Statistics for Kids : Model-Eliciting Activities to Investigate Concepts in Statistics

Perhaps the most useful and neglected content area of mathematics is statistics, especially for students in Grades 4-6. Couple that fact with the notion that mathematical modeling is an increasing emphasis in many standards, such as the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the NCTM standards, and the necessity for this topic is overdue. In this book, teachers will facilitate learning using model-eliciting activities (MEAs), problem-solving tasks created by mathematics educators to encourage students to investigate concepts in mathematics through the creation of mathematical models. Students will explore statistical concepts including trends, spread of data, standard deviation, variability, correlation, sampling, and more―all of which are designed around topics of interest to students.

Grades 4-6

Scott Chamberlin is an associate professor in Elementary and Early Childhood Education at the University of Wyoming. His content area is mathematics education with a special interest in statistics. His research interests pertain to affect (i.e., feelings, emotions, and dispositions) and creativity during mathematical problem-solving episodes. Scott has a strong interest in mathematical modeling and feels that model-eliciting activities have particular utility with students of advanced intellectual and academic abilities. At the University of Wyoming, Scott teaches mathematics education courses to undergraduate and graduate students and prepares pre-service K-6 teachers to enter the elementary classroom. Scott earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University under the direction of Sidney Moon and his master's degree from the University of Utah under the direction of Don Kauchak.