Natalie Kaczmarski

ED 398 Critical Literacy Invitation

Spring 2016

Butler University

Invitation Overview and Rationale:

Slanting/Misleading Statistics
ED 398

Document 1: The Critical Literacy Invitation Overview and Rationale

This is the academic, professional presentation of your invitation. You should write a 1-2 page
overview of the unit. Plan to write at least 1 paragraph for each section below.

o The theme of the invitation and its essential question.

Theme: Statistics and graphs can be slanted or misleading to make a side look better or worse.

Essential Question: Businesses, sports teams, scientists, politicians and all people inform the
world that they or their product is the best by the use of statistics and graphs. As part of society,
it is important to understand that there is so much that goes into those statistics and graphical
representations. Not only are students invited to decipher between fact and fiction of real-life
statistics and attempt to guess specific percentages, they will be asked to create their own survey
question, collect data, represent it accurately, and finally skew their data to make it look better
and worse both graphically and in words. As you complete these activities, reflect on the
following questions:

1. What are these statistics and graphs being used for?

2. How did the person or group of people collect their data?
3. How do you feel about these statistics, do they make sense?
4. What is the purpose of collecting and sharing these statistics?
5. What were your initial reactions to a statistic, and why did you react like this?
6. How accurate is this information, has it been skewed to fit the desires of the researcher?
7. Is there more than one story to the survey question and graph?
8. Do you personally believe that these statistics are fair?
9. How does this information affect you either directly or indirectly?
10. How can you create a survey question and collect unbiased data?
11. What are the possible implications for what you have found? How will you share your
findings correctly and in a misleading?

o Describe specifically how your invitation addresses the 4 critical literacy quadrants
(Disrupt the commonplace, Consider multiple view points; Focus on sociopolitical issues,
Take action)

Disrupt the Commonplace: Typically, both students and adults always believe everything they
read or see, especially if it relates to numbers and math. Many people, however, need to stop and
reflect when given a statistic or fact. They should not consider everything they read or see
always true. Such topics of the lies we read and see are almost always avoided, yet this affects
us all as members of the human race. In this invitation, the students are asked to not always
except a statistic, survey data, or graph as true. They are also asked to critically examine the
validity of the data and the motivation of the researcher, business owner, or other person. In
each introduction on the invitations I made it a point to insert something startling that will draw
the students in and get them interested and excited in this specific topic. The questions on the
invitation, specifically one, two, and four inspire students to critically examine this data rather
than simply just believing any information given.

Considering Multiple Viewpoints: Question seven encourages students to dig deeper in

whether or not there is more than one story to a statistic or graph. Here the student is challenged
to see the entire story of that data, stat, or graph they are looking at. Question six provokes the
student to question what the company or person has done to the research so that they can share
the statistic for use in the public. This again allows the student to look at the big picture and
question the validity of the statistics or graphs.

Focusing on the Sociopolitical: This invitation forces students to think beyond their little life
and their everyday life situations. This invitation asks students to examine how an individual or
business can manipulate the general consensus to benefit them or harm their competitor. Many
social and political outcomes are likely from an invitation on misleading statistics and data. If
examining a commercial or politicians stat, the students might decide to investigate
sociopolitical ideas such as the topics or stat they are trying to make appear better. When
examining these statistics, students will be motivated to see how and why people create such
misleading statistics and the consequences for such a misleading graph or statistic. Question
nine allows the students to reflect on how their findings affect them as a member of society or a
consumer buying a product. Questions three, five, and eight ask students to voice their opinion
on the statistic themselves as a member of society.

Taking Action: Question ten encourages the students to create a survey question that is
unbiased. Also, question eleven asks them reflect on the findings behind their survey question
data and how to present it in a way that is completely truthful and in a misleading way. After
this invitation, I hope that students are excited to share their findings from their survey question
with their classmates and at home in both a truthful manner and untruthful manner. I hope that
they will learn to question each and every statistic and graph given, and learn that honesty is the
best policy when presenting your findings in any business.

o (1 gateway engagement and 3 key thematically linked instructional engagements that

will help your students to build the skills and knowledge necessary to master the
standards addressed (explicitly list the skills and knowledge developed by each activity),

Gateway Engagement: This activity will begin with a discussion. Students will be given a
piece of paper with instructions outlining what we will be doing as an entire group. After
reading the directions, I will ask students to discuss where they see statistics, what they are used
for, and how they feel about these statistics. I will also ask them if they always consider then
true or correct. We will then begin the actual activity. I will open my PowerPoint presentation
that is called True or False Probability & Statistics. I will explain the rules, even though the
students have read them on their paper that introduced the topic and explain that this will be a
whole group activity in which you will share your ideas to both a partner and the entire group.
We will play this true or false game about the statistics. The first example opens with a Coke
video, getting the students hooked. Also, after students voice their opinion on true or false to
their partner, we will discuss as a group how and if this so called stat was misleading or sort of
confusing. Students will share their ideas and spend time listening to each other. Later in the
presentation, students will be presented graphs and have to decide if the graphs are misleading or
incorrect. After the entire game, I will ask the students the following questions: What did you
learn from this activity? What was the purpose of this activity? How does this change your way
of thinking of statistics? We will conclude with this group discussion. I will ask the students how
they will be affected by these misleading statistics in the real world. How could they use
misleading statistics in their future occupation? The purpose of this activity is to compare and
evaluate different graphic displays of the same data and evaluate reports based on data, the
design of the study, and the way the data was analyzed and displayed. The major standards
being covered through this activity are PS.DA.1 and PS.DA.12.

Instructional Engagement STEM technology Verizon commercial: This activity features

a commercial and a commentary on the commercial. Here are the web addresses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP3cyRRAfX0 and http://townhall.com/video/the-facts-
verizon-didnt-tell-you-in-inspire-her-mind-ad-n1864240 .The Verizon commercial talks about
girls being turned away from science, math, and technology occupations and interests in general.
They also flash some specific statistics about girls interests in math and science at a young age
and science majors in college. Then, the second video questions their statistics given used in the
commercial. The purpose of this engagement is get students thinking about the reliability of
statistics and what the statistics are saying about gender inequality in math. I will ask students to
think about the purpose behind the two videos. I will ask them how this affects them, too. The
purpose of this activity. The purpose of this activity is for students to evaluate reports based on
data by considering the source of the data, the design of the study, the way the data was analyzed
and displayed, and whether the report confuses correlation with causation. The major standard
being covered in this activity is PS.DA.12.

Instructional Engagement The Stat is Right: This invitation will be a group activity.
Students should divide into 5 groups. Each group will be seated together. Each group will be
given one small dry erase board and dry erase markers and erasers. Statistics without the
number, percentage, or data will be read by the teacher and presented on the PowerPoint screen.
Students will work together in teams to complete the statistic with the proper number. The
group with the closest number without going over will receive the point. The winning team will
be awarded something. All of these statistics will connect with the previous invitation of girls
and women in science, technology, and math. I will present statistics that will show both sides to
the story, for instance using statistics that make girl participation seem larger than what it is and
other stats that make the participation in STEM for girls look worse. After each stat presented,
we will discuss whether each stat was misleading and discuss the multiple perspectives. I will
ask students their opinion, both boys and girls on the stats, too. The purpose of this activity is to
again evaluate reports based on data by considering the source of the data, the design of the
study, the way the data was analyzed and displayed, and whether the report confuses correlation
with causation. The major standard being covered in this activity is PS.DA.12.

Instructional Engagement Creating, Collecting, Modeling, Analyzing, & Slanting Your

Data: This invitation will be a group activity. I will have students get into groups of three.
Each group will come up with a survey question that they want to use to collect data. The entire
class will write their question and share it with the class, making sure questions are not too
similar. Students will be given a few days to collect random data at school, home, or work.
They will interpret the data. After, they will each individually turn in a handmade graph and
Microsoft Excel graph to best represent their work. I will then ask them to write out their
statistics that are truthful. I will then ask the students to slant their statistics. The group will
present their graphs, truthful stats, and misleading stats to the class. The entire class will reflect
on this project. They will decide whether slanting data is hard to do and the purpose of slanting
data. The purpose of this activity create, compare, and evaluate different graphs of the same data
and to be able to draw these graphs with and without technology. Also, another purpose of this
activity is to formulate questions that can be addressed with data by collecting, organizing, and
displaying relevant data. The standards covered in this invitation are PS.ED.1 and PS.DA.1

o The rationale in which you explain what you believe students might choose to do with
your invitation and why its a relevant theme for students

The reason why I chose this topic for my invitation is because the topic can steer in many
different directions. The students have the ability to look at a major flaw in society today
in a variety of ways. Students will take part in all three invitations along with the
gateway activity, so that they can learn nearly all sides of the slanting of statistics.
Statistics are seen in so many places, and it is important for students to understand and
think deeply about statistics. It is also important to teach students how to use and work
with their statistics presented, because nearly every occupation will probably use
statistics. As a consumer, it is important to be aware of misleading statistics, too.

In the first invitation, students are presented with statistics from the Verizon commercial.
This commercial allows them to decide whether or not they think the stats presented are
skewed. After, the second video points out the issues. I think that this activity may lead
to many ways of discussion as a class. For instance, I know that girls will be upset with
this commercial. Also, boys may also like to weigh in on how the commercial portrays
them, too. Also, students will begin to realize how statistics can affect them. I think that
this will open up a great discussion that will not only discuss that statistics presented, but
the unfairness of a gender inequality, too. I think that this activity will really be
impactful on students. I think that they will want to all weigh in on their opinion and
experience.

The second invitation again will invoke emotion and discussion between students, due to
the statistics presented. Not only will they be in awe of the stats presented, they will also
want to weigh in their opinion again on the STEM gender inequality and gender gap.
Students are challenged to think about their future, occupations, and question how stats
will influence them in their future endeavors.

I can see students taking the final invitation in any way, shape, or form. Some students
may choose to research sports. Others may choose to research something about school or
social media. I think that students will enjoy collecting and organizing data about a
 question they personally created themselves. After all, they were curious about this
question in the first place. This topic of creating a survey question, collecting data, and
displaying and slanting the data is very much a relevant topic. All students come across
statistics from colleges, in sports, businesses, and in the medical field. In fact, many of
their textbooks present statistics using numbers. Students even see statistics on social
media and on television. Also, the phone application, WhatsGoodly is a social media
network that includes numerous polls or survey questions. Many students use this today,
and this activity focuses on the importance of statistics and how they can affect and
influence nearly any person in the world.

o How your invitation reflects a critical pedagogy orientation that values, welcomes,
supports and engages English language learners. Cite and quote at least 3 specific course
texts from ED398, which support your understandings and lend credibility to your critical
pedagogy approach.

1. Zion. S., & Kozleski, E. B. (2005). Understanding culture. Denver, CO: National
Institute for Urban School Improvement.

In this article, the authors discuss the importance of culture and why it matters in schools.
As a teacher, it is my responsibility that students can learn and achieve to the best of their
ability. Students must learn that not everything that is presented to them throughout their
life is 100% factual and correct. Understanding this not only makes for smarter students,
but better consumers and professionals out of my students. Gender roles vary from
culture to culture, and it important to be sure that students understand that they are equal
in my classroom and do not have to fit gender stereotypes to fit in. Also, this article
discusses the importance of be culturally responsive. All students should be introduced
to statistics and their often misleading information, so that they are better informed
citizens of society. They will have increased resources and knowledge and will better
understand their surroundings. They will also be able to see the purpose for the slanting
of stats (Zion, 2005, Page 17).

2. Hernandez-Sheets, R. (2009). What is diversity pedagogy? Multicultural

Education, 16(3), 1117.

In this article, the author discusses the meaning of diversity pedagogy. The author also
adds that culturally inclusive teachers observe students cultural patterns to identify their
skills and use this knowledge to guide their teaching decisions and style. Teachers
should assess what students already know so that they can make connections to new
information. For English Language Learners, most of the sources such as the videos and
PowerPoints are available in their native language. Also, the English Language Learners
could complete the group work together. They may even be able to research or ask
people of their native language their survey question (Hernandez, 2009, Page 13).

3. McLaughlin, M., & DeVoogd, G. (2004) Critical literacy as comprehension:

Expanding reader response, 48(1), 52-62).
 In this article, the authors discuss the importance of critical literacy. They add that
critical literacy helps teachers and students expand their reasoning, see various
perspectives, and become active thinkers. My activities dig deep and allow my students
to think about multiple perspectives and be active thinkers. Like I do in my assignment,
they discuss the importance of disrupting the commonplace by questioning students why
they always accept statistics as true. The questions included in each invitation allow for
students to think deeply. Also, these questions are relevant to all students, because every
person in the world is presented some statistic or fact that may or may not be misleading.
Students are able to think about the benefits of slanting the truth to data, making it appear
better or worse. The students are asked to think critically and from multiple perspectives,
two of my main focuses in these invitations.

Standards addressed: You should list the content standards for the theme and grade level
addressed in your unit. Consider cross-content standards to strengthen your rationale for having
students engage with this invitation. Choose these standards carefully; do not throw in
everything.

Probability & Statistics Standards

PS.DA.1: Create, compare, and evaluate different graphic displays of the same data,
using histograms, frequency polygons, cumulative frequency distribution functions, pie
charts, scatterplots, stem-and-leaf plots, and box-and-whisker plots. Draw these with and
technology.

PS.DA.12: Evaluate reports based on data by considering the source of the data, the
design of the study, the way the data are analyzed and displayed, and whether the report
confuses correlation with causation. Distinguish between correlation and causation.

PS.ED.1: Formulate questions that can be addressed with data. Collect, organize, and
display relevant data to answer the questions formulated.

Biology Standard:

9-10.LST.7.1: Conduct short as well as more sustained research assignments and tasks to
answer a question (including a self-generated question), test a hypothesis, or solve a
problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Annotated bibliography/list of resources that represent different cultures and
multiple points of view
You should list at least different 4 potential resources that you might use in this unit. Think
about using:

1. Glen, Stephanie. (n.d.). Misleading Statistics Examples in Advertising and the News.
Retrieved from http://www.statisticshowto.com/misleading-statistics-examples/

This is a website that cites videos and specific examples of misleading statistics used in
the news. The products and brands discussed in this article are all very well-known.
Each student will at least know about one of these products discussed, creating a great
connection for students.

2. U.S. Department of Commerce. (2011). Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to

Innovation. Retrieved from http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/
files/womeninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf.

This is an excellent website that discusses the gender gap for STEM specifically. This is
an excellent resource and includes many great graphs to better represent gender gap in
STEM occupations. This website also discusses the reasons for this gender gap in a
precise and organized manner.

3. U.S. Department of Education. (2015). Gender Differences in Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2015/2015075.pdf.

This website is very recent, providing current, accurate data. This website discusses
gender differences in credits earned and test performance of STEM subjects. This
website provides easy to read graphs, so that students can not only read the website, but
also visually see their points as well. This also explains their findings on the gender gap
on STEM subjects.

4. Truth Pizza. (n.d.). Why Statistics are Valuable. Retrieved from

http://www.truthpizza.org/logic/stats.htm.

This website is excellent for simply stating the reasons why statistics are so important and
valuable throughout society. It also includes numerous issues with statistics. This is a
great resource for the importance of statistics as a whole.
Gateway Activity: True/False Misleading Statistics & Graphs
Start-up Questions:
o Where do you come across statistics?
o What are they used for?
o How do you feel about these statistics?
o Do you always consider then true or correct?

Statistics and graphs are often misleading or untruthful in a variety of ways. From commercials
to articles, people are always using statistics to back their argument or make another claim look
bad. You are invited to explore some real statistics and graphs.

o This is an entire group and partner activity. I will read a statistic and you will have to tell
you partner whether you think it is true or false. After I display the correct answer, I will
ask you whether this statistic was misleading, confusing, or untruthful in any way, shape,
or form.
o For each statistic please think about:
Who is writing this stat?
What is their purpose?
How can this statistic be misleading?
What did you think at first when you read the stat?
Are there multiple sides to the story?
How did they collect the data?

o For each graph/graphs please think about:

Do these graphs seem accurate?
What is the purpose of the graph and who created it?
How can the graph be misinterpreted?
o Follow-up Questions
What did you learn from this activity?
What was the purpose of this activity?
How does this change your way of thinking of statistics?
How would these misleading statistics effect the real world?
How could you use misleading statistics in your future occupation?
Resources:
http://www.businessinsider.com/coke-happy-cycle-ad-calorie-statistics-2014-6
http://eap5misleadingstatisticspaper.blogspot.com/
 Invitation: Is this TV Commercial Using Misleading Data?

Start-up Questions:
o Have you seen any commercials with statistics that may be misleading?
o Do you always believe what you read and see?

You are invited to think deeply about the following commercial by Verizon. Please
watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP3cyRRAfX0

o After watching this video, please write out your answers to the following questions.
Then, share with a partner. After, we will discuss as an entire group.
How do you feel after this commercial?
Girls, do you agree with the ideas presented in this commercial? Explain.
Boys, how do you feel about the ideas presented? Do you think they are true?
Explain.
Do you think the data used in the commercial is correct?
How can this data be misleading?

o Now, please watch this video: http://townhall.com/video/the-facts-verizon-didnt-tell-you-

in-inspire-her-mind-ad-n1864240. Please write answers down to the following questions.
Then, we will share with a partner and the entire group.
Do you think the woman is right and that the Verizon commercial is misleading?
Cite examples of the misleading statistics in the commercial?
Can you think of anymore examples of misleading statistics in this commercial?
Is there more than one side to the commercial and this video?
If so, what side do you take and why?
How does this commercial affect you and your future?
What was the purpose in the creation of the commercial and the second video?
Resources:
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/07-08/gender-gap.aspx
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2015/2015075.pdf
 Invitation: The Stat is Right!

Now, you are invited to play a game as a group. The class will divide into 5 groups and
each individual group will be given a dry erase board and markers. Your team will
attempt to give the best number, percentage, or fraction on statistics, without going over,
about gender and occupations. The team with the closet guess will receive the point for
that round. Remember that these stats may or may not be misleading. Consider multiple
perspectives, too. The team with the highest number of points at the end will be
rewarded in some way. After each stat presented, we will discuss whether it is detailed
enough, misleading, and the multiple perspectives.

o Start-up Questions to consider as a group:

How can stats be misleading?

What words should we look for in order to help us with each stat?
What do you think most of the stats will say about gender and jobs?

o Follow-up Questions

What did you learn from this activity?

What was the purpose of this activity?
How do you feel about the stats presented? Are they true?
Do you think that this gender gap is exaggerated?
Are their multiple sides to the story?
Resources:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/equal_pay_issue_brief_final.
pdf
https://ngcproject.org/statistics
 Invitation: Creating, Collecting, Modeling, Analyzing, &
Slanting Your Data

Youre invited to collect, model, and slant your own data. Please separate into groups of
three. This assignment will include group activities and some non-group activities.

o As a group, decide on a survey/question you would like to ask people around your
community.
o Share your question with the class & receive a confirmation that you have an excellent
question.
o Decide how you will collect data such as during school, after school, around your
neighborhood.
o Collect data. You must collect data from 100 people, 50 males and 50 females.
o After all the data is collected, share the data with the entire group in chart form.
o Each person is responsible for creating their own hand-made graph to represent the data
collected and a graph on Microsoft Excel.
o After, your group will work together to create a few statistics that are truthful about the
data you collected.
o Then, you will work together to slant your data to make it appear better and worse.
o Present all your graphs and statistics to the class as a group.

Reflect:
We will discuss as a group what we learned from this invitation and how what you
learned will affect you the rest of your life.
Resources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/bachmanns-claim-that-70-
percent-of-food-stamps-go-to-bureaucrats/2013/03/18/3f85d042-8ff5-11e2-bdea-
e32ad90da239_blog.html