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12B Computation and Estimation #4
Use computer spreadsheet, graphing, and database programs to assist in quantitative analysis....
12D Communication Skills #7
Use tables, charts, and graphs in making arguments and claims in oral and written presentations.. then ..., and or, sufficient, necessary, some, every, not, correlates with, and causes....
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First Class First? Using Data to Explore the Tragedy of the Titanic
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Purpose
Students analyze and interpret data related to the crew and passengers of the Titanic. They will draw conclusions to better understand the people who were lost or saved as a result of the disaster, and whether or not social status affected the outcome.
Context
This lesson uses a historical context to help students explore what may be considered extraordinary results of social class. Using the sinking of the Titanic as a context, students can understand more fully why people in different situations and other cultures, past and present, might behave or have behaved differently. In this lesson, students will analyze and interpret data related to the crew and passengers of the Titanic. They will draw conclusions to better understand the people who were lost or saved as a result of the disaster, and whether or not social status affected the outcome.
Note: This lesson is designed for students with some familiarity with the use of spreadsheets for creating tables and graphs and the use of databases for gathering information. If this is not the case with your students, some class time will be needed to demonstrate the application of these tools. Students will work in small groups to use information available in a Titanic database and other resources to illustrate specific statistical conclusions related to the Titanic.
Planning Ahead
Materials: Preparation:
You should explore the database on the Titanic in the Classroom website before using it with the class. (Note: this site is an attempt to continue the work of the original Titanic in the Classroom site by the Department of Education & Children Services, Southern Australia.) Also, you may want to have additional resources about the Titanic for students to use. A suggested resource list is available on Classroom Resources.
Motivation
Begin by discussing the movie Titanic by James Cameron. If not all students have seen the movie, ask those that have seen it to summarize the story for those who haven't. Ask students to name some of the characters from the film. Discuss which characters were fictional and which were based on real-life people. Ask if anyone knows exactly how many people were on the Titanic, how many died, and how many survived. Record students' impressions and conceptions about the people on the Titanic, if any, using questions such as the following: - What are some factors that played a role in determining who survived the tragedy?
- Do you think gender and age affected who survived and who didn't?
- Did any of the crew survive?
Tell students that in this lesson they will explore and analyze statistical information to uncover the true story of the Titanic.
Development
Exploring the Titanic
To set the scene for students, have them work in pairs to explore the Titanic: A Special Exhibit from Brittanica Online. This exhibit consists of an introductory essay and additional "slides" that tell the story of the Titanic from a variety of perspectives. Student pairs should be able to explore the exhibit in about 20 to 30 minutes.
Each student pair should complete the Exploring the Titanic Worksheet from the student packet as they are exploring the resource. Students are asked to write down some of the numerical facts that they encounter. For example, the introduction states that "the vessel sank with a loss of about 1,500 lives at a point about 400 miles (640 km) south of Newfoundland." Students will also be asked to write down any names of passengers or crewmembers described in the article, noting their social class and experiences while on board. These names include: William Thomas Stead; Molly Brown (Margaret Tobin Brown); Lazarus Straus; and John Jacob Astor.
After students have completed the exhibit, brainstorm questions that they might have about passengers on the Titanic. List the questions on the chalkboard or on chart paper. Also list any names that students jotted down while they were reading the article.
The Passengers and Crew of the Titanic
In the next part of the lesson, students will use the databases found on the Titanic in the Classroom website. It is suggested that students read the information contained in the Inspiration section of this resource. This page gives background information on the Titanic and explains the sources that were used to collect the data contained in the databases.
To introduce students to the database, go to the Titanic Database. On this page, you can simply search by name or choose from a drop-down menu of options. In the name field, enter one of the passenger names that the students suggested earlier in the lesson. Then read the information displayed about that passenger in the record detail. You can do this for several other passengers or crewmembers so that students will gain experience with the database. You can also encourage students to try some of the other fields so that they can develop an understanding of the type of information recorded in the database.
Then have students (working in groups of 3-4) complete the Passengers and Crew of the Titanic Worksheet, using both the passenger and crew databases (to choose just the passenger database or just the crew database, students should use the "select group" menu found at the top of the alphabetical list). Although students will work in groups, each student should complete the worksheet.
After groups have completed the worksheets, discuss the answers with the class. Did student answers vary? If so, discuss why there might be discrepancies. Discuss the different search strategies used by the groups.
The Titanic Lifeboats
The Titanic Database contains a menu option for Lifeboat; there were 20 lifeboats in all. Assign a lifeboat to each student group, and have students investigate the people on their assigned lifeboat using questions that can be found on the Titanic Lifeboats Worksheet.
Next, have students go to the The Titanic Lifeboats site. On this site, they will find additional information about the Titanic lifeboats. Ask the groups to gather more information about the lifeboats and the people that were on them. Have them revise and expand on their worksheets based on information found on this resource.
After students have completed their investigation, they should put the information together to get a clearer picture of the people who survived the Titanic (on their assigned lifeboat). Have each group make a poster or power point presentation to help illustrate their findings. These must include two or more appropriate graphs. If students are familiar with using spreadsheet software, they can use that to create their graphs.
Have the groups share their findings with the class. Then discuss any patterns that seem to emerge from compiling the information about each lifeboat. Ask students to discuss what the information they have found tells them about social class and the Titanic.
Assessment
Refer students to the Welcome Aboard Titanic Titanic! website. Students will study the resources on this site to help them answer the question: "How did social class influence the survival rate of the people aboard the Titanic?"
Have students write a three- or four-page essay explaining their answer to this question. Require students to: - Cite evidence gathered from the sites above as well as in earlier portions of the lesson to support their positions; and
- Describe how the statistical information they examined helped to add meaning to the human tragedy of the Titanic. Did analyzing numbers tell them something that they didn't know before? Or did it help them see information in a different light?
Extensions
Students can attempt to answer the question: "Why did the Titanic sink?" To help them answer this question, students can read the explanation on the Titanic: A Special Exhibit from Brittanica Online. They should explain why the builders of the Titanic thought that it wouldn't sink and then explain why it did sink. Using knowledge of the laws of buoyancy, students should explain how the design of the Titanic could have been altered so that it would not have sunk.
The Titanic Exhibit on the Library of Virginia website, examines the news coverage of the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic on April 14, 1912 and includes excellent source materials. Students can compare the news coverage at the time to what we now know about the Titanic and decide if it was accurate and fair.
Created :10/20/2001
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