This activity can be done in pairs. Each pair needs a stop watch or clock with a second hand, and a paper and pen or pencil to record data. One student counts the number of times her heart beats in 60 seconds when she is sitting and records the data. The same student should run in place or do jumping jacks until she feels out of breath. Then she should count the number of heartbeats per minute and record the data. She should then wait for 30 seconds, then count the number of times her heart beats per minute once again and record the data. Wait 30 seconds and repeat the procedure and record the data. The second student should carry out the same activity to record the same data. After gathering the data, each student prepares a graph with both of their data on the same graph. This graph will compare the heart recovery rate of the students.
Give students a graph depicting information. For example, the graph may show the number of people living in the United States in 1990, then the same information in 2000 and 2010. Students should be asked to prepare a written narrative describing the information. Explain that they must explain the information provided in the graph and examine what has happened to the U.S. population over the past 30 years. Give students an example of a sentence that could be used in their narratives, such as "The number of inhabitants in the United States has increased by 750 million from 2000 to 2010."
Give students a brief written narrative with statistics or data. For example, your narrative can describe how many seventh grade students were enrolled in your middle school in each of the years between 2005 and 2010. Ask the students to make a graph from the information that you gave them. Ask the students to make a line graph and bar graph from the same information.
Give students a graph that shows a trend over a period of time. Ask the students to predict how that trend will continue in the next five or ten years. For example, you can give students a chart showing the number of teens who have their own laptop. The chart could show a steady increase in the past ten years. Ask the students to predict how the trend will continue in the next five years. Let them justify their answers.