USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the American Statistical Association (ASA) have developed a new Census at School Food Preference Survey lesson plan and activities for students in grades 5-8.  Building on the existing ASA Census at School program, the Food Preference Survey teaches statistical and agricultural literacy to children through common core state standards in Mathematics, Language Arts, Nutrition, Social Studies, and Family Consumer Sciences.

“Increasing statistical literacy in youth is an important way to develop the next generation of statisticians,” said NASS Administrator Dr. Cynthia Clark.  “The Census at School program is a way to make statistics fun and engaging for students, allowing them to compare information about themselves with that of other students in the United States and other countries.”

Students complete an online survey and submit the data to a national database. Statistical methods and concepts are then used to compare class results with random samples from peers in the United States and other countries.  Students will learn about statistics, nutrition, and cultural differences; apply graphing, mathematics, and analysis skills to real-world examples; and justify their analysis of data.

The Food Preference Survey, using three questions from the full Census questionnaire, asks students about their favorite food and beverages. The activities use the data to analyze survey results and discuss whether the results surprise the class; which foods are most popular; whether certain beverages are more popular with girls or boys; whether and how the cafeteria could use the data to plan events and meals; if there is a relationship between favorite foods and whether someone is a vegetarian; and much more. The Food Preference Survey focuses specifically on information that could be useful to agriculture-in-the-classroom teachers, as well as other teachers of the common core standards addressed.

This lesson plan was developed by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the American Statistical Association (ASA), with guidance from the National Agriculture in the Classroom organization (www.agclassroom.org). For more information about the Food Preference Survey please visit www.nass.usda.gov/Education_and_Outreach.

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Accompanying today’s release of the 2013 data we have updated CensusAtSchool’s data tools to have the same simple, clean look and feel that we introduced for the rest of the site late last year.

For data-viewer and table-maker the changes the user experiences are purely cosmetic. The way in which settings are chosen in random-sampler has changed and now provides some control of sample sizes from subpopulations.

All data tools now have a prominent “Help” button near the top of the page.

Use the data tools »

Pakuranga MP and Minister of Statistics Maurice Williamson joined Pakuranga College Year 9 maths students on Monday, May 6 as they got stuck into practical data collection on the first day of the biennial, online educational project CensusAtSchool. The data collection included measuring arm spans, recording height and answering questions such as “what allergies do you have?” and “How long does it usually take you to get to school?”

CensusAtSchool co-director Rachel Cunliffe says more than 530 schools, representing 1102 teachers are running CensusAtSchool in their maths and statistics classes until June 15, after which the data is released for classroom analysis. “Students love taking part in the activities and then, in class with their teachers, becoming “data detectives” to see what stories are in the results – and not just in their own classroom, but across the country.”

Photo: Stephen Barker, www.barkerphotography.co.nz. ©The University of Auckland.

Photo: Stephen Barker, www.barkerphotography.co.nz. ©The University of Auckland.

Photo: Stephen Barker, www.barkerphotography.co.nz. ©The University of Auckland.

Photo: Stephen Barker, www.barkerphotography.co.nz. ©The University of Auckland.

Photo: Stephen Barker, www.barkerphotography.co.nz. ©The University of Auckland.

Photo: Stephen Barker, www.barkerphotography.co.nz. ©The University of Auckland.

Campbell Live filmed Maurice Williamson in the classroom as a part of their story.  You can watch the clip here.

Full sized versions of these photographs and others are available for free for media use.  Please contact us.

Tuesday, March 5th is the official NZ census.

The census is the official count of how many people and dwellings there are in New Zealand.  It takes a snapshot of the people in New Zealand and the places wehre we live.  The last census was held in 2006.  Census information is needed for planning vital public services such as education, health, housing and transport.  It is also used to help understand how our society changes over time.

By law everyone in New Zealand on census day must fill in a census form for the dwelling in which they are staying that evening.  Check that your students know this and go home and remind their family members to fill in the form.  Alternatively, they can complete their census forms online at http://www.census.govt.nz/

Statistics New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand is New Zealand’s national statistical office, collecting and publishing information the country needs to grow and prosper for nearly 120 years.  You can find lots of information about New Zealand and New Zealander’s on the Statistics New Zealand website (www.stats.govt.nz), including information about businesses, population, health, and employment.

There are resources available for teachers and students at www.stats.govt.nz/schoolscorner, including the new game, Tere counts the country.

‘Tere the Tui: Tere counts the country’  is a new, free learning game, designed by Statistics New Zealand to help familiarise children with New Zealand statistics as well as statistical terms.

Players answer multi-choice questions about each region of New  Zealand, finding answers in the tool Interactive Boundary Maps.
When players have correctly answered a question about each region they can choose to go in the draw to win one of 200 Census branded USB sticks.
Tere counts the country can be played by children in the classroom or at home.

2013 is the International Year of Statistics, a worldwide event supported by nearly 1,700 organizations!

The founding organizations of the International Year of Statistics—also called Statistics2013—are the American Statistical Association, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, International Biometric Society, International Statistical Institute (and the Bernoulli Society), and Royal Statistical Society. As established by the founding organizations, the campaign’s primary objectives are to do the following:

• Increase public awareness of the power and impact of statistics on all aspects of society
• Nurture statistics as a profession, especially among young people
• Promote creativity and development in the sciences of probability and statistics

Visit the website, Statistics2013 and promote Statistics as a tool for life (and possibly a career option!).

On December 1, the Wellington Mathematical Association (WMA) and the Department of Statistics ran a special event atTWellington Girls’ College for Year 13 statistics teachers. Find out more about the statistics road tour here.

Some photos from the event are below:

If you went along, we’d love to hear your feedback!

The New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers (NZAMT) have set a date for the 2013 biennial conference,

Absolutely Positively Mathematics and Statistics, Wellington Girls’ College,

1st – 4th October 2013.

Have a look at their new conference website for information about presenters, registration and accomodation.  Registrations open on the 1st of February 2013.

All teachers of mathematics and statistics, and all workers in mathematics and statistics, are warmly invited to join for four days of being absolutely positive about our learning area.

On November 28, the Otago Mathematical Association (OMA) and the Department of Statistics ran a special event at The University of Otago for Year 13 statistics teachers. Find out more about the statistics road tour here.

Some photos from the event are below:

If you went along, we’d love to hear your feedback!

Today, the Canterbury Mathematical Association (CMA) and the Department of Statistics ran a special event at The University of Canterbury for Year 13 statistics teachers. Find out more about the statistics road tour here.

Some photos from the event are below:

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