For Teachers>Notes

The investigation of baseball statistics and scorekeeping is not an introductory activity to statistics. We develop our students understanding all year before tackling this unit.

Daily data collection is a must. Students need to be comfortable compiling information, calculating averages, determining ranges, finding the mode, etc. with data sets.

Students need practice speaking about data. The Mighty m&m Math Experiment and other fun data collection activities should be most familiar with your students. We have been collecting data about NECCO Sweetheart candies for the past six years.

By the time baseball season comes about, students should really just need pointers as to what kind of data is desired and they can set off on their own.

The most difficult part of this unit is teaching students the unusual plays of baseball. Sacrifice flies and errors do not count as at-bats. A pitcher coming in with a six run lead is not eligible for a save, but if someone comes in after him with a two run lead, he is. Having the rules nearby is a must.

Most important, however, is that students are working with real data. Textbooks do not offer that. Make the most of this and have your students working like they never have before!

For Teachers>Writing