Introduction to Bar Graphs

Abstract

This lesson allows students to learn what bar graphs are used for, how to interpret the data presented, and how to organize their own data using bar graphs.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, students will:

  • practice making bar graphs.
  • be able to interpret bar graphs.
  • ask a question, collect data about that question, and create a bar graph to answer their question.

Standards Addressed

Grade 3

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 4

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 5

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 6

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 7

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 8

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions, describing trends; drawing, formulating, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 9

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions, describing trends; drawing, formulating, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 10

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions, describing trends; drawing, formulating, or justifying conclusions).

Third Grade

  • Measurement and Data

    • Represent and interpret data.

Fourth Grade

  • Measurement and Data

    • Represent and interpret data.

Fifth Grade

  • Measurement and Data

    • Represent and interpret data.

Grades 3-5

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them

Grade 8

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

Introductory Mathematics

  • Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

3rd Grade

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of organizing, interpreting, analyzing and making predictions about data, the benefits of multiple representations of a data set, and the basic concepts of probability.

4th Grade

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Standard 4-6: The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of the impact of data-collection methods, the appropriate graph for categorical or numerical data, and the analysis of possible outcomes for a simple event.

Grade 3

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 13. The student solves problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.

Grade 4

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 13. The student solves problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.

Grade 5

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 13. The student solves problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.

3rd Grade

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 3.21b The student, given grid paper, will construct a line plot, a picture graph, or a bar graph to represent the results. Each graph will include an appropriate title and key.

4th Grade

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 4.20
    • 4.20 The student will collect, organize, and display data in line and bar graphs with scale increments of one or greater than one and use the display to interpret the results, draw conclusions, and make predictions.

Student Prerequisites

  • Technological: Students must be able to:
    • perform basic mouse manipulations such as point, click and drag.
    • use a browser for experimenting with the activities.

Teacher Preparation

  • access to a browser.
  • access to pencil and paper.

Key Terms

bar graph

A diagram showing a system of connections or interrelations between two or more things by using bars

Lesson Outline

  1. Focus and Review

    • Begin by calling on each student in the class and asking what color his/her eyes are.
    • As each student answers make a tally mark by the appropriate color.
    • Ask the students to arrange the information displayed on the board in a way that it is easy to read on a sheet of paper.
    • Monitor the students' progress.

  2. Objectives

    Students will:

    • practice making bar graphs.
    • be able to interpret bar graphs.
    • ask a question, collect data about that question, and create a bar graph to answer their question.

  3. Teacher Input

    • Congratulate the students on their efforts.
    • If any student happens to arrange their information in a bar graph-like-manner use his/her graph as an example.
    • If not, explain to the students that some people choose to arrange their data in what is known as a bar graph.
    • Explain the term bar graph.
    • Explain how to arrange data using a bar graph.

  4. Guided Practice

    • Have the students help you arrange the data located on the board into a bar graph.
    • Describe to the students how to use the Bar Graph Shape Sorter applet.
    • Instruct the students to run through several sets of shapes to get a feel for the program.
    • Record information about the types of pants people are wearing (Pants, jeans, dresses, or shorts).
    • Instruct the students on how to use the Bar Graph applet.
    • Have the students use the Bar Graph applet to graph the data collected about what type of pants people in the class wear.

  5. Independent Practice

    • Instruct the kids to come up with a question they would like to answer by surveying their classmates.
    • You may want to give them a few sample questions to choose from if they cannot come up with one on their own:
      • Shoe Size
      • Birth Month
      • Favorite Color
      • Hair Color
      • Favorite Book
      • Favorite Television Show
    • Have the students question their classmates and then create a bar graph either on paper or by using the Bar Graph applet

  6. Closure

    • Choose several students to share their bar graphs with the class.
    • Cover all pertinent vocabulary.

Alternate Outline

For younger students, you may want to hand them a bag of shapes and have them create a bar graph similar to those found in the Bar Graph Shape Sorter applet, rather than having them survey the class and creating a bar graph using the Bar Graph applet.

Suggested Follow-Up

Students can learn about other graphical representations of data, including the histogram. The Histograms and Bar Graphs lesson helps students to understand the differences between these two representations.