Virginia SOL 8.PS.3.d
The Standard
Make observations about a set of data points in a scatterplot as having a positive linear relationship, a negative linear relationship, or no relationship
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 scatterplots.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students inspect the overall direction of points in a scatterplot. They decide whether values tend to rise together, move in opposite directions, or show no consistent pattern.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student correctly classifies both clear and less tidy scatterplots. The student supports each choice using the overall direction from left to right, rather than isolated points.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think a negative relationship means the plotted values must be below zero. They may focus on one outlier, confuse a weak trend with no pattern, or claim that association proves causation.
How to Assess It
- Give students three unlabeled scatterplots and ask them to label each pattern and write one sentence explaining how the points support each label.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Measure classmates’ arm spans and heights, plot each pair on a large coordinate grid, and describe the overall direction.
Show three scatterplots and ask, “What evidence supports your classification, and which points do not fit the overall pattern?”
Run a card sort matching scatterplots to positive, negative, or no relationship labels, then have partners check each match.
Compare daily temperature with home heating use from a small data table, then explain why the plotted pattern slopes downward.
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Related Standards
- 7.PFA.1.d
Graph a line representing a proportional relationship between two quantities given the equation of the line in the form y = mx, where m represents the slope as ...
- 8.PS.3.c
Organize and represent numeric bivariate data using scatterplots with and without the use of technology.
- 8.PS.3.f
Sketch the line of best fit for data represented in a scatterplot.
- 8.PS.3.e
Analyze and justify the relationship of the quantitative bivariate data represented in scatterplots.
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