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Statistics for Teaching Science

Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 1 Measuring and Reporting Uncertainty

All measurements include some degree of uncertainty or error, but how it is reported is decided by the person collecting the data. Because analysis is dependent on the data collected,...
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All measurements include some degree of uncertainty or error, but how it is reported is decided by the person collecting the data. Because analysis is dependent on the data collected, the method used to report error can substantially impact the strength of the claims made and conclusions drawn. In this workshop, we will explore five ways uncertainty is described using different instruments commonly found at home. We will practice making decisions about the method that is most appropriate in different situations and defend our choice to our peers with evidence and reasoning.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 2 The Problem with Describing Data Using the Mean

Often by middle school and certainly by high school, students default to the mean as the best way to describe data without much consideration for how they might defend that...
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Often by middle school and certainly by high school, students default to the mean as the best way to describe data without much consideration for how they might defend that choice. So, you might think, what’s the harm in that? Everyone knows what is meant by this descriptor, it is familiar and understandable, easy to calculate, and informative, right? In this workshop, we will use an activity to collect data and consider the options we have for describing data so we can tell the story of what we observed. This workshop will help you clarify the strengths and weaknesses of common descriptors of central tendency so you can, in turn, guide your students on their choice.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels.

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Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 3 Getting Comfortable with Variance, Standard Deviation, Standard Error, and the 95% Confidence Interval

The variance, standard deviation, and standard error of the mean are excellent methods for describing data because they convey the variability of the observed data around mean. Anyone teaching Pre-AP,...
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The variance, standard deviation, and standard error of the mean are excellent methods for describing data because they convey the variability of the observed data around mean. Anyone teaching Pre-AP, Pre-IB, or college-bound students will likely want to know how to calculate these values, what they indicate, and how to contextualize them so they can better prepare their students for use in scientific research. In this workshop, we will calculate each descriptor by hand using a small data set and practice using the formulas to automatically calculate these values in a spreadsheet. We will breakdown the impact each variable has on the outcome and relate these descriptors to the bell-shaped curve to better understand what each says about the data collected. You do not need any previous knowledge of statistics to take this workshop.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 4 Expressing Error on a Graph

Error bars are placed on a graph to give a more detailed account of what was observed.  Although there are many descriptors that can be used to draw error bars,...
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Error bars are placed on a graph to give a more detailed account of what was observed.  Although there are many descriptors that can be used to draw error bars, in each case the value is used to express the uncertainty or variability of the data. Error bars created from certain calculations are especially informative for giving the reader a hint at the significance of the difference seen between two variables, and can at times be a substitute for a statistical hypothesis test. In this workshop, we will practice using error bars on different types of graphs, analyze different data sets, and defend the choices we would make in each case.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 5 Hypothesis Testing Using a Chi-squared Analysis

Parts 5-8 continue the Statistics for Science series to include the skills required in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses. In these workshops, we will learn how...
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Parts 5-8 continue the Statistics for Science series to include the skills required in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses. In these workshops, we will learn how and when to use each of the most common statistical tests that are used to test hypotheses. A hand-calculation will be done using a very small data set so participants can see how the outcome is impacted by common issues such as a small sample size, variation, and outliers. Participants will learn how to write the spreadsheet formulas for each equation, how to interpret the calculated values using tables, and the significance of the p-values obtained in their results. I invite you to join us even if you are math-phobic or do not have a background in statistics, this series of workshops is tailored to science teachers who need some help providing context and explaining these concepts to their students.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels and is particularly relevant for teachers of AP or IB science courses and any class that includes independent research.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 6 Hypothesis Testing Using the Student’s t-test

Parts 5-8 continue the Statistics for Science series to include the skills required in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses. In these workshops, we will learn how...
More info

Parts 5-8 continue the Statistics for Science series to include the skills required in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses. In these workshops, we will learn how and when to use each of the most common statistical tests that are used to test hypotheses. A hand-calculation will be done using a very small data set so participants can see how the outcome is impacted by common issues such as a small sample size, variation, and outliers. Participants will learn how to write the spreadsheet formulas for each equation, how to interpret the calculated values using tables, and the significance of the p-values obtained in their results. I invite you to join us even if you are math-phobic or do not have a background in statistics, this series of workshops is tailored to science teachers who need some help providing context and explaining these concepts to their students.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels and is particularly relevant for teachers of AP or IB science courses and any class that includes independent research.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

Less info

Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 7 Hypothesis Testing Using Tests of Correlation

Parts 5-8 continue the Statistics for Science series to include the skills required in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses. In these workshops, we will learn how...
More info

Parts 5-8 continue the Statistics for Science series to include the skills required in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses. In these workshops, we will learn how and when to use each of the most common statistical tests that are used to test hypotheses. A hand-calculation will be done using a very small data set so participants can see how the outcome is impacted by common issues such as a small sample size, variation, and outliers. Participants will learn how to write the spreadsheet formulas for each equation, how to interpret the calculated values using tables, and the significance of the p-values obtained in their results. I invite you to join us even if you are math-phobic or do not have a background in statistics, this series of workshops is tailored to science teachers who need some help providing context and explaining these concepts to their students.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels and is particularly relevant for teachers of AP or IB science courses and any class that includes independent research.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

Less info

Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Stats: Part 8 Choosing the Most Appropriate Stats for Your Data

This is the culminating workshop for the Statistics for Advanced Level Science series. In this session, we will compare the application of different hypothesis tests and discuss how more than one type...
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This is the culminating workshop for the Statistics for Advanced Level Science series. In this session, we will compare the application of different hypothesis tests and discuss how more than one type of statistical analysis may be appropriate for the same set of data. We will look for the key components of research questions or data sets that indicate choices for analysis and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each. In teams, we will collaborate to create a dichotomous key for choosing an appropriate method so you have a guiding diagram to consult when you are advising your own students. It is suggested that you take the Part 5-7 workshops or are comfortable with the methods of hypothesis testing covered in the previous workshops so you can participate fully.

This 1.5-hour workshop is open to science and math teachers of all grade levels and is particularly relevant for teachers of AP or IB science courses and any class that includes independent research.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

An on-demand version of this workshop is not available at this time. Please check back soon, or contact us for more information.

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Writing and Speaking About Data (DBQs and FRQs)

How do we talk about data? How do we write about data? In this 1.5 hr. workshop you will discover ways to help your student be specific, using the correct...
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How do we talk about data? How do we write about data? In this 1.5 hr. workshop you will discover ways to help your student be specific, using the correct terms, in context, as they identify and describe trends in a set of numbers. We will play two games useful for building a working vocabulary and increasing student reliance on mathematically accurate communication. We will touch on formal statements of ‘statistical significance’ as well as informal statements of primary trends, disruptions, and outliers. We will exemplify the connection between evidence and reasoning (in the CER argument). The activities used in this workshop are applicable to students at any grade level and can be an introduction to descriptive mathematics for younger students or a repeatable method for answering free response, data-based questions for students taking an AP or IB exam.

Although the examples in this workshop will be based in math and science, this 1.5-hour workshop is open to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Choosing the Most Appropriate Graph for Your Data Part 1

Students aren’t the only ones who struggle to determine the best way to display data in graphic form. Because there are usually many representations that can be used, and each...
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Students aren’t the only ones who struggle to determine the best way to display data in graphic form. Because there are usually many representations that can be used, and each may encourage the reader to make slightly different conclusions, deciding on the most appropriate graph can be tricky. In this 1.5 hr. workshop, participants will learn a repeatable technique using a gallery walk of student graphs, a comparison, and analysis of the many different possible visual representations, and a peer critique all aimed to help students modify and improve the final draft of their graphs.

Although the examples in this workshop will be based in math and science, this 1.5-hour workshop is open to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Choosing the Most Appropriate Graph for Your Data Part 2

In this 1.5 hr. workshop participants will use an example data set from a Data Nuggets experiment to explore different methods of depicting the same set of numbers in several...
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In this 1.5 hr. workshop participants will use an example data set from a Data Nuggets experiment to explore different methods of depicting the same set of numbers in several different ways. We will focus this session on defining the relationship between the research question and the choice of how and what is represented on a graph. This workshop is essential for teachers who are guiding their students to choose the correct data from a large data set with many variables. As a participant you will be guided through activities you can use with your students in either a synchronous or asynchronous teaching platform. All activities in this workshop will be focused on helping students determine the most appropriate type of graph for their data using a repeatable method.

Although the examples in this workshop will be based in math and science, this 1.5-hour workshop is open to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Choosing the Most Appropriate Graph for Your Data Part 3

“So, should I use a bar graph?” Students are often unsure of how to depict data in a manner that elucidates the trends and exposes any disruptions that need to...
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“So, should I use a bar graph?” Students are often unsure of how to depict data in a manner that elucidates the trends and exposes any disruptions that need to be revealed. In addition, they often define their choices based on the type of graph (pie, bar, line, scatterplot, histogram, etc.) rather than identifying how to reveal the stories embedded in their collected data. In this 1.5 hr. workshop, we will focus on matching the best graph type with the data collected as a means of displaying what needs to be said with transparency. We will also clarify how graphing can be an essential method for analyzing data to reveal the stories told by the evidence.

Although the examples in this workshop will be based in math and science, this 1.5-hour workshop is open to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

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Workshop Series: Math-infused Science | Statistics for Teaching Science

Data Modeling Activities for Ecology – Lincoln’s and Simpson’s Indices

Using manipulatives found in our homes, we will simulate two common field science experiments:  Lincoln’s Index for measuring abundance and Simpson’s Index for measuring biodiversity. Participants in this 1.5 hr....
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Using manipulatives found in our homes, we will simulate two common field science experiments:  Lincoln’s Index for measuring abundance and Simpson’s Index for measuring biodiversity. Participants in this 1.5 hr. workshop will gather evidence and make calculations that can be used to describe the health of and changes in an ecosystem. Each activity will be followed with the creation of a student-designed experiment that can be performed at home to reinforce the technique and assess the students’ understanding of how biodiversity and abundance estimates can be applied.

Although the examples in this workshop will be based in math and science, this 1.5-hour workshop is open to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Available Formats

Upcoming Live Workshops

On-Demand

Interested in hosting a custom workshop at your school? Contact us.

Less info