Average (or Mean) Math on the Level
Op:92 Family Lifestyle Learning
Operations
Average (or Mean)
There are technically at
least three different types
of averages – mean,
median, and mode. They
will all be covered in a
later lesson. Here, only
the mean is covered. In
general conversations,
when people refer to “the
average” they are usually
referring to the “mean”.
To average is to even things out so that you find out how much there would be if
everyone got the same amount.
Teaching Ideas
To explain average, you can say that “averages make things fair.” You can teach
the concept of average even before you teach division, and you can even bring
younger siblings into the demonstration. Children who haven’t been taught
division can still understand average and figure averages using manipulatives.
(They do this all the time – they just don’t know the terms.)
Take a handful of something small that can be easily divided. Ideas include small
edible items, such as nuts, crackers, pretzels, small cookies or candies; small toys,
such as Legos® or jacks; or pennies. Make sure that you start with an amount of
items that can be evenly divided by the number of participants. At the end, each
person should be able to have the same amount.
NOTE: Be sure to use items that are safe for the ages of the children involved.
Give each person a different amount and let each person count them (if edible,
don’t eat yet) and compare — have the items been distributed fairly? Does
everybody have the same amount? We can average to make it fair. Here is how.
a. Put everything in the middle and add them together.
b. Now divide the items up evenly, putting one piece at time in front of each
person.
That is really all that averaging means — add the items all together, then divide
them evenly. The divisor is determined by countin g how many participants there are
in the demonstration.
Here are the steps to use when practicing averaging.
1. Practice averaging using manipulatives.
2. Average with manipulatives, but also write down what you are doing.
Example: 3 people, one gets 10 items,
one 6 items, and one 14 items.
Write down on the board:
Average Total amount
Number of participants
-------------------------------------------------------=
3 30
10
10
+ 6
+ 14
30
