Georgia Performance Standards

Standards have been the topic of conversation for my school lately.  We are working to ensure that the curriculum addresses the Common Core Standards.  They are different from the Georgia Standards, but have some commonality.  The blog assignment this week was to:

a. Go to the Georgia Standards Website (http://www.georgiastandards.org)
                b. Pick a subject area.
                c. Find standards for a particular grade level (you pick).
                d. Analyze the standards:               -How many of the standards are focused on critical thinking skills? How many not?
               - Pick one and discuss how it could be taught using critical thinking skills and technology.

In a review of the Georgia Performance Standards for second grade, I noticed that there are many standards--especially science, social studies, and math--that address critical thinking skills.  The verbs create, develop, produce, and analyze are included as part of the standards.  A connection with the world of the students and globally and the use of technology are also weaved throughout the standards.   

For the purpose of this assignment, the math standards will be the focus.  The specific standard for discussion is below: 

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY
Students will pose questions, collect, organize, and interpret data about themselves
and their surroundings.

M2D1. Students will create simple tables and graphs and interpret their meaning.

• a. Create, organize and display data using pictographs, Venn diagrams, bar graphs, picture graphs, simple charts, and tables to record results with scales of 1, 2 and 5.

• b. Know how to interpret picture graphs, Venn diagrams, and bar graphs.

Planning:  This standard provides an opportunity for students to work in collaborative groups to make decisions about the type of information to gather.  Next, they have to determine the format in which they will gather and organize the data.  

Data Collection:  After the planning stage, the collaborative groups may create a survey to collect the data.  This may done using a technology tool. Several blogs provide an option for creating surveys. Students may also use audio tools/voice recorder to interview/survey others.  

Organization/Recording/Interpretation of Results:  Once the data is gathered, the students may use Excel to create their graphs. (In Media Literacy class, our students learn how to use Excel to create graphs.)  There are also other online graphing tools (i.e., http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/) and Graph Club that second graders may use to create graphs. These tools will allow students to create different types of graphs.  After students interpret the data, Venn diagrams may be used to compare the data.  

Sharing Results:  Students may create a slideshow using Powerpoint or Keynote to showcase the graphs that are created.  A news report (video) can be prepared to share the process and the results.  This standard requires a large amount of critical thinking.