This activity is aligned to NCTM Standards - Grades 6-8: Number and Operations, Data Analysis and Probability and Reasoning and Proof and to California Mathematics Standards Grade 7: Number Sense #1.3, Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability #1, and Mathematical Reasoning #1.1, 2.4

Our students often think that their grades just magically appear but we know that we use a computer program, GradeBook Plus, to keep track of their grades. The following activity is intended to make the grading process more understandable. The hope is that the students will understand the meaning of averaging numbers to calculate a grade and begin to understand the idea of action/inaction and consequence.

 

Introducing the activity

    Grade samples:

Materials for each group of 4 students include:

1. Student grade data
2. GradeBook Plus disk - with class and nine students already set up for data input
3. Recording sheet for discussion questions

Instruct the students to enter the data from the student number matching their group number. Facilitate as the groups complete this task.

 

Discussion questions

How would their grade be affected

• if they don't do their homework at all but get an A+ on the quiz?
• if they do all their homework but they get a C (14 out of 20) on the quiz?
• if they do 3 of the 5 nights of homework and get an A+ on the quiz?
• if they do 3 of the 5 nights of homework and get a C on the quiz?
• if they do all of their homework but they are absent the day of the quiz and they don't come in to make up the work?

What affects grades more? not doing any homework or not taking a quiz? Now that you have considered one week of grades, investigate what happens when you add in grades for the next week. The possibilities to consider include:

1. your student continues with the same pattern (doing homework, not doing homework, etc.)
2. your student continues to do the same on quizzes and/or tests.
3. add in a test and/or project worth 100 or 200 points.