So What’s All This I Hear About a Math Gender Gap?

This unit is designed for a fifth grade classroom and is intended to amplify student understanding of the concepts contained within the statistics strand of the math curriculum by closely examining a question through the lens of social research methodology. Students will consider the question of the existence of a gender gap in math in our school.  They will pose a hypothesis, create surveys, collect and analyze data, determine the answer to their question, and publish their results in graphic form.  Additionally, they will explain their methodology in a written paper.  The unit can be implemented in stages over several weeks and is intended to supplement the Math Common Core curriculum of the School District of Philadelphia.