Unit 14

Picture graphs

Ask a question, count the answers with tally marks, and draw a picture graph that tells everyone what you found out.

1. Read

   Finding out with a picture graph

   Ms. Rao's class is planning a fruit party. She asks, "Which fruit should we bring?" Some children shout "Mango!" Some shout "Apple!" It is too noisy to count.

   So Ms. Rao says, "Let's ask everyone one question, count the answers, and make a picture." That is called a survey, and the picture is a graph.

   Start with a question

   Data is information you collect. Good data starts with a good question that everybody can answer in one word:

   "Which fruit do you like best?"

   Each child chooses one answer: mango, banana or apple. A question like "How old are you?" would not help the party. Data answers the question you asked, so ask the question you really want answered.

   

   Tally marks

   As each child answers, make a tally mark for that fruit. A tally mark is one straight line. Never write the same answer twice for one child!

   Draw four lines, then draw the fifth line across them. That makes a group of five. Groups of five are quick to count: count in fives (5, 10, 15) and then count the lines left over.

   

   Example. Two groups of five and two more lines is 5 + 5 + 2 = 12.

   A picture graph

   Now draw one picture for each tally mark, one row for each answer. Put the pictures in a neat line, with no gaps, so it is easy to compare the rows.

   

   The key says each picture is 1 child. So the row with the most pictures is the favourite.

   Say what it shows

   A graph is useful only when you read it. Ask questions about it:

   • Which has the most? Mango, with 6 pictures.
   • Which has the fewest? Banana, with 4.
   • How many more chose mango than banana? Put the pictures side by side. Mango has 2 more: 6 − 4 = 2.
   • How many children in all? Add the rows: 6 + 4 + 5 = 15.

   Try it: Look at the graph. How many more children chose apple than banana?

   Now Ms. Rao knows what to do: bring mangoes first. If she had counted by listening to the shouting, she might have got it wrong.

   For the grown-up helping

   Let your child pick a real question, such as "Which breakfast do you like best?", and ask family and friends. Help them make one tally mark per person and group the marks in fives. When they draw the graph, ask "Which has the most? How do you know?" A common slip is drawing pictures of different sizes or leaving gaps, which makes the rows hard to compare. Let them try, then compare the rows together.

2. Lab

   The class survey

   Fifteen children say which fruit they like best. Make a tally mark for each answer, draw the picture graph from your tally, and then say what the graph shows.

   Your goals

   • Record all fifteen answers with tally marks.
   • Draw a picture graph with the same number of pictures as tally marks.
   • Answer questions about which fruit is the favourite, how many more, and how many in all.

   🔒 The interactive lab opens once you register. Register to do this.

3. Activity

   My own survey

   Your child asks a question of 10 to 15 people, records the answers with tally marks, and draws a picture graph. About 30 minutes.

   You'll need

   • Paper and a pencil
   • Crayons or stickers for the pictures
   • 10 to 15 people to ask (family, neighbours, friends or toys)

   Steps

   1. Help your child choose a question with two to four possible answers, such as "Which do you like best, rice, roti or noodles?" or "Which pet do you like best?"
   2. Write the question at the top of the page and the answers down the left side.
   3. Ask each person. Your child makes one tally mark in the right row. Remind them to make the fifth line across the four.
   4. Count each row of tally marks, counting in fives. Write the number at the end.
   5. On a new page, draw one picture or circle for each tally mark, in rows, with no gaps. Write a key, for example "each circle = 1 person".
   6. Ask your child three questions about the graph. Which has the most? How many more is that than the fewest? How many people did you ask?

   Safety

   • Ask only family and friends you know, and only when a grown-up is with you.

   🔒 Keeping a log of the activity is for registered learners. Register to do this.

4. Quick check

   Picture graph check

   Six questions about tally marks and a picture graph. Each circle in the graph is one child.

   1. 1.How many children chose dog?

      

      Answer with a number

   2. 2.Which pet got the fewest votes?

      
      • Dog
      • Cat
      • Fish
      • Bird

      Choose one

   3. 3.How many more children chose dog than cat?

      

      Answer with a number

   4. 4.How many children voted in all?

      

      Answer with a number

   5. 5.How many tally marks are there?

      

      Answer with a number

   6. 6.The picture graph shows how many children chose each pet. Which question did the class ask?

      • Which pet do you like best?
      • How old are you?
      • How many legs does your pet have?

      Choose one

   🔒 Answering and checking are for registered learners. Register to do this.

5. Quick check

   New puzzles

   Graphs show up in new places. Use what you know about tallies and pictures.

   1. 1.A tally shows 3 groups of five and 2 more lines. How many answers is that?

      Answer with a number

   2. 2.In a survey, 9 children chose rice and 6 chose roti. If you draw one picture for each child, how many more pictures are in the rice row?

      Answer with a number

   3. 3.Ms. Rao wants to know which game the class would like on sports day. Which question should she ask?

      • Which game do you like best?
      • How old are you?
      • What is your name?

      Choose one

   4. 4.A graph shows mango with 7 pictures, banana with 4 and apple with 5. Then 3 more children choose banana. Which fruit has the most pictures now?

      • Mango only
      • Banana only
      • Mango and banana are tied
      • Apple

      Choose one

   🔒 Answering and checking are for registered learners. Register to do this.

6. Activity

   Tell it back

   Your child explains, in their own words, what a graph is for and what theirs shows. Three minutes.

   You'll need

   • The graph from "My own survey", or the fruit graph from the reading

   Steps

   1. Show the graph and ask "What question did we ask?" and "What does this graph tell us?"
   2. Ask "How did you know which has the most?" and "How many more is that than the fewest?"
   3. Ask "Why did we make a tally first, before the graph?"
   4. Write down what your child says, in their words.

   🔒 Keeping a log of the activity is for registered learners. Register to do this.