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Show Me! (Grades 4-6)

MASTER TEACHER

Ellen Mintz

OVERVIEW

This lesson is designed to provide elementary students with an opportunity to interpret and analyze graphs. It is also designed to give the students an opportunity to gather data, organize data and construct graphs. Students will also determine what type of graph would be appropriate for illustrating certain data.

The students will view the video portion of the lesson and then receive direct instruction on three types of graphs. Different graphs will be presented to the class for examination and discussion. They will then construct their own graphs from given sets of data. This lesson should be done in two class periods. The first day will be spent viewing the video and examining the graphs. The second day the graphs can be constructed.

ITV SERIES:

Mathworks, Lesson 22: Problem Solving, Using Graphs

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to

identify a line, circle and bar graph
state whether a line, circle or bar graph would most- effectively illustrate given data
construct a line, circle or bar graph from given data interpret a line, circle and bar graph

SC MATH/SCIENCE STANDARDS MET

Math Elementary Grades
Probability and Statistics Extend their understanding of probability and statistics by systematically collecting, organizing, discussing, and describing data, using technology whenever appropriate.

Select and use a variety of representations for displaying data by:

organizing data and constructing appropriate tables (including frequency tables), graphs (including bar graphs, line graphs, picture graphs, circle graphs, line plots, and stem-and-leaf plots), and charts to display given data.

Construct, read, and interpret tables, graphs, and charts by:

reading and interpreting tables, graphs, and charts
interpreting the results of displayed data

Science Elementary Grades Process Skills Communicate

Use drawing and graphs, charts and tables to communicate data.

MATERIALS

Teacher materials:

overhead transparencies of graphs for use as samples (line, pie, and bar)
overhead transparencies with outlines for creating graphs (line, pie, and bar)
overhead transparency markers
overhead projector

Student materials:

graph worksheets
colored pencils
rulers

VOCABULARY

bar graph

line graph

pie graph/circle graph

vertical axis

horizontal axis

PRE-VIEWING ACTIVITIES

The teacher will present to the class various graphs that have been gathered from various sources. (Line, circle, and bar graphs should be presented in the sample.) The title of the graph and the type of information contained on the graph will be pointed out. (Overhead transparencies may be prepared of the graphs the teacher is sharing with the class.) The class will be asked to indicate the type of graph that is presented.

The teacher will ask the students where they have seen graphs. The type of information they have obtained from the graphs will also be requested. The teacher will ask why graphs are used.

FOCUS FOR VIEWING

To give the students a specific responsibility while viewing the first part of the video ask them to determine the problem the girls are experiencing. Ask them to try to develop ways to solve the girls' problem.

VIEWING ACTIVITIES

Start the video from the beginning. Play it until the girl watching television gets up and walks away after the news broadcast. (approximately 2:25 into the video)

Ask the students the following questions:

1. What problem did the girls have in their meeting with the principal?

2. How could they have better prepared themselves for the meeting?

Show the students the sample circle graph.

1. Discuss the characteristics of a circle graph.

2. Discuss the parts of a circle graph. Emphasize that circle graphs must show parts of a whole.

3. Point out that all graphs must have a title.

Show the students the sample line graph.

1. Discuss the characteristics of a line graph.

2. Discuss the parts of a line graph.
3. Point out and discuss the horizontal and vertical axis.

4. Point out the scale that is used on the vertical axis.

5. Discuss how to arrive at the scale that is used.

6. Point out the title of the graph.

7. Emphasize that a line graph is used to show change over time.

Show the students the sample bar graft.

1. Discuss the characteristics of a bar graph.

2. Discuss the parts of a bar graph.

3. Point out and discuss the horizontal and vertical axis.

4. Point out the scale that is used on the vertical axis.

5. Discuss how to arrive at the scale that is used on a bar graph.

6. Emphasize that the bar graph is used to compare different things.

Forward the video to the final meeting between the girls and the principal. (approximately 11:25 into the video) It occurs after the segment about the newspaper artist. Ask the students to pay attention to the way the girls present their ideas to the principal at this meeting. Play the video to the end.

Ask the following questions.

1 Why was this meeting with the principal different from the first one?

2. Why was the principal able to discuss the situation with the girls at their second meeting?

3. Why was each graph chosen for each point the girls were making? (The circle graph showed the total students participating. The bar compared the sports the students participated in; the line showed the increase in girls' sports over a certain period of time.)

POST VIEWING ACTIVITIES

Distribute the Activity Sheets.

Circle graph
Have a prepared question such as "How many of you were in Mr./Ms._______'s class last year?" Continue collecting the data until you have determined the number students from each class from the preceding year. You will also need to determine how many students are new to the school.

Any question applicable to a circle graph will be appropriate. Have the circle graph divided into equal segments appropriate for the number of students in your class unless they are prepared to divide it correctly themselves.

Have the students complete the circle graph using the divisions already marked on the graph as a guide. Make sure the graph has a title. Instruct the students to generate questions based on the circle graph for later discussion.

Bar graph
Prepare a question such as "Which is your favorite subject: math, science, social studies, reading or English?" Make a simple tally of the results.

Discuss what scale should be used on the vertical axis to make the graph easy to read. Number the axis with the agreed upon scale and label it.

Label the horizontal axis. Complete the bar graph. Give the graph a name. Instruct the students to generate questions based on the bar graph.

Line graph
Prepare a question such as "How many hours a day do you watch television each day of the week?" Have students write their own answers down so they will be able to prepare their own graphs.

Label the horizontal axis. Label the vertical axis and determine the scale that should be used to make the graph easy to read. Give the graph a name. Complete the line graph. Instruct the students to generate questions based on the line graph.ACTION PLAN
Students should also be encouraged to bring in samples of graphs from all kinds of sources for discussion.

Students should also be reminded that graphs are often used on television when information is presented. Have them report to the class when they see graphs.

Discuss careers where knowledge of graphing and data collection would be necessary. Encourage students to talk to adults and find out when and how graphs are used in day to day life as well as in the workplace. There is a segment in the video that begins with a lady sitting at a desk. She shows how she makes graphs for a newspaper. It begins after the segment on line graphs in the video at approximately the 8:00 mark and ends at approximately the 11:25 mark when the girls go back into the principal's office.

Discuss how computers can be used to create graphs.

EXTENSIONS

The material that comes with the video contains a worksheet that could be used as an assessment.

There are many sites on the Internet that have additional lesson plans and activities about graphs. Some sites are:

Explorer Math, Search for graphs. There are several lesson plans and activities.

http://explorer.scrtec.org/explorer/

Resources in statistics including lessons and useful data sets:

http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/stat/stat.html

Math Surf/Addison Wesley. This is an activity (Click here) that allows students to complete a graph. It also provides data for making additional graphs.

Since graphs are present in almost every content area presented in the classroom, the opportunities to extend lessons on graphing and data collection are continually presented. Provide questions for data collection that is meaningful to the student on a regular basis.