Journal for Research in Mathematics Education

• A Modeling Perspective on Students' Mathematical Reasoning about Data
  This article examines the shift in importance from students finding a solution to creating a system of relationships. Results suggest that students are able to create generalizable and reusable systems, related to selecting, ranking, and weighting data.
  Reflection Guide: Use this article for professional development.  

Mathematics Teacher

• Data Analysis and Baseball
  This article describes an investigation that leads to one of the significant contributions that sabermetrics has made to our understanding of baseball. Applications of several principles of data analysis are illustrated in a manner that is familiar and motivating to students.
• Graphic Methods for Instruction in Data Analysis
  This article explains stem-and-leaf plots and box-and-whisker plots and how they can be used in instruction in data analysis to organize and describe real-world data. Gross vehicular weights of trucks were used to demonstrate ways to present comprehensible, visual pictures of the data and their attributes and relationships.
• Activities: Using Graphing Calculators to Model Real-World Data
  This article describes a scaffolding approach to teaching students concepts of linear modeling. The activity gives students opportunities to model real-world data that approximates a line.
• Connecting Data and Geometry
  This article connects data and geometry by finding relationships between the areas and perimeters of randomly-generated rectangles.
• The Role of Technology in Introductory Statistics Classes
  This article examines the use of computer software and statistics-enhanced graphing calculators in promoting reflection in introductory statistics classes. Results reveal increased emphasis on the conceptual basis of probability and data analysis with the integration of such technology.
• Statistical Thinking with Trend Charts
  This article presents the basic ideas of statistical trend charts and their utility as a pedagogical tool for sparking statistical thinking.
• Determining the Mean Center of the Population of the United States
  This article speculates on how the mean center of the population of the country might be determined.
• Discuss with Your Colleagues: It's All in the Area
  This article provides examples and questions to help students understand the connection between the area under the curve and samples, histograms, and various other indicators to which they have been exposed. The questions progress from the intuitive nature of empirical probabilities to that of frequencies to proportions, proportions to probabilities, and ratio of areas in frequency charts to probabilities.
• Exploring the Birthday Problem with Spreadsheets
  This article discusses the tendency of students to underestimate the probability of an event occurring more than once. Shaughnessy’s (1977) study is discussed, while revealing his findings, related to the importance of having students commit to a prediction beforehand and later address misconceptions.
• Media Clips
  This article presents students’ analyses of information and data from the media when solving real-world problems.

Online Activities:

• Whelk-come to Mathematics
  This Illuminations lesson involves using rational functions to investigate the behavior of northwestern crows.
• Regression Line and Correlation
  This Illuminations lesson provides students with opportunities to investigate the relationship between a set of data points and a curve used to fit the data points. The applet involved allows for investigation of properties of regression lines and correlation.
• State Data Map
  This Illuminations applet allows users to represent state data information, including land area, population, senators, and gasoline usage, via color coding and a resulting box-and-whiskers plot.
• Bar Grapher
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to either create a customized bar graph from a personal data set or display a graph from a pre-made data set.
• Box Plotter
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to either create a customized box plot from a personal data set or display a box plot from a pre-made data set.
• Circle Grapher
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to either create a customized circle graph from a personal data set or display a circle graph from a pre-made data set.
• Histogram Tool
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to either create a customized histogram from a personal data set or display a histogram from a pre-made data set.

Student Math Notes:

• Census 2000 and Sampling
  This article focuses on the analysis of census data from 1790, 1890, and 1990. The mean center of population and other measures of central tendency are examined.

ON-Math

• Real-Life Traffic Data: A Vehicle for Statistical Exploration
  This article examines the mathematics that can result from having students gather and examine real-time data. It also presents ideas for research projects that use real-time data.
  Enhanced Article: Use this article for professional development.

Mathematics Teacher

• Equal Arcs, Triangles, and Probability
  This article describes ways students can relate probability to geometry. A sample summary chart and proof of a conjecture is provided to reveal the interrelatedness of the two strands.
  Reflection Guide: Use this article for professional development.
• Activities: Let's Play Plinko: A Lesson in Simulations and Experimental Probabilities
  This article describes an activity that uses a model of Plinko in teaching a group of high school students about simulations and experimental probabilities. Directions for constructing the game board, a calculator program that simulates large numbers of trials, and worksheets are included.
• Activities for Students: Teaching Probability and Statistics Using Game Shows
  This article presents an activity that uses a game-related setting for prompting students to investigate probability and statistics.
• Problem Solving Can Generate New Approaches to Mathematics: The Case of Probability
  This article describes a probabilistic situation that can be studied through simulation, tree diagrams, and generating functions. The example illustrates the more general theme of teaching through problem solving.
• The Probability of Winning a Lotto Jackpot Twice
  This article discusses the use of state lotto games as a source of problems and exercises for classroom activities, with applications to basic probability concepts setting the stage for greater understanding of the actual chance of winning the lottery.
• Random Variables: Simulations and Suprising Connections
  This article describes a lesson that introduces students to determining the empirical and theoretical probabilities for three random variables.  An explanation of the use of coins, regular dice, decahedral dice, and calculators is provided.
• Tennis, Anyone?
  This article describes the variety of strategies that can be used to determine the probability that a player wins a tennis game, given a probability of 60 percent that he or she wins each point. The article suggests strategies for using the problem in grade 9-12 classrooms.

Online Activities:

• Explorations with Chance
  This Illuminations lesson promotes the analysis of fairness of certain games by examining the probability of outcomes. Students are given opportunities to predict results, play games, and calculate probabilities.
• Random Drawing Tool - Individual Trials
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to explore the relationship between theoretical and experimental probabilities.
• Random Drawing Tool - Sampling Distribution
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to explore sampling distributions by drawing multiple numbers many times.
• Adjustable Spinner 
  This Illuminations applet allows the user to create a spinner and examine the experimental and theoretical outcomes for a specified number of spins.