This unit aligns with the third unit of the New Haven Public Schools Algebra 1 curriculum, which focuses on graphing. Students should already be familiar with graphing points on the Cartesian plane, though this unit provides a review. The unit begins with an introduction to collecting and organizing data into tables and concludes with the creation of scatter plots and linear regressions using a best-fit model. In addition to introducing new vocabulary on graphing, this topic will reinforce the prior unit of study on evaluating expressions while also establishing an initial foundation for the next unit on solving equations.
Students will begin by studying scatter plots. They will learn how to identify independent and dependent variables, how to properly create and label scatter plots, how to determine the correlation between data sets, how to find the line of best fit, and how to make predictions based on this line. Most importantly, students will learn to reflect on the validity of data and the potential misconceptions that can arise.
Although the creation of scatter plots and linear regressions are the primary foci of this unit, students will also discuss the idea of bias and the validity or significance of a set of data. By the end of the unit, students should be able to differentiate between correlation and causation.
Through the presentation of the mathematical ideas in this unit, students will be introduced to the energy crisis debate. Students should be able to argue for either side of the debate and support their claims using data and mathematical evidence.
Finally, students will demonstrate their understanding of the information presented in this unit by filming a public service announcement. The service announcement is meant to frame the students' understanding of each objective while influencing the public about the harsh realities of the energy crisis.
