Grade 7 Math: Data and Probability unit
Students learn why percentages are used to compare groups of different sizes, collect and organize several kinds of data, and choose, draw, and read circle graphs, histograms, and broken-line graphs. They spot misleading graphs, see how adding or removing values changes the mean, median, and mode, and plan an infographic. In probability they separate independent from dependent events, use tree diagrams to find theoretical probabilities of two events, and compare these with experimental results. In a two-day performance task, students analyse how Grade 7 students travel to school and present an infographic to the School Council.
What's included
- Unit overviewBig ideas, expectations by code, learning goals and success criteria
- Day-by-day calendar17 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 keys136 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“Report to the School Council: How Do We Get to School?”, with a rubric across all four achievement chart categories
- Unit test and answer key41 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: Why we use percentages | D1.1 |
| 3 | Lesson 2: Collecting and organizing data | D1.2 |
| 4 | Lesson 3: Choosing the best graph | D1.3 |
| 5 | Lesson 4: Making circle graphs (quick check 1) | D1.2, D1.3 |
| 6 | Lesson 5: Reading circle graphs | D1.6 |
| 7 | Lesson 6: Histograms and broken-line graphs | D1.3 |
| 8 | Lesson 7: Spotting misleading graphs | D1.6 |
| 9 | Lesson 8: How changing the data changes the average (quick check 2) | D1.5 |
| 10 | Lesson 9: Telling a story with an infographic | D1.4 |
| 11 | Lesson 10: Independent and dependent events | D2.1 |
| 12 | Lesson 11: Probability of two events and tree diagrams | D2.2 |
| 13 | Lesson 12: Experimental and theoretical probability (quick check 3) | D2.2 |
| 14 | Performance task, day 1 | D1.2, D1.3, D1.4 |
| 15 | Performance task, day 2 | D1.4, D2.2 |
| 16 | Review | |
| 17 | Unit test |
Lesson 1: Why we use percentages
Learning goal: We are learning to explain why percentages make it easier to compare groups of different sizes.
Success criteria:
- I can turn a count out of a total into a percentage.
- I can compare groups of different sizes using percentages.
- I can explain why a percentage can tell more than a count.
Minds On (10 min)
- Show two classes in a pizza vote: one class has 6 yes votes out of 24, another has 9 yes votes out of 40. Ask: "Which class liked pizza more? How could you tell fairly when one class is bigger?"
- Take a quick hand vote, then let partners explain their thinking. Do not give the method yet.
Action (35 min)
- Model changing a count to a percentage: divide the part by the total, then multiply by 100. Use one school example from the worksheet.
- Discuss why the biggest count is not always the biggest share. Compare two schools of different sizes side by side.
- Introduce large survey results (thousands of people) and show how a percentage makes the pattern easy to see.
- Students complete the worksheet in pairs, then check with another pair.
Consolidation (15 min)
- Discuss question 8: why do news reports and surveys use percentages?
- Add the idea to the class anchor chart: counts tell how many, percentages tell how much of the whole.
- Exit: "A class of 20 and a class of 50 both have a favourite song. Why might a percentage be fairer than a count?"
Why percentages?
Show your work. Use a calculator when you need one.
- Maple Public School has 480 students and 312 take the bus. What percent of Maple students take the bus?
- Oak Public School has 1250 students and 750 take the bus. What percent of Oak students take the bus?
- More students ride the bus at Oak than at Maple. Which school has the greater share of students on the bus? Explain.
- A made-up survey asked 4500 people if they would try a new recipe. 3600 said yes. What percent said yes?
- In the same survey, 45 people said maybe. What percent said maybe? (The rest said no.)
- In a made-up sample of 150 town residents, 42 wanted a new skatepark. If the sample matches the whole town of 3500 people, about how many people want the skatepark?
- Class A voted yes 6 out of 24 times. Class B voted yes 9 out of 40 times. Which class had the higher percent of yes votes?
- Write two or three sentences. Why do surveys and news reports often use percentages instead of counts?
Answer keys with worked steps are in the Teacher Guide.
Performance task: Report to the School Council: How Do We Get to School?
The School Council wants to encourage more students to walk and bike. They have asked your group to analyse how a sample of Grade 7 students travel to school and present your findings in an infographic. They also want to know the chance that two students chosen at random both walk.
| Category | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and Understanding | Shows limited understanding of percents, angles, and probability; many calculations are incorrect. | Shows some understanding; calculates percents and angles with several errors; limited understanding of independent and dependent events. | Shows considerable understanding; percents, angles, and probabilities are mostly correct and totals are checked. | Shows thorough understanding; all calculations are correct, totals are checked, and independent and dependent events are explained clearly. |
| Thinking | Uses little planning; graph choice is not justified. | Uses some planning; justifies graph choices with limited reasoning; limited analysis of the data. | Plans effectively; justifies choices; analyses the data and compares the two probabilities with reasons. | Plans very effectively; justifies choices with strong reasons; draws insightful conclusions and checks for misleading features. |
| Communication | Infographic is unclear; graphs lack titles, labels, or source. | Infographic is somewhat clear; some labels, titles, or the source are missing. | Infographic is clear and organized; graphs have titles, labels, scales, and source; uses math language. | Infographic is very clear, concise, and engaging for the audience; precise math language and an effective headline. |
| Application | Makes little connection between the data and a recommendation. | Makes some connection between the data and a recommendation; probability link is limited. | Makes a reasonable recommendation supported by the data and probability results. | Makes a strong, well-supported recommendation, linking data, graphs, and probability in a convincing way. |
Lessons in this unit
- Why we use percentagesLearning to explain why percentages make it easier to compare groups of different sizes.D1.1
- Collecting and organizing dataLearning to collect different kinds of data and organize it in a relative frequency table.D1.2
- Choosing the best graphLearning to choose a graph that fits the data and to give it a source, title, labels, and a good scale.D1.3
- Making circle graphsLearning to turn data into percentages and angles, then draw a circle graph.D1.2, D1.3
- Reading circle graphsLearning to read, compare, and draw conclusions from circle graphs at three levels.D1.6
- Histograms and broken-line graphsLearning to build and read histograms and broken-line graphs.D1.3
- Spotting misleading graphsLearning to spot ways a graph can mislead and to ask questions that challenge what a graph seems to say.D1.6
- How changing the data changes the averageLearning to explain how adding or removing data values changes the mean, median, mode, and the shape of the data.D1.5
- Telling a story with an infographicLearning to plan an infographic that tells a clear story about a data set.D1.4
- Independent and dependent eventsLearning to tell independent events from dependent events and to see how their probabilities differ.D2.1
- Probability of two events and tree diagramsLearning to use tree diagrams and multiplication to find the theoretical probability of two events.D2.2
- Experimental and theoretical probabilityLearning to compare experimental and theoretical probabilities and to use probability to make predictions.D2.2
Ontario curriculum expectations covered
- D1.1
- Explain why percents help describe how a variable is spread across large populations or samples, and give examples.
- D1.2
- Collect different kinds of data (words, counted numbers, measured numbers) to answer a question, and organize it, including with percents and relative frequency tables.
- D1.3
- Choose a suitable graph for a data set, including circle graphs; label it with source, title, and scale; and defend the choice.
- D1.4
- Design an infographic about a data set using tables, circle graphs, and extra facts that tell a story for an audience.
- D1.5
- Work out how adding or taking away values changes the mean, median, or mode, and how the shape of the data changes.
- D1.6
- Read and question data in circle graphs and misleading graphs, test ideas against the data, and use it to argue and decide.
- D2.1
- Tell independent and dependent events apart, explain how their probabilities differ, and give examples.
- D2.2
- Find and compare theoretical and experimental probabilities for two independent events and for two dependent events.
Questions about this unit
How long is this unit?
17 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, D1.6, D2.1, D2.2 from Mathematics (2020), Strand D: Data (D1 Data Literacy and D2 Probability).
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.