Sample Standard: Understands and applies the concepts of range and central tendency (mean, median, and mode).
Grade Level: 6
Time: 20 minutes
Materials: Deck of playing cards for each group of two to four students, paper and pencils, calculator (optional)
Group Size: Any. Place in pairs or small groups of four
Purpose: To introduce a lesson on applying mean, median and range after students have a basic understanding of the concept.
Activity:
- Remove the aces and all face cards from each deck of cards.
- Distribute a deck of cards to each group. Have students shuffle the cards and deal 5 cards to each participant.
- Once the cards are dealt, students will spread their cards face up and arrange them from least to greatest. They will figure the mean, median, and range for their set of cards.
- Partners will check one another’s answers.
The mean is the average of all cards: add the number/value of each card and divide by the number of cards.
The median is the value on the face of the card in the middle of all the cards when the cards are spread from lowest to highest.
The range is the difference between the card with the lowest value and the card with the highest value. For example, if the lowest card in a student's group of cards is a 3 and the highest is a 9, the range is 6. (9 - 3 = 6)
Adaptations for Above-Level Students:
- Allow students to use the ace to represent an 11. You can also allow the face cards to represent different values. For example, the jack could have a value of 12, the queen a value of 13, and the king a value of 14.
- When figuring the mean, present it as a decimal instead of a fraction.
This classroom activity was submitted by Melba Smithwick, a retired middle school teacher from Corpus Christi, Texas.
