Graphing Tips
This project lends itself well to graphing. Graphing allows scientists
to see relationships between numbers. In Lesson 3, students will
utilize data collected from all the participating schools and create
Two (2) graphs:
- Daylight (minutes of sunlight) vs. Latitude (sample)
- Temperature (°C) vs. Latitude (sample)
Graphs are used to show how a variable changes over time, show
trends in data clearly (i.e. they visibly show how one variable can
change as the other increases or decreases), and enable the viewer to
make predictions about the results of data not yet recorded. A typical
graph has an x-axis (horizontal) and a y-axis (vertical).
Usually, the x-axis has numbers representing location, and the y-axis
represents the variable being measured, in this case temperature (°C)
and daylight (minutes).
Note: It is important to be aware of how graphs can be
altered (skewed), because the user could be easily misled and create
inaccurate conclusions. Altering graphs can occur purposely or
accidentally. Graphs can be altered several ways including the
practice of not using consistent scales on the axes, meaning that the
values between each point along the axis are not consistent. You
should keep this in mind while the students are creating the graphs.
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