Data Visualization Lab

My visual representation is embedded above.  You can also access it here. I played with a few of the tools. I didn't do Bubbl.us since I've used it with my students before and I wanted to try different tools. Text-to-Mindmap was too limiting for my needs since I needed to group ideas and show multiple connections between them. I found MindMeister to be a little clunky when it came to making complicated mind maps with lots of parts. I tried Mindomo. It was slightly easier to customize the positioning of ideas. However, when I wanted to spread out certain parts of the concept map layout, it limited how far I could move it. If I moved it slightly too far, it "disengaged" from the content that it was connected to.

So I went a little overboard. I decided to create a visualization of how well the fourth grade Everyday Mathematics curriculum corresponds to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). From doing this, I found out a couple things.  I originally used the correspondence guide published by the makers of Everyday Math. By Unit 2, it became clear that they were definitely overreaching on some of the lessons. For example, a lesson on place value, they said fulfilled some of the geometry objectives of "Draw and identify lines and angles, and classify shapes by properties of their lines and angles."  I went to look for another guide and found one on a school district's PD wiki.

As I cross-referenced the lessons with the objectives, it was evident that some of the objectives are way under-represented, and thus, will require that I supplement the curriculum there. Some of the under-represented objectives included

• 4.NF.7. Compare two decimals to hundredths by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two decimals refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual model.
• 4.MD.5. Recognize angles as geometric shapes that are formed wherever two rays share a common endpoint, and understand concepts of angle measurement:
  • An angle is measured with reference to a circle with its center at the common endpoint of the rays, by considering the fraction of the circular arc between the points where the two rays intersect the circle. An angle that turns through 1/360 of a circle is called a “one-degree angle,” and can be used to measure angles.
  • An angle that turns through n one-degree angles is said to have an angle measure of n degrees.  
• 4.G.3. Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.