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About this unit

Statistical Investigations – Year 6 takes students through the connected decisions that make a statistical investigation fair, useful and evidence based. Students pose and refine questions that expect variation, identify the population and variable, choose suitable survey, observation or measurement methods, consider sampling and bias, organise data in tables and graphs, analyse centre, spread, patterns and unusual values, and communicate conclusions with limitations.

The unit combines explicit teaching with discussion-rich displays, practical sorting and matching activities, a review game, substantial print-friendly practice, an independent assessment and a five-level rubric. Contexts include survey design, school energy use, recycling audits, puzzle times and school travel. Nine answer pages reproduce the matching worksheet layout and place red answers directly in the response spaces.

What's included

• Statistical Investigations editable PowerPoint presentation — 19 slides

• Statistical Investigations editable PowerPoint quiz — 22 slides with 10 question-and-answer pairs

• Unit Plan PDF — 29 pages

• Statistical Investigation Cycle Display

• Four Types of Data Overview

• Categorical Data Poster

• Numerical Data Poster

• Research Question Sort Activity

• Collection Method Match Activity

• Data Detective Trail Game

• Statistical Investigation Steps Worksheet and answer page

• Research Question Clinic, pages 1–2, with two answer pages

• Data Type Decisions Worksheet and answer page

• Survey Design Studio Worksheet and answer page

• School Energy Investigation, pages 1–2, with two answer pages

• Digitise and Graph – Recycling Audit and answer page

• Analyse and Communicate – Puzzle Times and answer page

• School Travel Investigation Assessment, pages 1–2

• Statistical Investigation Assessment Rubric

Learning focus

• Pose and refine statistical questions that anticipate variation

• Identify populations, samples and variables

• Distinguish nominal, ordinal, discrete and continuous data

• Select and justify suitable surveys, observations and measurements

• Recognise bias, unclear wording and sampling limitations

• Organise data in tables, spreadsheets and graphs

• Analyse centre, spread, patterns and unusual values

• Communicate a conclusion using evidence and context

• Evaluate limitations and suggest realistic improvements

Classroom use

Use the editable presentation for explicit instruction and worked examples, then move into the colour displays and practical activities for guided discussion. The worksheets can be used as a sequenced booklet, selected for small-group support, assigned independently or used for extension. Finish with the School Travel Investigation Assessment and five-level rubric. Suggested duration is 5–8 lessons across one to two weeks.

Year, subject and topic

Year level: Year 6

Subject: Mathematics

Topic: Statistical investigations, data collection, data representation and data analysis

Curriculum alignment

Australian Curriculum v9

• AC9M6ST03

Australian Curriculum v8.4 / Western Australia

• ACMSP147

Victorian Curriculum 2.0

• VC2M6ST03

New South Wales

• MA3-DATA-01

• MA3-DATA-02

United States Common Core State Standards

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.1

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.2

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.a

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.b

United Kingdom

• UK-UKS2-Y6-MATH-S

• UK-KS3-MATH-S

New Zealand

• NZ-Y6-MATH-STAT-PLAN-1

• NZ-Y6-MATH-STAT-DATA-1

• NZ-Y6-MATH-STAT-AN-1

• NZ-Y6-MATH-STAT-CON-1

• NZ-Y6-MATH-STAT-SL-1

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

• TEKS-MATH-G6-6A

• TEKS-MATH-G6-9C

• TEKS-MATH-G6-12A

• TEKS-MATH-G6-12B

• TEKS-MATH-G6-12C

• TEKS-MATH-G6-13A

• TEKS-MATH-G6-13B

Ontario Mathematics Curriculum

• CAN-G6-MATH-D1.1

• CAN-G6-MATH-D1.2

• CAN-G6-MATH-D1.3

• CAN-G6-MATH-D1.4

• CAN-G6-MATH-D1.5

• CAN-G6-MATH-D1.6

Formats, page counts and answers

Unit plan: 29 pages

Presentation: 19 slides

Quiz: 22 slides

Answer key: Yes — nine printable answer pages and quiz answer slides

Teacher benefits

• A coherent sequence from question design to evaluation

• Multiple opportunities to justify collection and representation choices

• Connected colour teaching resources and black-and-white print practice

• Differentiated opportunities through guided activities, core practice and extended analysis

• Matching answers that reduce marking time

• Assessment criteria aligned to the skills students practise in the unit

Digital product and licence

This is a digital product; no physical item is supplied. Purchase permits use by the purchaser in one classroom or household. Files may not be shared, resold, redistributed, uploaded to public websites or learning repositories, or used to create derivative products for sale.