Maryland Math S.IC.B.7.a

MathGrades 9–12Making Inferences and Justifying Conclusions

The Standard

Conduct observational studies.

Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematics (2025) · MAKE INFERENCES AND JUSTIFY CONCLUSIONS FROM SAMPLE SURVEYS,

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students choose a question and record what they observe without assigning anyone to a group or changing conditions. They compare the results and describe what the data suggest.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can name a sample, two things to measure, and a consistent way to record them. They can show a pattern in a table or graph and name another factor that might explain it.
Common Misconceptions: Students may call a study observational even when the researcher assigns different conditions. They may treat a small group as representative of everyone, or mistake a pattern for proof of cause.
How to Assess It: Plan an observational study of sleep and first-period tardiness. Name whom you would observe, what you would record, and one factor that could affect both.

Lesson moves

At lunch, tally reusable bottle use at two tables for ten minutes, without asking students to change anything.
Ask: 'If students who eat breakfast earn higher quiz scores, does breakfast cause the difference? What else might explain it?'
Pairs sort four cards: 'record sleep hours,' 'assign bedtimes,' 'record lunch choices,' and 'assign menus'; explain each choice.
Use five online apartment listings and a transit map to compare rent with distance to a bus stop; name another factor affecting rent.

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