STatistics Education Web (STEW)

STatistics Education Web (STEW) is an online resource that provides peer-reviewed lesson plans for anyone who teaches statistical concepts in their classrooms. This includes K–12 math, science, and social studies teachers, as well as teachers at the college level. STEW lesson plans follow the recommendations of the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) Report, and many are organized around the statistical problem-solving process outlined in GAISE: formulate a statistical question; collect data; analyze data; and interpret results in context.

Since 2016, STEW has been affiliated with the online journal Statistics Teacher , which offers articles about classroom practice, announcements, lesson plans, and other resources. The lesson plan section of Statistics Teacher often features STEW lesson plans, but all STEW lesson plans (including those published after 2016) are archived and available on this page.

Initially, STEW was directed to K–12 teachers only, and the organization of lessons below still allows teachers to navigate by grade level; however, there aren’t hard divisions between age groups. For example, a high-school lesson may be effective for college students in an intro stats class. Further, there are often important connections between concepts at different levels. Searching by topic or type of data may bring up lessons in rich contexts that can be modified for the appropriate level. Try using Control + F or Command + F to search.

Types of data:

One categorical variable Two categorical variables More than two variables
One quantitative variable Two quantitative variables  
Probability One categorical variable & one quantitative variable  
Submit a Lesson Plan

Consider submitting your favorite lesson plans to STEW and encouraging your colleagues to do the same. To improve the teaching of statistics beyond our individual classrooms, it’s important to share resources!

Lesson plans should follow the standard STEW template, as shown in this example lesson. You may also want to look over the criteria reviewers use to evaluate lessons before writing your own.

Authors should use this form to submit lesson plans.

Lesson Plans

Grades K-5

The Mean and Variability from the Mean
Christine Franklin, Gary Kader, Tim Jacobbe, and Kaycie Maddox (2020)
One categorical variable
Statistical Question, Distribution, Mean, Fair Share, Balance Point, Sum of the Absolute Deviations (SAD), Mean of the Absolute Deviations (MAD)
PDF Lesson PDF Format   PDF Handout PDF Handout  Word Format Word Format

 

The Gumball Machine
Alexander White, M. Alejandra Sorto, Rini Oktavia (2014)
Probability – one categorical variable
Samples, Sampling Variation, Experimental Probability
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Speedster
Debra L. Hydorn (2012)
One quantitative variable
Median, Range, Line Plots, Unit Conversions
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Candy Judging
Susan Haller (2012)
One categorical variable
Bar Graphs
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 
 

Spinners at the School Carnival (Equal Sections)
Janis Carthon (2012)
Probability – one categorical variable
Simulations, Bar Graphs, Frequency Tables
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Spinners at the School Carnival (Unequal Sections)
Maryann E. Huey  (2012)
Probability – one categorical variable 
Simulations, Bar Graphs, Frequency Tables
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 
 

The Taste of Yellow
Debra L. Hydorn  (2012)
Two categorical variables 
Pie Charts
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Grades 6-8

Using Technology to Create Data Elements
Leticia Perez (2021)
More than two variables
Nontraditional Data (Photographs), Statistical Questions, Data Collection, Variability, Comparing Groups, Graphs for Categorical and Quantitative Variables, Relationships Between Variables, Using Technology to Analyze Data, CODAP
PDF Lesson PDF Format

Using CODAP to Tell Different Stories
Sheri Johnson (2021)
More than two variables
Nontraditional Data (Photographs), Statistical Questions, Data Collection, Variability, Comparing Groups, Graphs for Categorical and Quantitative Variables, Relationships Between Variables, Using Technology to Analyze Data, CODAP
PDF Lesson PDF Format

 

Questioning Throughout the Statistical Problem-Solving Process
Pip Arnold (2021)
More than two variables
Nontraditional Data (Photographs), Statistical Questions, Data Collection, Variability, Comparing Groups, Graphs for Categorical and Quantitative Variables, Relationships Between Variables, Using Technology to Analyze Data, CODAP
PDF Lesson PDF Format

How Long Are the Words in the Gettysburg Address?
Gary Kader, Christine Franklin, Tim Jacobbe, and Kaycie Maddox (2020)
One categorical variable
Statistical Question, Self-selection vs. Simple Random Sampling, Dotplots, Numerical Summaries, Sample Size, Variability
PDF Lesson PDF Lesson   PDF Handout PDF Lesson  Word Format Word Format

 

The Mean and Variability from the Mean
Christine Franklin, Gary Kader, Tim Jacobbe, and Kaycie Maddox (2020)
One categorical variable
Statistical Question, Distribution, Mean, Fair Share, Balance Point, Sum of the Absolute Deviations (SAD), Mean of the Absolute Deviations (MAD)
PDF Lesson PDF Lesson   PDF Handout PDF Lesson  Word Format Word Format

How Fast Are You?
Maryann Huey, Alana Linde, Dan Aalbers (2017)
One quantitative variable
data collection, comparing groups, measures of center and spread, boxplots
PDF Format PDF Lesson  PDF Format PDF Handout  Word Format Word Handout

 
 

EllipSeeIt: Visualizing Strength and Direction of Correlation
Miguel Olvera, Rafael Diaz, and Colleagues (2017)
Two quantitative variables  
Bivariate data, Scatterplot, Correlation, Linear Regression
PDF Format PDF Lesson   PDF Format PDF Handout  Word Format Word Handout

How Random is the iPod’s Shuffle?
Joan Garfield, Laura Ziegler (2014)
Probability
Randomly Generated Data, Probability
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Bubble Trouble!
Peter Banwarth (2014)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Comparing Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Comparative Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Happy Birthday to . . . Two?
Dustin Jones (2013)
Probability 
Theoretical Probability, Subjective Probability, Experimental Probability, Simulations
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

What Fits?
Anna Bargagliotti, Stephanie Casey (2013) 
Two quantitative variables  
Scatterplots, Line of Best Fit
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Exploring Geometric Probabilities with Buffon’s Coin Problem
Kady Schneiter (2012)
Probability 
Geometric, Empirical, and Theoretical Probability, Simulations
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Armspans
Debra L. Hydorn (2012)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Comparing Two Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Comparative Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Bear Hugs
Subhash Bugui, Mary Richardson (2012)
More than two variables
Comparing Two Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Boxplots, Comparative Boxplots, Scatterplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

What is the Probability of “Pigging Out”?
Mary Richardson, Susan Haller (2012)
Probability 
Theoretical, Subjective, and Experimental Probability, Simulations, Probability Area Model
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Tell It Like It Is!
David J. Edwards (2012)
More than two variables
Writing a Statistical Conclusion
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Step Into Statistics
Subhash Bagui (2012)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Comparing Two Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Boxplots, Comparative Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

Scatter It! (Predict Billy’s Height)
Susan Haller (2012)
Two quantitative variables 
Scatterplots, Line of Best Fit
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Scatter It! (Using Census Results)
Susan Haller (2012)
Two quantitative variables  
Scatterplots, Line of Best Fit
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

How Tall and How Many?
Subhash Bagui  (2012)
Two quantitative variables 
Descriptive Statistics
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Don’t Spill the Beans!
Stephen Miller (2012)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Paired Data, Descriptive Statistics, Comparative Boxplots, Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

How Long is 30 Seconds?
Debra L. Hydorn (2012)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Comparing Two Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Boxplots, Comparative Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

You and Michael
Stephen Miller (2012)
Two quantitative variables  
Scatterplots, Line of Best Fit
PDF Format PDF Format   Word Format Word Format

 

Grades 9 – 12+

Exploring Fundamental Definitions with a Study of Fingerprint Types in the US
Katina Gothard and Megan Mocko (2022)
One categorical variable
Simple Random Sample, Sample Proportion, Dotplot, Population, Parameter, Sample, and Statistic
PDF Lesson PDF Lesson   Word Format Word Lesson   PDF Lesson PDF Teacher Handout   PDF Lesson PDF Student Handout   PDF Lesson PDF Paddles and Beads Instructions
Instructions for 3D printing paddles (100 hole) (20 hole) (40 hole)

Using Technology to Create Data Elements
Leticia Perez (2021)
More than two variables
Nontraditional Data (Photographs), Statistical Questions, Data Collection, Variability, Comparing Groups, Graphs for Categorical and Quantitative Variables, Relationships Between Variables, Using Technology to Analyze Data, CODAP
PDF Lesson PDF Format

 

Using CODAP to Tell Different Stories
Sheri Johnson (2021)
More than two variables
Nontraditional Data (Photographs), Statistical Questions, Data Collection, Variability, Comparing Groups, Graphs for Categorical and Quantitative Variables, Relationships Between Variables, Using Technology to Analyze Data, CODAP
PDF Lesson PDF Format

Questioning Throughout the Statistical Problem-Solving Process
Pip Arnold (2021)
More than two variables
Nontraditional Data (Photographs), Statistical Questions, Data Collection, Variability, Comparing Groups, Graphs for Categorical and Quantitative Variables, Relationships Between Variables, Using Technology to Analyze Data, CODAP
PDF Lesson PDF Format

 

Nonlinear Modeling: Something Fishy
Douglas Whitaker (2021)
Two quantitative variables
Nonlinear Models, Linear Regression, Polynomial Regression, Transformation
PDF Lesson PDF Lesson   Word Format Word Format   Zip Archive Data (ZIP)   Zip Archive Technology Guides (ZIP)

How Long Are the Words in the Gettysburg Address?
Gary Kader, Christine Franklin, Tim Jacobbe, and Kaycie Maddox (2020)
One categorical variable
Statistical Question, Self-selection vs. Simple Random Sampling, Dotplots, Numerical Summaries, Sample Size, Variability
PDF Lesson PDF Lesson   PDF Handout PDF Lesson  Word Format Word Format

 
 

Choosing a Study Design for the Polio Vaccine
Adam Molnar (2019)
Two categorical variables
Study Design, Randomization, and Data Ethics
PDF Format PDF Lesson  Word Format Word Lesson

A Tale of One City and Two Lead Measurements
Kirk Anderson & Mary Richardson (2019)
One quantitative variable
Dotplots, Histograms, Percentiles, and Outliers
PDF Format PDF Lesson  Word Format Word Lesson  Word Format Activity Handout  Excel Format Flint Data Set  Word Format Excel Directions

 
 

The Egg Roulette Game
Amanda Walker (2017)
Probability
Conditional probability, sampling distribution, law of large numbers, central limit theorem
PDF Format PDF Lesson  PDF Format PDF Handout  Word Format Word Handout  Fathom file

Which Hand Rules?
Wender Weber (2017)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
matched pairs design, comparing distributions, randomization tests
PDF Format PDF Lesson  PDF Format PDF Handout  Word FormatWord Handouts

 
 

Chunk it!
Wendy Weber (2016)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Design of Experiment, Comparing Two samples, Sampling Distribution, Randomization Test, Inference
PDF Format PDF Lesson, PDF Format PDF HandoutWord Format Word Handout

Confidence in Salaries in Petroleum Engineering
Susan A. Peters, AnnaMarie Conner (2016)
One quantitative variable
Bootstrapping, Interval Estimate, Confidence Level, Sample Size, Margin of Error
PDF Format PDF Lesson, PDF Format PDF HandoutWord Format Word Handout 

 
 

More Confidence in Salaries in Petroleum Engineering
Susan A. Peters, AnnaMarie Conner (2016)
One quantitative variable
Inference, Sampling Distribution, Randomization test, Bootstrapping, Confidence interval
PDF Format PDF Lesson, PDF Format PDF HandoutWord Format Word Handout

Odd or Even? The Addition and Complement Principles of Probability
Wendy Weber, Carrie Even, Susannah Weaver (2015)
Probability 
Probability rules, mutually exclusive events, complement, unions
PDF Format PDF Lesson, PDF Format PDF HandoutWord Format Word Handout

 
 

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me
Mary Richardson, Paul Stephenson (2014)
One categorical variable; two categorical variables
Confidence Interval for a Proportion, Hypothesis Test on a Proportion, Two-Way Frequency Table, Chi-Square Test, Binomial Distribution, Binomial Test
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

It Creeps. It Crawls. Watch Out For the Blob!
John Gabrosek (2014)
One quantitative variable
Simple Random Sample, Sampling Variability, Confidence Interval for a Mean, Interpretation of Confidence Level
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Double Stuffed?
Allison Dorko (2014)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Hypothesis Testing (Two Sample t-test)
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

Are Female Hurricanes Deadlier than Male Hurricanes?
Mary Richardson (2014)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable 
Mean, Standard Deviation, Median, Outlier, Five-Number-Summary, Comparative Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

How Wet is the Earth?
Laura Ring Kapitula, Paul Stephenson (2014)
One categorical variable 
Sample, Sampling Variability, Sampling Distribution of a Sample Proportion, Confidence Interval for a Proportion, Interpretation of Confidence Level
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

You Will Soon Analyze Categorical Data (Classifying Fortune Cookie Fortunes)
Mary Richardson (2014)
Two categorical variables

Two-Way Frequency Table, Joint Relative Frequency, Marginal Relative Frequency, Conditional Relative Frequency, Chi-Square Test of Homogeneity
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Now You SeeIt, Now You Don't: Using SeeIt To Compare Stacked Dotplots to Boxplots
Alberto Guzman-Alvarez, Amy Falk Smith, Marco Molinaro, & Rafael Diaz (2014)
One quantitative variable
Dotplots, Boxplots, Comparing Distributions
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

10,000 Steps?
Phyllis Curtiss, Mary Richardson (2014)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Paired (Matched) Samples, Paired t-test, Assessing Normality
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

First Day Statistics Activity--Grouping Qualitative Data
R. B. Campbell (2014)
One categorical variable
Grouping Qualitative Data, Frequency Table
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

A Sweet Task
Elizabeth Fiedler, Sharon Flinspach, Maryann Huey, Brandon Jenkins (2014)
Two categorical variables 
Frequency Tables, Two-Way Frequency Tables, Probability, Joint and Marginal Probability
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

What Percent of the Continental US is Within One Mile of a Road?
Sara Stoudt, Yue Cao, Dana Udwin (2014)
One categorical variable
Sample, Sampling Variability, Confidence Interval for a Proportion, Interpretation of Confidence Level
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

Did I Trap The Median?
Sarah Parks, Mathew Steinwachs, Rafael Diaz, Marco Molinaro (2013)
One quantitative variable
Five-Number-Summary, Boxplots, Confidence Interval for Median, Confidence Level, Simulations
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Text Messaging is Time Consuming! What Gives?
Jeanie Gibson, Mary McNelis, Anna Bargagliotti  (2013)
Two quantitative variables; more than two variables  
Simple Linear Regression, Correlation, Slope, Intercept, Sampling Distribution of Slope, Sampling Distribution of Intercept, Sampling Distribution of Correlation Coefficient
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

Types of Average and Sampling: "Household Words" to Dwell On
Lawrence Mark Lesser (2013) 
One quantitative variable 
Average, Sampling, Sampling Bias
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Consuming Cola
Nancy Sundheim (2013)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable 
Extraneous Variables, Experiments, Independent Samples, Matched (Paired) Samples
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

NFL Quarterback Salaries
Jeanie Gibson, Anna Bargagliotti (2013)
Two quantitative variables; more than two variables 
Scatterplots, Simple Linear Regression, Coefficient of Correlation, Coefficient of Determination
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Saga of Survival (Using Data about Donner Party to Illustrate Descriptive Statistics)
Mary Richardson, Neal Rogness (2013)
More than two variables 
Comparing Distributions, Comparative Boxplots, Descriptive Statistics, Two-Way Frequency Tables, Conditional Probability
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

What Does the Normal Distribution Sound Like?
Anana Jayawardhana (2013)
One quantitative variable  
Frequency Distribution, Histogram, Smoothed Curve, Normal Distribution, Rate of Change
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Colors Challenge!
Diann Reischman (2013)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable 
Comparing Two Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Comparative Boxplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

The Case of the Careless Zookeeper
Matt Malloure, Mary Richardson, Neal Rogness (2013)
Two categorical variables  
Two-Way Frequency Table, Conditional Distribution, Chi-Square Test
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Population Parameter with M&M's
Anna Bargagliotti, Jeanie Gibson (2013)
One categorical variable 
Population Proportion, Sampling Distribution of a Sample Proportion
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

The United States of Obesity
Matt Malloure, Mary Richardson, Diann Reischman, Paul Stephenson (2013)
Two quantitative variables  
Choropleth Map, Scatterplots, Simple Linear Regression, Correlation, Residual, Outlier, Prediction, Extrapolation
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Who Sends the Most Text Messages?
Anna Bargagliotti, Jeanie Gibson (2013)
One quantitative variable 
Sampling Distribution of a Sample Mean
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

When 95% Accurate Isn't
Todd Cadwallader Olsker  (2012)
Probability – two categorical variables
Conditional Probability, Bayes’ Theorem, Simulation, Empirical Probability
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

Chocolicious
Stephanie Running (2012)
More than two variables  
Population, Sample, Survey, Bias
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

Walk the Line
Maryann Huey (2012)
One quantitative variable 

Assessing Normality, Confidence Interval for a Mean
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

It's Elemental! Sampling form the Periodic Table
Matt Malloure, Mary Richardson (2012)
One quantitative variable 
Simple Random Sample, Stratified Random Sample, Systematic Random Sample, Cluster Random Sample, Simulation
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

Using Dice to Introduce Sampling Distributions
Mary Richardson (2012)
One categorical variable
Sampling Distribution of a Sample Proportion, Confidence Interval for a Proportion
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

How High Can You Jump?
Diann Reischman (2012)
More than two variables  
Comparing Two Distributions, Descriptive Statistics, Comparative Boxplots, Scatterplots
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

Sampling in Archaeology
Mary Richardson (2012)
One quantitative variable 
Simple Random Sample, Stratified Random Sample, Systematic Random Sample, Cluster Random Sample, Simulation
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
 

An A-MAZE-ING Comparison
Matt Malloure, Mary Richardson, Neal Rogness (2012)
One categorical variable & one quantitative variable
Hypothesis Testing (Two-Sample t test)
PDF Format PDF Format   Word FormatWord Format

 
STEW Editor and Associate Editors

STEW operates similarly to an ASA journal. It has an editorial board consisting of an editor and associate editors. Authors submit lessons to the editor using a standard template. The editor is responsible for determining which lessons meet the guidelines for posting on the website. Generally, this involves passing the lesson to an associate editor for review and comments.

The ASA/NCTM Joint Committee on Curriculum in Probability and Statistics (K–12) is responsible for appointing an editor for STEW. If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, send your name, email address, and a brief description of your qualifications to [email protected].

Co-Editors:

Catherine Case, University of Georgia
Charlotte Bolch, Midwestern University (AZ)

Associate Editors:

Melanie Battles, Brooklyn Technical High School
Leslie Calloway, Alabama State Department of Education
Stephen Miller, Winchester Thurston School
Claire Miller, North Oconee High School

Copyright

Authors maintain copyright of their published material in STEW. Any person requesting permission to use materials from a STEW lesson in a publication must obtain permission from the author of the lesson. Copyright transfers to STEW at the time of the author's demise.

The American Statistical Association/National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Joint Committee oversees STEW. In that capacity, the Joint Committee recommends authors require anyone requesting permission to use their lessons in a publication to sign a document that guarantees the author and STEW will be properly credited.