Curriculum Connection -- Mathematics

Ever wonder just why your teacher assigns the kinds of tasks you do in class? Well, what I have been learning in MY school this year is that student learning in all of Ontario is regulated by a set of documents produced by the Ministry of Education, known as the curriculum. These documents set out a series of standards and expectations by which ALL Ontario students are expected to be judged, ensuring a common curriculum for everyone in the province! Neat huh?

So what kind of expectations do these documents set out? What sort of ways can they be taught? And how do your teachers know if you have learned what was expected of you? Well, those are some BIG questions - but it may be a lot easier and more fun than you'd expect! Let's take a look for ourselves..

Subject: Mathematics
Strand: Data Management and Probability
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of Grade 7, students will:
5.1. Collect and organize categorical, discrete, or continuous primary data and secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs, including relative frequency tables and circle graphs.

Wow - collecting an organizing data into frequency tables? How on earth do you do that? Well, I have a secret to tell you guys... it's not as hard as you think! Especially if practicing is fun, and it can be if you practice with Data Picking game on the BBC Education website. Separated into three levels, this game has you survey students in Class 8H and record the data they give you in a frequency chart. When the chart is completed correctly, you will be given a series of graphs to choose from - which one matches your data? Choose correctly and you can advance to the next level.. you even win a printable prize!

So what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com