Grade 3 Math: Data and Probability unit
Students sort things with Carroll, Venn and tree diagrams, run a survey, and show the results in tally charts, frequency tables, pictographs and bar graphs. They find the mode and the mean, use words like likely and unlikely, and compare two groups. They finish by running their own survey and sharing what the data says.
What's included
- Unit overviewBig ideas, expectations by code, learning goals and success criteria
- Day-by-day calendar15 days planned, including catch-up and review days
- 12 three-part lessonsMinds On, Action and Consolidation, with timings, questions to ask and common mistakes
- Lesson slidesA ready-to-project deck for every lesson: goals, worked examples, discussion questions and exit tickets, with your lesson steps in the speaker notes
- Student worksheets with answer keys78 questions in all, every numeric answer checked by software
- Diagnostic and quick checksA Day 1 diagnostic and 3 quick checks to adjust your teaching
- Performance task and rubric“Our class survey”, with a rubric across all four achievement chart categories
- Unit test and answer key16 marks, sorted by achievement chart category
- AccommodationsSupports for students with IEPs, English language learners, and extensions
Look inside
These are real pages from the unit.
Day-by-day calendar
| Day | Lesson or assessment | Expectations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic and unit launch | |
| 2 | Lesson 1: Sort with a Carroll diagram | D1.1 |
| 3 | Lesson 2: Sort with a Venn diagram | D1.1 |
| 4 | Lesson 3: Sort with three circles | D1.1 |
| 5 | Lesson 4: Tree diagrams | D1.1 |
| 6 | Lesson 5: Ask a question and collect data | D1.2 |
| 7 | Lesson 6: Frequency tables | D1.2 |
| 8 | Lesson 7: Pictographs | D1.3 |
| 9 | Lesson 8: Bar graphs and scales | D1.3 |
| 10 | Lesson 9: Read graphs and decide | D1.5 |
| 11 | Lesson 10: Mode and mean | D1.4 |
| 12 | Lesson 11: How likely is it? | D2.1 |
| 13 | Lesson 12: Compare two groups | D2.2 |
| 14 | Performance task | D1.1, D1.2, D1.3, D1.4, D1.5, D2.1, D2.2 |
| 15 | Unit test (read aloud) | D1.1, D1.2, D1.3, D1.4, D1.5, D2.1, D2.2 |
Lesson 1: Sort with a Carroll diagram
Learning goal: We are learning to sort things by two features in a Carroll diagram.
Success criteria:
- I can sort things by colour and shape.
- I can count the things in each box.
Minds On (8 min)
- Hold up a mix of red and blue shapes. Ask: "How could we sort these shapes?"
- Sort by colour first. Then sort by shape.
Action (24 min)
- Make a floor table with two columns and two rows. Label it red / not red and circle / not a circle.
- Students place shapes in the right box and say why.
- Ask what to do with a blue square. It goes in "not red" and "not a circle".
- Students complete the worksheet.
Consolidation (8 min)
- Share one box and tell its rule.
- Exit: "Where does a red square go?"
Sort the shapes
Look at the table. Follow the question.
- How many red circles?
- How many blue shapes?
- How many are not circles?
- Colour the box with the most shapes.
- Sort the shapes. Draw them in the table.
Answer keys with worked steps are in the Teacher Guide.
Performance task: Our class survey
Ask 20 children one question. Show what you learn.
| Category | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and Understanding | Level 1: needs a lot of help to tally and make a table. | Level 2: makes a table with some mistakes. | Level 3: makes a correct table and graph. | Level 4: makes a correct table and graph and checks the total. |
| Thinking | Level 1: names the most popular choice with help. | Level 2: finds the mode with some help. | Level 3: finds the mode and makes a reasonable prediction. | Level 4: explains why the prediction is likely. |
| Communication | Level 1: graph has few labels. | Level 2: graph has a title or a source. | Level 3: graph has a title, source and labels, and the child tells what it shows. | Level 4: tells clearly what the graph shows and uses the right words. |
| Application | Level 1: needs help to pick a question. | Level 2: picks a question that works with help. | Level 3: picks a good question and uses the data to answer it. | Level 4: uses the data to make a choice and tells another question to ask. |
Lessons in this unit
- Sort with a Carroll diagramLearning to sort things by two features in a Carroll diagram.D1.1
- Sort with a Venn diagramLearning to sort things in a Venn diagram with two circles.D1.1
- Sort with three circlesLearning to sort things with three features.D1.1
- Tree diagramsLearning to find every combination with a tree diagram.D1.1
- Ask a question and collect dataLearning to ask a question and collect data with tally marks.D1.2
- Frequency tablesLearning to turn tally marks into numbers in a table.D1.2
- PictographsLearning to read and make pictographs where one picture means more than one.D1.3
- Bar graphs and scalesLearning to read and make bar graphs with scales of 2, 5 and 10.D1.3
- Read graphs and decideLearning to read tables and graphs and use them to decide.D1.5
- Mode and meanLearning to find the mode and the mean of a set of data.D1.4
- How likely is it?Learning to tell how likely things are to happen.D2.1
- Compare two groupsLearning to compare two groups of data and make a good prediction.D2.2
Ontario curriculum expectations covered
- D1.1
- Sort people or things by two or three features, using tables and Carroll, Venn and tree diagrams.
- D1.2
- Collect data by watching, testing and asking, then record it in frequency tables.
- D1.3
- Show data in pictographs and bar graphs where one picture or one step stands for 2, 5 or 10, with a title, source and labels.
- D1.4
- Find the mean and the mode of whole-number data and tell what each one shows.
- D1.5
- Read tables and graphs, ask and answer questions, and use the data to explain a choice.
- D2.1
- Describe how likely events are with words from impossible to certain, and use this to predict.
- D2.2
- Predict and test whether two similar groups will have the same mode and a close mean.
Questions about this unit
How long is this unit?
15 school days: 12 lessons plus a diagnostic, a catch-up day, a two-day performance task, a review day and the unit test.
Which expectations does it cover?
D1.1, D1.2, D1.3, D1.4, D1.5, D2.1, D2.2 from Mathematics (2020), Strand D: Data.
What format are the files?
Each unit comes as a Teacher Guide and Student Pages, both as editable Word files and print-ready PDFs, plus a PowerPoint deck of lesson slides. The Word files open in Google Docs and the slides open in Google Slides, so you can change anything.
Can I share it with my colleagues?
A single licence is for one teacher's classes. For a grade team, the team licence covers up to 5 teachers at one school for $49.99.
What if it isn't right for my class?
Email help@unitplans.ca within 7 days of buying for a full refund.