M.6.DA.SP.5

Where students compute center and variability, and have to say which measure fits the data.

Not yet reviewed by a teacher

Builds on

Where to go for intervention

Grade 6

M.6.DA.SP.2A distribution has a center, a spread and a shape, which is what gets summarized here.Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape.M.6.DA.SP.3What a measure of center and a measure of variation each do, before calculating them.Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.M.6.DA.SP.4The plots that show the shape part d asks students to connect to.Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.

Grade 5

M.5.DA.MD.2Redistributing liquid equally across beakers from a line plot is the idea behind the mean.Make a line plot to display a data set of measurements in fractions of a unit. Use operations on fractions to solve problems involving information presented in line plots. For example, given different measurements of liquid in identical beakers, find the amount of liquid each beaker would contain if the total amount in all the beakers were redistributed equally.

M.6.DA.SP.5

Priority

Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context.

a.Reporting data points as the set of a number of observations.
b.Describe what's being measured including how it was measured and its units of measurement.
c.Calculate measures of center (mean and/or median) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation) of the data. Understand the shape of the data and identify any striking deviations (outliers) and connect these features to the context where the data came from.
d.Communicate choice for selecting a given measure of center and variability and the connection to the shape of the data distribution related to the context in which the data were gathered.

Common Core: 6.SP.B.5

Resources9 thinking tasks6 IM tasksWIDAOSPI

Thinking tasks9

5 more

From the BTC Curricular Math Task Sheet, shared by Building Thinking Classrooms teachers

Illustrative Mathematics tasks6

2 more

From the Illustrative Mathematics task library, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

WIDA language connections1

Explain · Expressivespeaking, writing and representing

ELD-MA.6-8.Explain.Expressive · Language for Mathematics, Grades 6-8

Construct mathematical explanations that…

Describe data and/or problem-solving
State reasoning used to generate solution

OSPI's example connections to the WIDA ELD Standards Framework. How to read these

From OSPI

Washington OER Hub · Free, openly licensed materials for M.6.DA.SP.5

Smarter Balanced interim assessment

Grade 6: Statistics and Probability · Focused interim block, items 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

On the SBA

PRISM's read

Computing or interpreting center and variability in context, and choosing a measure that fits the shape of the data.

Smarter Balanced target

Claim 1 (Concepts and Procedures), Target J: Summarize and describe distributions.

Additional and supporting work, DOK 1, 2.

OSPI's interim connections

Grade 6: Statistics and Probability · items 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Smarter Balanced publishes its claims and targets in its content specifications, written to the Common Core. A 2026 standard reaches them through OSPI's crosswalk. Check them before anything official.

Builds to

Where it goes next

Grade 6

M.6.DA.DS.4NewSummaries become the evidence used to answer the statistical question.Use statistical evidence from analyses to answer the statistical investigative question and communicate results with comprehensive answers with some teacher guidance.

Grade 7

M.7.DA.DS.3NewInterpreting center and variability continues, now to compare two groups.Identify, determine, and interpret measures of center (mean and median) and measures of variability (range, interquartile range) to answer a statistically investigative question, summarizing the distribution of data using the measures of center and variability. Use reasoning about distributions to compare two groups based on the variables.M.7.DA.SP.3Comparing two distributions, with the difference in centers as a multiple of variability.Informally assess the degree of overlap of two numerical data distributions with similar variabilities, measuring the difference between the centers by expressing it as a multiple of a measure of variability.M.7.DA.SP.4Center and variability from random samples, used to compare two populations.Use measures of center and measures of variability for numerical data from random samples to draw informal comparative inferences about two populations.

Connects to

Taught alongside it, including its supporting standards.

M.6.Q.NS.3The mean and mean absolute deviation are decimal computation.Efficiently, flexibly, and accurately add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using strategies or algorithms for each operation.M.6.DA.DS.3PriorityNewBoth describe center and variability: DS.3 starts from a display, SP.5 from the data set.Analyze data visualizations and describe measures of center and variability of quantitative data using appropriate displays (dot plots, boxplots). Describe key features of distributions for the variables including center, variability, and shape.M.6.DA.DS.2PriorityNewPart b, what was measured, how, and in what units, is the record this standard asks students to keep.Collect and record data with technology to identify and describe the characteristics of data sets. Understand that data can be collected (primary data) or existing data can be obtained from other sources (secondary data).