Virginia SOL 4.PS.1.a
The Standard
Formulate questions that require the collection or acquisition of data.
Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics · The student will apply the data cycle (formulate questions; collect or acquire data; organize and represent data; and analyze data and communicate results) with a focus on line graphs.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students write clear questions that cannot be answered without gathering or finding information. They identify what data is needed, who or what it concerns, and where the data could come from.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student writes a clear question that can be answered with measurements, counts, survey responses, or existing records. The student names the needed data and a reasonable source.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may write opinion questions that do not produce measurable data. They may leave out the group, variable, or time period, or write a prediction instead of a question.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Write one question about weather that needs data to answer. Name the data needed and whether you would measure it or use a weather record.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs thermometers; they write one question about classroom temperature, choose measurement times, and make a one-day collection plan.
Compare “Is recess fun?” with “How many students choose each recess activity?” and explain which question produces usable data.
Sort question cards into “survey,” “measure,” “use existing data,” or “no data needed,” then revise two weak questions.
Use a week of cafeteria counts to ask a question about how lunch participation changes from Monday through Friday.
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Printable 4.PS.1.a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4.PS.1.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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Related Standards
- 8.PS.3.a
Formulate questions that require the collection or acquisition of data with a focus on scatterplots.
- 7.PS.2.a
Formulate questions that require the collection or acquisition of data with a focus on histograms.
- 5.PS.1.a
The 5th Grade version of this standard.
- 3.PS.1.a
The 3rd Grade version of this standard.
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