of the data.
Pairs / Whole Group: Math Congress
•
teacher
will choose a few chart papers for display
Part 3:
Consolidate/ • teacher will annotate the papers to draw out the
following mathematical thinking:
Debrief
• (Summary of Learning):
• each value or piece of data is represented
• the stems are determined by the greater
place value
• the data values by stem are in order
vertically, usually from least to greatest
20 min
• the leaves are in order horizontally from least
to greatest
• if there is no data for a stem, the stem is still
included with no leaves recorded beside it
• it is important to include a concise by
meaningful title to help the reader
understand the graph
Practice Questions:
• graphing
chart paper
and markers