Catches and landed value of fish

Overview

Students learn the quantity and value of Canadian fisheries by answering questions using data analysis to determine different trends in Atlantic and Pacific fisheries. This activity improves students' critical thinking, navigation and data analysis skills.

Contributor: Nadia Beckford, Education Resources, Statistics Canada

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Objectives

• to read a table and analyse data
• to recognize the trends in the quantity and value of Canadian fisheries
• to make inferences and convincing arguments based on data
• to create secondary data

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Suggested grade levels and subject areas

Intermediate
Mathematics, Social Studies

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Outcomes

Students will:

• retrieve specific information from a statistical table;
• interpret data and describe statistical information in mathematical terms; and
• knowledge of the relative importance of Atlantic and Pacific fisheries.

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Vocabulary

Nominal catch — the live-weight of fish caught in metric tonnes
Landed value — the price of the catches

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Materials

1. Student worksheet
2. Writing Utensils
3. 'Nominal catches and landed value of fish' table

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Classroom instructions

This activity can be presented in one of three different ways depending on access to technology. It is written as a paper and pencil exercise. Suggestions for using it as a telecommunications or keyboarding activity are included under enrichment.

1. Distribute the worksheet with a photocopy of the "Nominal catches and landed value of fish" table.
2. Review the components of a table if necessary.
3. Point out that the 'Nominal catches and landed value of fish' table is really two tables, (one on quantity and one on value). Help students to discover the mathematics internal to the table. (i.e., the Atlantic fisheries row plus the Pacific fisheries equals the Sea fisheries row. And the row for Sea fisheries plus Freshwater equals Canada).
4. Students may need help calculating the apparent price per tonne. (Divide value by quantity, making sure to express the price in dollars not thousands of dollars).

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Enrichment

This activity can be used to generate class discussion. It may also be converted to a telecommunications assignment where students access the Statistics Canada website to complete the worksheet. This activity may also be done as a keyboarding assignment where students access Statistics Canada's website to download data, then import the data into a spreadsheet or graphing calculator, and use this new file to complete the worksheet.

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Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.