Lesson 2: Running a Survey

About 30 minutes — Activity-based lesson

What You Will Learn

This lesson covers:

Preparing your survey materials
Approaching people politely and explaining your purpose
Recording answers consistently (same way every time)
Activity: run your planned survey with at least 10 people

Preparing your survey materials

This section covers the key ideas about preparing your survey materials. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Approaching people politely and explaining your purpose

This section covers the key ideas about approaching people politely and explaining your purpose. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Recording answers consistently (same way every time)

This section covers the key ideas about recording answers consistently (same way every time). Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Activity: run your planned survey with at least 10 people

This section covers the key ideas about activity: run your planned survey with at least 10 people. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Check Your Understanding

1. What should you say when you approach someone for a survey?

Answer: 'Hi, I am doing a data project for school. Can I ask you a quick question? It will only take a minute.' Be polite, explain your purpose, and respect if they say no.

2. Why is it important to record answers the same way every time?

Answer: Consistency means your data is reliable. If you record some answers as tally marks and others as written words, it will be hard to compare and count later.

3. What is a tally mark and why is it useful?

Answer: A tally mark is a quick line (||||) used to count. Every 5th mark goes across the first four (||||). Tally marks are fast and accurate for counting responses during a survey.

4. What should you do if someone does not want to answer your survey?

Answer: Say 'That is okay, thank you anyway' and move on. Participation must be voluntary. Never pressure someone into answering.

Key Takeaways

Preparing your survey materials
Approaching people politely and explaining your purpose
Recording answers consistently (same way every time)
Activity: run your planned survey with at least 10 people

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