Graphs, Charts, and Tables
Warm-up
Display two graphs showing the same data: a bar graph and a pictograph. Ask: what is the same? (Same data.) What is different? (Visual format.) Which makes it easier to see which category is largest? (Bar graph.) Which is more visually interesting? (Pictograph.) Different formats serve different purposes.
Explore
Full data cycle: (1) Pose a class question, (2) collect data with tally marks, (3) organize in a table, (4) represent as a bar graph AND a pictograph, (5) compare the two representations, (6) answer 5 questions (Levels 1, 2, 3). Discuss: which representation made the questions easiest to answer?
Consolidate
Practice
Students collect class data, build a bar graph and a pictograph, answer questions at all three levels, and write one sentence about what the data shows that surprised them. Exit ticket: a pictograph has 4 pictures with scale 1=3. What is the total?
Exit ticket
Students collect class data, build a bar graph and a pictograph, answer questions at all three levels, and write one sentence about what the data shows that surprised them. Exit ticket: a pictograph has 4 pictures with scale 1=3. What is the total?
3 pictures x 4 books per picture = 12 books. Level 2: how many more fiction than non-fiction? 5x4 = 20 fiction, 3x4 = 12 non-fiction. 20-12 = 8 more fiction books.
A table for exact values (Monday: 2, Tuesday: 5...). A bar graph for quick visual comparison of which days have more absences. Both are useful for different questions. If you want to see a trend over time, a line graph would be even better.