Star Library: Sampling Distributions of the Sample Mean and Sample Proportion

In these activities designed to introduce sampling distributions and the Central Limit Theorem, students generate several small samples and note patterns in the distributions of the means and proportions that they themselves calculate from these samples. Outside of class, students generate samples of dice rolls and coin spins and draw random samples from small populations for which data is given on each individual. Students report their sample means and proportions to the instructor who then compiles the results into a single data file for in-class exploration of sampling distributions and the Central Limit Theorem. Key words: Sampling distribution, sample mean, sample proportion, central limit theorem