What Should We Grow in Our School Garden to Sell at the Farmers’ Market? Initiating Statistical Literacy through Science and Mathematics Integration

Abstract

ABSTRACT Statistical literacy is essential to scientific literacy, and the quest for such is best initiated in the elementary grades. The Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics set forth practices (e.g., asking questions, using tools strategically to analyze and interpret data) and content (e.g., statistics) to guide the development of statistical literacy. This article portrays how statistical literacy can be initiated at the upper elementary level through integrated science–mathematics instruction in an authentic context: project-based learning focused on a farmers’ market project and school gardening. The shared classroom examples illustrate how to scaffold students’ understanding of statistical questions and develop their ability to formulate good survey questions. Science practices and science and mathematics content extend to analyzing, interpreting, and representing data as well as structure and function. This article helps teachers find an appropriate balance between offering students the freedom to explore on their own and providing them with guidance to achieve the goal of enhancing the statistical problem solving process. Student learning is extended through seed germination and related experimentation, raising produce, and vending at a local farmers’ market.