[linda2671]

Hey all you math people out there. I'm looking for lesson plans on mean, median, mode, and range that can be adapted to first grade. Our school didn't do real well on these particular subjects on the third grade math assessment, so our task is to find new ways to teach these. Since these are not actually in our first grade curriculum, I'm looking for those of you with expertise in that area. Our principal is hoping that all of our 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade can hit those areas really hard to bring up those scores this year. Any ideas?

I always equate the word median with middle and mode with most

Mean--The mean old math teacher made us find the average. (one way I have seen)

Mode--the most (have them run in place to see who runs the most)

Median--Number in middle when in order from least to greatest.

[ee]

How about having all of your students grab one handful of manipulatives such as bear counters or cubes. Have each student count his or her counters and put the number on a post it note. Then arrange the notes in number order (like a number line). From there you can see the mode and the median. (If there is more than one child with a number I'd put the extras above the number to look almost like a graph)
I'm not sure how you get first graders to find the mean other than to tell them the steps and doing it together. Maybe your job as a first grade teacher is to just introduce the vocabulary and give them some practical experience hearing and using the terms without having them do the advanced calculations.
You could repeat this with other manips as needed.

[linda2671]

Actually, we had planned to just hit on the meaning of the word mean, but we were looking for things that could help them remember how to get the median, mode and range. I really like the sticky note idea. I guess we're lucky that we only had a couple of indicators that we were low on. I know kids get mean, median, mode, and range mixed up. I do too.

[mmnj]

In 2nd grade, I teach median by having the kids collect a piece of data with a number (how many buttons they have on, how many siblings, how many manipulatives are on their desk etc.) and write it on a piece of paper. THen they line up from least to greatest. TO find the median, both ends sit down when I tell them to, then the two "new" ends, etc. until there's only one left (or middle two if even number of students). It's good...very visual, and then every time they forget what it means, I remind them, "Remember when we lined up in order?" and they say "Oh yeah, the last one standing!" Might be appropriate for 1st too! Good luck on median though...not so appropriate for 1st!

The main the mode because you can get students more interesting to the topic the teacher is doing.