Category: Teaching Graphs

Enjoy Making Bar Graphs

Using graphs to represent data is an important feature of teaching math to elementary school students. Graphs come in many different shapes and sizes and can convey numerous types of information. As students progress through Math, they will encounter graphs in increasing complexity and will be asked to interpret data from graphs, draw conclusions from graphs, and even extrapolate information. Introducing graphing can be done through fun, interactive games that bring Math to life.  (photo: www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_Bar_Graph_Meeting.jpg (10/27/13 7:15pm)

In this activity students will explore the how to collect and graph discrete data.

Materials:   Chart Paper, Markers

 Instructions:

  1. In the classroom, section off 4 distinct areas. Using corners of the classroom is the easiest way to do this.
  2. Ask the students: “What is your favorite dessert? If you like cake, go to Corner #1; if you like cookies, go to Corner #2; if you like ice cream, go to Corner #3; if you like candy, go to Corner #4.
  3. Allow time for students to decide which dessert they prefer and then record the number of students in each corner.
  4. On the chart paper, have 4 columns, one for each dessert option. Write the number of students in the corresponding column.
  5. Explain to the class that they just collected data on the type of dessert their classmates like. You may consider saying, “Data can be in the form of numbers or words, and in this case, we determined how many of you like each type of dessert. Next, we are going to do a graph, which is similar to a picture, showing the data we just collected.”
  6. Create the axis of the graph, labeling the number of students on the vertical axis (y-axis) and the type of dessert on the horizontal axis (x-axis).
  7. Mark the y-axis according to provide enough numbers to represent the numbers of students in each category. Draw in the bars to the corresponding number for each dessert type. For younger students, consider using stickers to represent the bars of the graph and have each student place a sticker in the dessert column they prefer.

Additional Graphing Resources:

Graphing is essential to building scientific knowledge and understanding as well as Math comprehension. For more interesting graphing activities, visit:

  • http://classroom.jc-schools.net/basic/math-graph.html
  • https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/3rd-grade-graphing-lesson

And for more of our Fun Learning Math Games, you can visit here:

math-lessons.ca/activities/index.html

math-lessons.ca/activities/FractionsBoard5.html

math-lessons.ca/activities/Geometry.html

http://www.literature-enrichment.com/

Nov 13, 2013 | 0 comments View Post

Heart Math

What colors of candy are more popular in a typical bag of Valentine Hearts?  World over, kids pretty much enjoy receiving and giving Valentines to their friends on Valentine’s Day.  This year, make it a math learning experience, so the fun is included in the work.

Here is a Fun Idea for making it a Happy Heart Math day applicable to Grades 1-4 that encourage comprehension skills of:

Assessing, making predictions, and organizing

Counting, creating, adding, comparing

Listing/ recording data, and reading a graph

This activity is about making heart graphs, inspiring practice and comprehension for making graphs in general, and using fun hearts specifically.

Materials:

Bag of Multi-colored Candy Hearts, about 5/6 cups (1 cup worth for each 5 students)

Feb 10, 2011 | 2 comments View Post