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Graphs

This last week we have immersed ourselves into the different types of graphs that we are likely to encounter. Pictographs, Bar Graphs, and Circle/ Pie Charts were introduced together as an effective means of displaying different types of categorical data. Separately we encountered a real graph while doing an M&M activity. It was considered to be a real graph because we were categorizing the color of our M&M based on the real sample size we had available in front of us, modeling it with the actual item we were measuring. Numerical data is better served by the following graphs: dot plot, histogram, and stem and leaf. Highlighting between discrete(each data entry unique) and continuous (data isn't nessecarily separate) data should also be emphasized. My criticism of the stem and leaf graph is that it really has no transferrable use outside the use of educational environments. In the M&M activity I also appreciated how the manufacturing statistics out of the factory in Hackettstown were provided, this snippet can draw connections to the world outside the classroom and is an example of differentiated instruction.

I really found tremendous benefit out of exposure to the usage of graphs with Google Spreadsheet and Excel. Most classrooms are reverting more and more to digital means, so this is an important skillset. Knowing how to effective utilize these tools can easily be used to digitally construct a graph of different classroom statistics. These different uses of graphs can be used to show student preferences in music, results on a test, etc. A strong suit of the M&M activity is how it emphasized the converting the different graphs amongst each other. Relating a bar graph to a pie chart may be difficult for a young learner to comprehend, but having a hands on activity that aids in building these connections is vital. I the implementation of a foldable highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of different graphs is vital, because different graphs have their own downfalls and different statistics may be better suited by a certain graph.

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