M
Math Coach Amy
Amy Ferguson Moncure

7th Grade Math ยท Unit 1

Ways to
Collect Data

Choose observe, measure, survey, or experiment, and name the data you record.

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Key Ideas Easy Medium Hard
What to Remember

Observe

Watch and record what happens. You do not ask, and you do not change the situation.

How many birds visit a feeder in 10 minutes is observe.

Measure

Use a tool to get a number, such as a ruler, a timer, or a thermometer.

Plant height is measure. A survey is not the way to measure height.

Survey

Ask people a question. The answer can be a category or a number they report.

Which lunch students prefer is a survey.

Experiment

Change something, then record the result.

Does a warmer room make the ice melt faster? That is an experiment.

Level 1

Easy

Name the one best method.

Example
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want the height of each tomato plant in the garden.

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

Use a ruler or a tape measure. Plant height is a measurement, not a survey.

The method is Measure.

Answer: Measure

1
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want to know which lunch the students in your class prefer.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You ask the students. A preferred lunch is not a length you measure with a tool.

The method is Survey.

Answer: Survey

2
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want to know how many birds visit the feeder during 10 minutes.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You watch and record the count. You do not ask the birds, and you do not change the feeder.

The method is Observe.

Answer: Observe

3
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want to know whether a warmer room makes an ice cube melt faster.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You change the temperature of the room, then record how fast the ice melts.

The method is Experiment.

Answer: Experiment

4
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want the length of each song on the class playlist.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

Use a timer, or read the time from the player. The tool gives a number of seconds.

The method is Measure.

Answer: Measure

5
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want to know how many students step off the morning bus at each stop.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You watch each stop and record the count.

The method is Observe.

Answer: Observe

6
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You give one garden bed more water than the other bed, then compare how many tomatoes grow.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You change the amount of water and record the result.

The method is Experiment.

Answer: Experiment

7
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want each student's favorite sport.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You ask. Favorite sport is a category.

The method is Survey.

Answer: Survey

8
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want the high temperature at noon each day this month.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

Use a thermometer. Temperature is a measurement.

The method is Measure.

Answer: Measure

9
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want to know how many cars pass the school door during 10 minutes.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You watch and count. You do not change the traffic.

The method is Observe.

Answer: Observe

10
Which one method fits best: observe, measure, survey, or experiment? You want to know which instrument each band student plays.
Show Answer

Observe means watch and record. Measure means use a tool to get a number. Survey means ask. Experiment means change something and record the result.

You ask each student. The instrument is a category.

The method is Survey.

Answer: Survey

Level 2

Medium

Say what you write down.

Example
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You measure each tomato plant in the garden.

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: the height in inches.

Answer: A number: the height in inches.

1
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You ask which lunch each student prefers.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A category: the lunch each student chooses.

Answer: A category: the lunch each student chooses.

2
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You watch the feeder for 10 minutes and keep a tally of visits.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: how many birds visit. This is a count, not a unit such as inches.

Answer: A number: how many birds visit. This is a count, not a unit such as inches.

3
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You time an ice cube until it melts.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: the time in minutes.

Answer: A number: the time in minutes.

4
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You time each song on the class playlist.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: the length in seconds.

Answer: A number: the length in seconds.

5
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You watch students leave the bus at one stop.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: how many students step off.

Answer: A number: how many students step off.

6
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You ask each student to name a favorite sport.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A category: the sport.

Answer: A category: the sport.

7
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You read a rain gauge after a storm.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: the rainfall in inches.

Answer: A number: the rainfall in inches.

8
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You ask what kind of pet each family has.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A category: the kind of pet.

Answer: A category: the kind of pet.

9
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. You read a thermometer at noon.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: the temperature in degrees.

Answer: A number: the temperature in degrees.

10
What do you record? Say number or category. If it is a measurement, name the unit. After you change the water, you count the tomatoes on each bed.
Show Answer

A measurement comes from a tool and has a unit. A count is a number. A category is a choice or a name.

A number: how many tomatoes. The count is the result you write down.

Answer: A number: how many tomatoes. The count is the result you write down.

Level 3

Hard

Give three short lines: who or what, the method, and what you write down.

Example
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want the heights of the tomato plants in the class garden.

Who or what: each tomato plant in the garden

Method: measure

Write down: the height in inches

Answer: Who or what: each tomato plant in the garden
Method: measure
Write down: the height in inches

1
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want to know which lunch the students in your class prefer.
Show Answer

Who or what: each student in the class

Method: survey

Write down: the lunch each student prefers

Answer: Who or what: each student in the class
Method: survey
Write down: the lunch each student prefers

2
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want bird counts from several watches at the feeder.
Show Answer

Who or what: the feeder during each watch of 10 minutes

Method: observe

Write down: how many birds visit during that watch

Answer: Who or what: the feeder during each watch of 10 minutes
Method: observe
Write down: how many birds visit during that watch

3
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want to know whether a warmer room makes ice melt faster.
Show Answer

Who or what: ice cubes in a cool room and ice cubes in a warm room

Method: experiment

Write down: the minutes until each ice cube melts

Answer: Who or what: ice cubes in a cool room and ice cubes in a warm room
Method: experiment
Write down: the minutes until each ice cube melts

4
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want the length of every song on the class playlist.
Show Answer

Who or what: each song on the class playlist

Method: measure

Write down: the length in seconds

Answer: Who or what: each song on the class playlist
Method: measure
Write down: the length in seconds

5
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want the number of students who leave at each stop on the morning bus.
Show Answer

Who or what: each stop on the morning bus

Method: observe

Write down: how many students step off

Answer: Who or what: each stop on the morning bus
Method: observe
Write down: how many students step off

6
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want to know how many pets each family on your street has.
Show Answer

Who or what: each family on the street

Method: survey

Write down: the number of pets

Answer: Who or what: each family on the street
Method: survey
Write down: the number of pets

7
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want the noon temperature for each day this month.
Show Answer

Who or what: the thermometer at noon each day

Method: measure

Write down: the temperature in degrees

Answer: Who or what: the thermometer at noon each day
Method: measure
Write down: the temperature in degrees

8
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want to know whether extra water changes how many tomatoes grow.
Show Answer

Who or what: one bed with extra water and one bed with the usual water

Method: experiment

Write down: how many tomatoes grow on each bed

Answer: Who or what: one bed with extra water and one bed with the usual water
Method: experiment
Write down: how many tomatoes grow on each bed

9
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You were not there to time practice. You ask each band student about yesterday.
Show Answer

Who or what: each band student

Method: survey

Write down: the minutes practiced yesterday

Answer: Who or what: each band student
Method: survey
Write down: the minutes practiced yesterday

10
Write a short plan with three parts: who or what, the method, and what you write down. You want to know how many cars pass the school door during 10 minutes.
Show Answer

Who or what: the school door for 10 minutes

Method: observe

Write down: how many cars pass

Answer: Who or what: the school door for 10 minutes
Method: observe
Write down: how many cars pass

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