MA.2.DP.1.2

Interpret data represented with tally marks, tables, pictographs or bar graphs including solving addition and subtraction problems.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: Addition and subtraction problems are limited to whole numbers with sums within 100 and related differences.

Clarification 2: Data displays can be represented both horizontally and vertically. Scales on graphs are limited to ones, fives or tens.

General Information
Subject Area: Mathematics (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: 2
Strand: Data Analysis and Probability
Status: State Board Approved

Benchmark Instructional Guide

Connecting Benchmarks/Horizontal Alignment

 

Terms from the K-12 Glossary

  • Categorical data 
  • Bar graph

 

Vertical Alignment

Previous Benchmarks

 

Next Benchmarks

 

Purpose and Instructional Strategies

The purpose of this benchmark is to extend the work of grade 1 to interpretation of various data representations and solving problems involving addition and subtraction. 
  • Instruction includes questions that focus on the context of the situation. 
  • Instruction includes the idea that a picture can represent a single piece of data or a fixed amount. 
  • Interpretation of data includes both factual and reasoning-based questions.

 

Common Misconceptions or Errors

  • Students may miscount the number of pictures in a pictograph graph or misread the height of a bar in a bar graph. 
  • Students may think that one picture of an item in a pictograph represents only one item.

 

Strategies to Support Tiered Instruction

  • Teacher provides a pictograph and reads accompanying questions with students, checking for understanding along the way. The teacher focuses on students accurately counting the items in each category, paying special attention to the scale while ensuring that students are utilizing addition and subtraction strategies to accurately respond to each question. Teacher reviews related vocabulary such as fewer, more, in total, and less. Additionally, the teacher aids in accurately counting the items in each category, especially on graphs or tables that require skip counting by 2s or 5s. Ensure students are utilizing addition and subtraction strategies to accurately respond to each question. 
    • Example: 


      • Part A. How many astronauts does one astronaut represent? (Point to the scale if student is unsure.) 
      • Part B. In what grades did fewer than 20 students want to be astronauts? 
      • Part C. In what grades did at least 5 students want to be an astronaut? 
      • Part D. How many students wanted to be an astronaut in First grade and Fourth grade? (Aid student in skip counting 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40.) 
      • Part E. How many more students wanted to be an astronaut in kindergarten than in first grade? (Review “more” with students in this context and provide the sentence equation frame _____ − _____ = _____ to aid them if needed.) 
  • Teacher provides a bar graph and accompanying questions, reading each question, and checking for understanding along the way. The teacher focuses on accurately reading the height of each bar in the bar graph, paying special attention to the scale and ensuring students are utilizing addition and subtraction strategies to accurately respond to each question. 
    • Example: 
 bar graph
      • Part A. On which night did Timmy read for 35 minutes? 
      • Part B. How many more minutes did Timmy read on Tuesday and Friday than on Monday? 
      • Part C. On which nights did Timmy read more than 20 minutes? 
      • Part D. On which night did Timmy read fewer than 35 minutes, but more than 15 minutes? 
      • Part E. If Timmy read for 30 minutes on Saturday night, what would the bar look like?

 

Instructional Tasks

Instructional Task 1 (MTR.7.1

A grade 2 class is collecting books to donate. They graph the number of books collected in a pictograph below. 

umber of books collected in a pictograph

  • Part A. If the goal was to collect at least 20 books, by how many books did the class exceed their goal?
  • Part B. On which days did the class collect at least 6 books?

 

Instructional Items

Instructional Item 1 

A group of students were surveyed about what sport they prefer to play. According to the data on the table below, how many more children prefer to play soccer and tennis compared to the number of children who prefer to play basketball? 

 

*The strategies, tasks and items included in the B1G-M are examples and should not be considered comprehensive.

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5012040: Mathematics - Grade Two (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7712030: Access Mathematics Grade 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5012005: Foundational Skills in Mathematics K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
MA.2.DP.1.AP.2: Interpret data represented with tally marks, tables, pictographs or bar graphs to solve one-step put-together and take-apart problems. Pictograph symbols and bar graph intervals may only represent a quantity of 1.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Formative Assessment

Favorite Books:

Students are asked to answer questions about a given bar graph.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Planning for Weather:

Students will utilize temperature and precipitation data to rank locations best suited to host an outdoor celebration honoring Rosa Parks. They will interpret data using tables and graphs and apply knowledge of weather patterns while addressing state and national symbols in this integrated model eliciting activity.

Type: Lesson Plan

What Goes Up Must Come Down! :

This is a second grade science lesson that incorporates math, science, and engineering as students work in collaborative groups to investigate gravity using real-world situations.

Students will investigate the following problem:
How can you design an invention that keeps a balloon in the air instead of letting it be pulled to the ground by gravity? Can you keep your balloon in the air longer than the other teams?

Type: Lesson Plan

Bar Graph Exploration:

Here's a great introductory lesson to explore creating bar graphs with your students! Students will learn to create vertical bar graphs with a single unit scale using a variety of manipulatives and answer one-step comparison and put together questions using their data displays.

Type: Lesson Plan

Graphing Fun:

This lesson incorporates collecting, categorizing, and representing data using pictographs and bar graphs. Students will also interpret data represented in these graphs including solving problems. The story Sir Cumference and the Off the Charts Dessert by Cindy Neuschwander is used to interest students in graphing and presents a good opportunity to set up an independent practice activity for students.

Type: Lesson Plan

Gummy Graphing:

Students will make bar graphs using gummy bears and Skittles!

Type: Lesson Plan

Pop, Pop, Pop!:

Students will research the effects of sugary drinks on their health.  They will interpret data on a variety of beverages presented in the form of bar graphs and decide which beverages should be included in school vending machines to ensure students have healthy drink options.

Type: Lesson Plan

Give A Cheer MEA!:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, The Give A Cheer Yearbook Committee needs the students' assistance to determine the best company to purchase the school yearbooks. Students will need to consider the cost, tax, and delivery time in their decision. In a “twist,” students are given additional information about shipping cost and are asked to determine if their procedure for ranking should change.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx


Type: Lesson Plan

Oh Goodie!:

Collaboration is key! In this MEA lesson, students will have the opportunity to work in collaborative groups to decide what items to include inside a guest goodie bag. The students will be able to interpret data from a table chart, create a bar graph, present their decisions orally in teams, and write an extension letter.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Setting the Bar: Representing Data Sets:

In this lesson, students will use data from an in-class survey, animal pictures, and manipulatives to categorize and display in bar graphs. Students use the graphs to solve addition and subtraction problems about the data.

Type: Lesson Plan

Saving Seabirds:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will make decisions that focus on what and how human activities may impact ocean life and what actions students may take in protecting our ocean. The Supplemental Reading passage serves as a springboard to elicit students understanding of real issues around them.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Water Parks Galore!:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will devise a procedure, and justify it, in order to determine the best features of a water park. Students will use problem-solving skills and data sets presented in a bar graph and table. In a “twist,” students will be given new information and asked to determine whether their procedure still works. Students will create a bar graph representing the new data.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Class Pets:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will devise a plan for ranking, and justify it, in order to choose the best class pet. Students will use problem-solving skills, interpret data presented in tables, add two-digit numbers, compare two and three-digit numbers, and create bar graphs.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Cellular Satisfaction:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, a client is searching for the best cell phone carrier. Students will determine a procedure for ranking the companies based on votes for the favorite company and fees. The data is given in a scaled bar graph and a table. In a “twist,” the client provides more data, presented in a scaled pictograph, for the students to consider.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Restaurant Rankings: Which meal would you want to add to your cafeteria menu?:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students have been selected by the cafeteria manager to help rank healthy meal options that have been proposed to be added to the school cafeteria. The students will use information about the food and drink included in the meal, total calories, sodium content, calories from saturated fat, and calories from sugar to come up with a procedure for ranking the meal options. Then students will have to use or adapt their original procedures to include two more meal options in the rankings.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Visiting Animals and Plants:

Students will use data in the form of bar graphs and tables to determine a procedure for ranking zoos for a field trip. In the “twist” students will have to consider the cost for students using addition and subtraction of dollar amounts.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Chocolate Delight:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, Chocolate Delight, a chocolate bar company, wants to improve its sales to elementary students by creating a healthy chocolate bar. They have tested 5 new recipes and need to determine which candy bar is best for children. The students will determine a procedure for ranking the recipes from best to worst based on the following criteria: healthiness, taste, and nut allergies and make a recommendation of the healthiest recipe to Chocolate Delight.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Best Classroom Pet:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students will work in teams to use data to determine which classroom pet teachers should get for their classrooms based on several characteristics.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Video Game City:

This Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) is written at a 2nd grade level. In this MEA students need to help the owner of Video Game City help his customers decide which gaming system best meets their needs. Students can consider the cost of each gaming system in their rankings. In part 2, students will need to add the cost of each gaming system and accessory.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Graphing Away:

In this lesson, students will use a survey question of their choice to collect data and then represent the data on a bar graph with an appropriate title, labels, and a scale of one. Students will write statements to interpret their data.

Type: Lesson Plan

Representing and Interpreting Data in a Bar Graph:

Students will collect data and represent it using a bar graph with an appropriate title, labels, and scale of one. Students will interpret data by solving simple comparison problems using information presented in a bar graph.

Type: Lesson Plan

Fitness Frenzy:

In this lesson, students will interpret data represented with tally marks, tables, pictographs, and bar graphs and represent data using pictographs and bar graphs with appropriate titles, labels and units.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 1:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 1:

Learn to record and compare observations a group of students made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 1:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

This is part 2 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 1:

Learn to interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups of students during nature walks with this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Patterns in Precipitation:

Compare seasonal precipitation patterns in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida by interpreting data on bar graphs in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1, Patterns in Temperature.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Patterns in Temperature:

Compare daily and seasonal temperature patterns in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida in this interactive science tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2, Patterns in Precipitation. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Best Classroom Pet:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students will work in teams to use data to determine which classroom pet teachers should get for their classrooms based on several characteristics.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Cellular Satisfaction:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, a client is searching for the best cell phone carrier. Students will determine a procedure for ranking the companies based on votes for the favorite company and fees. The data is given in a scaled bar graph and a table. In a “twist,” the client provides more data, presented in a scaled pictograph, for the students to consider.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Chocolate Delight:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, Chocolate Delight, a chocolate bar company, wants to improve its sales to elementary students by creating a healthy chocolate bar. They have tested 5 new recipes and need to determine which candy bar is best for children. The students will determine a procedure for ranking the recipes from best to worst based on the following criteria: healthiness, taste, and nut allergies and make a recommendation of the healthiest recipe to Chocolate Delight.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Class Pets:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will devise a plan for ranking, and justify it, in order to choose the best class pet. Students will use problem-solving skills, interpret data presented in tables, add two-digit numbers, compare two and three-digit numbers, and create bar graphs.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Give A Cheer MEA!:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, The Give A Cheer Yearbook Committee needs the students' assistance to determine the best company to purchase the school yearbooks. Students will need to consider the cost, tax, and delivery time in their decision. In a “twist,” students are given additional information about shipping cost and are asked to determine if their procedure for ranking should change.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx


Oh Goodie!:

Collaboration is key! In this MEA lesson, students will have the opportunity to work in collaborative groups to decide what items to include inside a guest goodie bag. The students will be able to interpret data from a table chart, create a bar graph, present their decisions orally in teams, and write an extension letter.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Pop, Pop, Pop!:

Students will research the effects of sugary drinks on their health.  They will interpret data on a variety of beverages presented in the form of bar graphs and decide which beverages should be included in school vending machines to ensure students have healthy drink options.

Restaurant Rankings: Which meal would you want to add to your cafeteria menu?:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students have been selected by the cafeteria manager to help rank healthy meal options that have been proposed to be added to the school cafeteria. The students will use information about the food and drink included in the meal, total calories, sodium content, calories from saturated fat, and calories from sugar to come up with a procedure for ranking the meal options. Then students will have to use or adapt their original procedures to include two more meal options in the rankings.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Saving Seabirds:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will make decisions that focus on what and how human activities may impact ocean life and what actions students may take in protecting our ocean. The Supplemental Reading passage serves as a springboard to elicit students understanding of real issues around them.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Video Game City:

This Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) is written at a 2nd grade level. In this MEA students need to help the owner of Video Game City help his customers decide which gaming system best meets their needs. Students can consider the cost of each gaming system in their rankings. In part 2, students will need to add the cost of each gaming system and accessory.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Visiting Animals and Plants:

Students will use data in the form of bar graphs and tables to determine a procedure for ranking zoos for a field trip. In the “twist” students will have to consider the cost for students using addition and subtraction of dollar amounts.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Water Parks Galore!:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will devise a procedure, and justify it, in order to determine the best features of a water park. Students will use problem-solving skills and data sets presented in a bar graph and table. In a “twist,” students will be given new information and asked to determine whether their procedure still works. Students will create a bar graph representing the new data.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

MFAS Formative Assessments

Favorite Books:

Students are asked to answer questions about a given bar graph.

Original Student Tutorials Science - Grades K-8

Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 1:

Learn to interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups of students during nature walks with this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

This is part 2 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1.

Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 1:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 1:

Learn to record and compare observations a group of students made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 1:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Patterns in Precipitation:

Compare seasonal precipitation patterns in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida by interpreting data on bar graphs in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1, Patterns in Temperature.

Patterns in Temperature:

Compare daily and seasonal temperature patterns in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida in this interactive science tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2, Patterns in Precipitation. 

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 1:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 1:

Learn to record and compare observations a group of students made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 1:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 2:

Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

This is part 2 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 1:

Learn to interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups of students during nature walks with this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Patterns in Precipitation:

Compare seasonal precipitation patterns in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida by interpreting data on bar graphs in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1, Patterns in Temperature.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Patterns in Temperature:

Compare daily and seasonal temperature patterns in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida in this interactive science tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2, Patterns in Precipitation. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.