Canva Classroom Recipe: Mean, median, mode... and team spirit!

Guest author: Jonathan Kim Sing (Mr. Kimmers)

Mr. Kimmers teaches mathematics at a secondary school in Australia and has been engaging students with creative math applications for over 8 years. He specializes in making data analysis accessible and exciting through real-world connections that resonate with student interests.

Activity overview

Students combine their passion for sports with essential mathematical concepts by creating professional infographics that showcase statistical analysis of their favorite sports teams. This project transforms abstract concepts like mean, median, and mode into tangible, visual representations using real team data.

The activity works because it connects mathematical learning to students' existing interests and knowledge. Rather than working with generic datasets, students research teams they care about, making the statistical analysis personally meaningful. The visual component through Canva allows students to present their findings professionally while developing digital literacy skills.

Quick snapshot:

• Grade Level: 7-9
• Subject: Mathematics
• Duration: 3-4 class periods (approximately 4 hours total)
• Key Tools: Canva infographic templates, charts and graphs, text tools, image library

Learning Objectives:

• Apply research and data analysis skills to identify measures of central tendency
• Calculate and interpret mean, median, and mode from real-world datasets
• Create visual representations of statistical data
• Develop digital communication and presentation skills

Preparation

Essential Canva features:

• Infographic templates (sports-themed)
• Charts and graphs tools for data visualization
• Text formatting options for statistical displays
• Image library for sports graphics
• Color customization tools for team branding

Requirements:

• Students need basic understanding of mean, median, and mode
• Access to sports statistics websites or provided datasets
• Canva Education accounts set up for all students
• Calculator access (digital or physical)

Time allocation:

• Period 1: Research and data collection (45 minutes)
• Period 2: Statistical calculations and planning (45 minutes)
• Period 3: Canva design and creation (45 minutes)
• Period 4: Finalizing and presentations (45 minutes)

Step-by-step implementation

Step 1: Research and data collection

Students begin by selecting their favorite sports team or player and gathering statistical data. Guide them to focus on measurable statistics like player heights, weights, ages, or performance metrics (goals scored, points per game, distance run). Encourage students to collect 10-15 data points to ensure meaningful statistical analysis.

Step 2: Statistical analysis

Before jumping into design, students must complete their mathematical calculations. Have them organize their data in ascending order, then calculate mean, median, and mode for their chosen statistics. Students should show their work clearly, as this will be incorporated into their infographic design.

Step 3: Design creation In Canva

Navigate to Canva and have students explore infographic templates by searching "sports statistics" or "sports team statistics." Students should bookmark 2-3 template options that match their team's colors or sport type. Here are a few that we like:

Students select their preferred infographic template and begin customizing. Walk them through replacing placeholder text with their team information and calculated statistics. Demonstrate how to insert charts using Canva's chart tool - students can create bar graphs, pie charts, or line graphs to visualize their data effectively.

Students can insert chart or graph to visualise the data

Guide students to maintain visual hierarchy by using larger fonts for key statistics and ensuring their team's branding colors are consistent throughout the design.

Step 4: Review and refinement

Students peer-review each other's infographics, checking mathematical accuracy and design clarity. Provide time for final adjustments and ensure all required statistical measures are prominently displayed and correctly calculated.

Common challenges and solutions:

• Data sets with no mode: Explain that some datasets have no mode, and this is a valid mathematical finding to include in their infographic
• Overwhelming amount of statistics: Help students focus on 2-3 key metrics rather than trying to include every possible statistic
• Design overcrowding: Encourage white space and clear visual hierarchy - not every element needs to be colorful or large

Assessment and showcase ideas

Students can present their infographics to the class in a "Sports Statistics Gallery Walk" format. Display all infographics around the classroom, and have students rotate to view each other's work. Presenters stand by their infographic to explain their statistical findings and design choices.

Marking rubric:

Reflection prompts:

• How did visualizing the data change your understanding of your team's performance?
• Which measure of central tendency (mean, median, or mode) was most meaningful for your dataset and why?
• What surprised you most about your team's statistics?
• How might coaches or team managers use these types of statistical analyses?

Differentiating this recipe to suit your classroom

To challenge students: Ready for more advanced analysis? Students can identify trends across multiple seasons, calculate more complex statistics like range and standard deviation, or include multivariable data visualizations comparing different team metrics. They might also create comparative infographics between rival teams or explore animated elements within Canva to make their presentations more dynamic.

To make this activity easier: For younger students or those new to statistics, simplify by using classroom survey data instead of sports statistics. Have students collect information about favorite foods, pets, or hobbies from their classmates, then focus on finding the mode (most popular choice) and creating simple bar charts or pictographs to display their findings.

To flex this recipe for different subject areas: This statistical analysis approach works beautifully across the curriculum. In Physical Education, students can analyze class fitness data or participation rates in different sports. Science classes can use the same framework to summarize experiment results, weather patterns, or environmental data. Social Studies students might explore demographic information or historical trends using identical statistical tools and infographic formats.

Ready to get started?

Share your classroom's amazing sports statistics infographics by tagging @CanvaEdu on X or sharing in the Facebook Teachers’ Community. We'd love to see how your students bring data to life through creative design!