Last Updated on October 9, 2023 by Editorial Team
Math has countless ideas that should be instructed to students such that they comprehend them as well as retain these notions to apply later. Central tendency, the notion of averages is one of the crucial parts of math that can have many pragmatic applications.
For that reason, to Inculcate Mean Median and Mode in students, simple and compelling methods are to be ensured to facilitate students to learn them effortlessly. Evidently, One such method is activities! In this post, we will dig deeper and look at the various activities that can help your ward comprehend and hold fast to the concept for better learning.
Learning mean, median, and mode through activities
Activities give students an interesting way to develop a deep understanding of Mean, Median, and Mode concepts. Research[1] has shown that the interactive aspect of the activities helps students engage with the concept and enhance their knowledge.
There’s no lack of incredible tools to teach math in creative ways. Assuming you’re searching for innovative ideas and activities to teach mean median and mode concepts, here is a list of activities that can be utilized to urge students to partake and learn Mean Median and Mode greatly.
1. Cookie Piles
- To start with, students are divided into pairs of two. Each pair is offered with a bowl of cookies, a pen, and a sheet of paper.
- Now, one student starts to pile up the cookies and continues till the pile falls. The other student in the team notes the number of cookies that were piled by the first student.
- The process repeats 5 times (at least) so that the team gets a set of numbers.
- Once the set of numbers is ready, the team now determines the mean, median, and mode of the numbers.
- The same procedure can be repeated with the second student trying to pile up the cookies again.
This activity turns fruitful by mixing up recess with pedagogies. Since each pile made can have a different number of cookies, pupils can get a varying set of numbers to estimate, ensuring the divergent practice of the concepts. Further flat cookies can be preferred to build a pile effortlessly.
2. Deck Tests
Decks can be befitting in many cases, self-same is the case with Mean, median, and mode as well. This activity can be an intriguing and innovative way of making classroom tests. Instructors offer a set of decks, a pencil, and a paper to each student before inspecting the activity.
- The learner picks 7 random cards from the deck and notes the numbers on the paper, this accounts for their first set of numbers.
- Now, the deck is shuffled. The pupil pulls out 7 random cards again to note it down. The process is continued at least 5 times, to get five questions for the test.
- Once the question set is ready, a timer of 15 minutes is set. Every student needs to find the mean, median, and mode of these numbers to finish the test within this time.
- The instructor evaluates the papers of each student and provides feedback to improve in later tests.
This activity may prove enticing as the set of questions is distinct for each student. Further ensuring students practice on different sets and combinations of numbers.
3. Bingo Tendency
Bingo tickets are not only handy to play, but also to practice central tendency. To start with, the instructor offers five bingo tickets to each student.
- Learners can observe that there are three rows of numbers in each ticket. They need to find the mean of the first row, median of the second row, and mode of the third row.
- Pupils may need to have an answer sheet in which they can make calculations and mention answers.
- Once all the questions (tickets) are answered, these tickets are pinned to the answer sheets.
- The instructor collects sheets and evaluates them to provide feedback to the students before initiating the bingo game in the class.
This activity creates interest in aspirants due to a link established between the game and the test. While it ensures distinct numbers for every student, the game that follows may motivate them further.
4. Class Averages
Elucidating the real-life applications of the notion can make it facile for aspirants to retain. Accordingly, a simple mean, median, and mode activity can be conducted soon after the result of a test is declared. Say, a test is conducted for 100 marks, and results are just declared on the board, students can use these numbers to determine central tendency.
- To start with, each student rounds their score to the nearest five. For instance, a score of 74 is perceived as 75
- Each student takes a turn to write their score on the board.
- Once everyone has taken their turns, the question gets ready to be solved.
- Each student notes down the values on a sheet of paper and then determines the values of mean, median, and mode.
Apart from the practice of central tendency, the calculation of the class average determines the status of the performance. This can provide ample motivation and scope to improve all pupils. Further, they can get a chance to perform operations on real-life figures.
5. Personality Averages
Solving central tendency concepts can be further enticing when the query belongs to the self. Accordingly, personal attributes may be considered to determine numbers to solve.
- To start with, five different attributes of the students are considered. Say: age, weight, grades in previous tests, number of students in their class, and number of teeth they have.
- Now the aspirant determines these numbers and writes them down on paper to form a query.
- The values of the mean, median, and mode of these numbers are determined.
- Instructor evaluates if the computations are correct, and provides feedback to improve.
To break the monotony of textbook problems, numbers can be determined innovatively from personal attributes, making it engaging.
6. Deck compilers
- To start with each student is provided with a pile of deck
- Learner picks 15 random cards from the pile
- Now, the cards of each suit are separated. Decks usually have cards in four different suits (club, diamond, spade, and heart), accordingly four separate piles are made.
- Numbers of each suit are added to get a number. For four piles, four numbers are obtained
- The pupil now determines the mean, median, and mode of the numbers obtained.
This activity adds complexity to the practice of central tendency, ensuring better exercise. Further, this activity has the scope of flexibility.
7. Win the candies
Candies are often loved by students. Accordingly, employing these in activities can be a befitting idea. Instructors procure packs of 5 different candies like M&M. Skittles, Gems, Neccos, and Gummy Bears to get ready for the activity.
- To start with, all the candies are poured into a bucket and thoroughly mixed up.
- Each student takes a turn to visit the bucket and grab a handful of toffees
- Now, the aspirant segregates each type of candy they get.
- Say, a student got 4 M&M’s, 6 Skittles, 7 Gems, 2 Neccos, and 4 Gummy Bears. The set of numbers would be {4,6,7,2,4}
- Now, they need to find the mean, median, and mode of the number set before relishing their taste.
This activity can be befitting to distribute candies, ensuring to practice of central tendency as well. Evidently, the sight of candies can entice students to address the activity.
8. Memories of Baseball
Recalling the games or movies of the previous day can be a great ice-breaking activity, as they ensure to rejuvenate students. This activity focuses on the same by letting the aspirants recall a recent baseball match.
- To start with, the instructor initiated a discussion of a recent baseball match
- Later, scores of various players in the team are recalled. Students need to note these scores on paper.
- Before starting the lecture, students need to estimate the mean, median, and mode of these scores.
Being an icebreaker activity, it ensures more than just a discussion of memorable games. Central tendency is practiced keeping the exhilaration in pupils intact.
9. Determine Pictures
Graphing and central tendency are often employed together. Values determined from bar graphs may need the determination of averages. This activity encompasses the same.
- To start with, the Instructor offers animated bar graphs printed on a sheet. For instance, a graph showing heights of 6 people
- Students need to infer these graphs and determine values on a paper.
- Now, they evaluate the values of mean, median, and mode of these values.
The teacher collects these, evaluates them, and offers feedback later. This activity makes learning simpler as it covers multiple concepts. Further, ensuring distinct worksheets can offer a distinct set of numbers for each student to practice.
10. Know your tools
- To start with, the instructor asks them to identify (say) 5 accessories or tools they have. For instance, a student can pick a pencil, pen, compass, book, and a scale.
- The aspirants measure the length of each tool with a scale (here scale is 15 cm long) and note these values on the answer sheet
- Once 5 measurements (here) are acquired, the student starts serving the value of mean, median, and mode of these values.
Since this activity doesn’t require any special tools or background work, it can be performed anywhere as a part of the practice. Further, the process can be yet more enticing and challenging when the number of measurements increases.
What is the most ideal method for instilling mean, median, and mode?
Mean, middle, and mode are the math concepts to determine averages of data sets that students can use pragmatically.
The most effective way to concentrate on mean, mode, and median is to write down the three as the headings and record the definitions and qualities that vary from one another. Then, at that point, students can attempt to make formulas that fit the best in the table, as indicated by their arrangement. To get dominance over the topic, students should continue to rehearse questions connected with ascertaining mean, middle, and mode.
Thus, we as a whole know that mean, middle, and mode are the sorts of working out the averages of given data sets that can be utilized in our regular routine too. There are numerous professions that have the utilization of insights from the measures of central tendency, and the concepts of mean, median, and mode. These ideas can be utilized in organizations, and different branches like science, health sector, physical science, and arithmetic. They can likewise be utilized in a few routine activities, for example, rankings in sports like cricket.
Conclusion
As we all know, the advancement of the mind is monstrously significant in childhood. Despite the fact that typical tutoring and finishing the schedule are significant, we can’t deny the way that they alone are insufficient for the advancement of the consistent and spatial capacities of a young kid. These activities can give Knowledge a touch of fun.
Hope you and your students will find these exhilarating exercises helpful in learning the concepts of mean middle and mode ideas. These activities assist the youngsters with getting a hold of the ideas and fill the hole in learning the concepts pleasantly. These activities assist the kids by igniting interest in the subject and encouraging them to investigate and learn it deeply.
References:
- Effects of Extracurricular Activities on Students. (2018, January). Najum Tariq.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,