PhET: Mean (Average): Share and Balance
Details
Activity Website:
Tech Product/Equipment:
Computer and projector, Mobile devices for students
Activity Description
Students use the PhET Mean: Share and Balance simulation to explore the concept of mean (average) through fair sharing and balancing activities. Working independently and with partners, learners make predictions, investigate data sets, and connect visual models to calculating and interpreting averages in real-world situations.
Preparation
- Check the website to ensure it is not blocked at your site.
- Read through the lesson plan.
- Print and make copies of any handouts.
Teacher Tips
- Encourage prediction before revealing answers.
- Use think-pair-share frequently.
- Allow students to explore all four simulation screens.
- Emphasize conceptual understanding before introducing the formula.
- Adult learners often understand the mean more easily through fair-sharing examples than through computation alone.
More Ways
- Understanding Mean as Fair Share
Students explore how items can be redistributed equally and discover why the mean represents a fair share. - Understanding Mean as a Balance Point
Students investigate how data values "pull" the mean and observe where a set of numbers balances on a number line. - Predicting Before Calculating
Students estimate the mean by looking at the visual model before checking their answer in the simulation. - Comparing Data Sets
Students create multiple data sets with the same mean but different distributions and discuss how the data can vary while maintaining the same average. - Exploring Outliers
Students add an unusually high or low value and observe how it affects the mean, leading to discussions about when the mean may not be the best measure of center.
Program Areas
- ABE: Adult Basic Education
- ASE: High School Equivalency Preparation
Levels
- All Levels
