The topic of Box and Whisker plots came up today at a department meeting. Apparently they are on the MEAP (State-wide assessment) for 7th grade or 8th grade or something. As far as I could tell, that's the only reason we teach them. Students don't see them again until they take statistics as a junior in high school. Standards for the win.
Bonus points to anyone who can knows a professional in any other field that uses/cares about box and whisker plots. I understand the "convenience" of them, but I still think they are a waste of time. If there is some field of, I don't know, sports medicine that actually uses box and whisker plots, then I stand corrected. However, until someone convinces me that normal people use them, I have to think that computers have made them rather irrelevant.
On a separate note, we used the programming, uh, program Scratch today. My tech integration specialist, also known as Geoff, led the kids through the basics of programming today. Kids were totally engaged and we're going to spend a few Mondays trying a little project (and I mean both students and teachers). Students will write a program for a game, animated story, or "interactive art" (not really a game, but not exactly a story).
Goals: The "patient problem-solving skills" will come into play here. There is more than one way to make the cat walk in a square. What actions do you think you will need to make him do so? Also, analysis and reflection will be a big part of the project. How else could you have made the cat walk in a square? What is the best way to make the cat walk in a square? How do you know? Was there a time when you didn't know how to make the cat walk in a square? How did you figure out how to make him walk in a square?
You get the idea. Cool stuff. And it's nice to take a break from the curriculum on Mondays.
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