Students will practice manipulating the Gapminder visualization, collect data, make comparisons between age groups and countries, and answer questions related to data on internet users, then reflect on the activity.
Math Learning Standard:
7.6.G Extract and organize mathematical information from symbols, diagrams, and graphs to make inferences, draw conclusions, and justify reasoning.
Click on the link below to go to the Gapminder visualization, then answer the questions.
www.bit.ly/h2Eaeh
1. Click the Play button and watch the graph progress from 1960 through 2008.
2. What is being measured on the x-axis? What is being measured on the y-axis?
3. The timeline is at the bottom of the graph. What are the intervals?
4. Hover your mouse over the United States.
a. How many people are between the ages of 10 and 14 years?
b. How many total internet users are there in the United States?
c. What percent of total internet users are between the ages of 10 and 14 years?
5. Choose two other countries and answer the same three questions as in #2 above, then write a few sentences about how those countries compare to the United States.
6. Click on each interval of years at the bottom of the graph. What year(s) do you notice a significant increase in total internet users? What year(s) do you notice a significant increase in internet users between the ages of 10 and 14 years?
7. Click on Population Aged 10-14 Years, then Population, then Both Sexes by Age (total) and choose a different age group. Write a few sentences about how the two age groups compare. What was the most significant difference and/or similarity between the two age groups?
8. Finally, write a one paragraph reflection about your experience using the Gapminder visualization. Some things to consider in your reflection: Was it easy or hard to manipulate the variables? Did you understand the data and the graph, i.e., did you know what you were looking at? What else would you have liked to discover about internet users using this visualization?
