Lesson Title: How Can You Tell?
Creator: Margaret Ripley
Grade Level: 3
Big Idea: Probability and Statistics
Essential Question: How can we use graphs to show and interpret data?
CSOs, LS, TT:
M.O.3.5.1—Collect and organize grade-appropriate real-world data from
observation, surveys, and experiments, and identify and construct
appropriate ways to display data.
M.O.3.5.3 – Analyze real-world data represented on a graph using gradeappropriate questions.
21C.O.34.1.LS.1
Student identifies information needed to solve a problem or
complete an assignment, conducts a search and prioritizes various
sources based on credibility and relevance, retrieves relevant
information from a variety of media sources, and uses this
information to create an effective presentation.
21C.O.34.3LS.6
Student focuses on the larger goal of a project, frames appropriate
questions related to the goal, develops and initiates a plan of
action with specific tasks and appropriate benchmarks, and
completes the project on time.
21C.O.3
-4.3.TT6
Student selects appropriate technology tools and resources needed
to communicate information to others, to achieve personal goals,
and to support independent learning.
Launch/Introduction (suggested time 15-25 minutes)
Activating Prior Knowledge—
 Ask the students for the names of different types of graphs and what
each type could be used for.
 Ask students where they might find graphs and how are they used.
 Have them identify types of graphs by showing them examples of
each kind.
 Read Lemonade for Sale by Stuart J. Murphy. Discuss with the
students why the children in the story made a bar graph and what it
helped them see.
Specialized Vocabulary Development
 Data
 Tally mark
 Tally chart
 Bar Graph
 Scale
As the vocabulary is presented, each word will be defined and discussed as to
where the component might be located or how it would be used. Examples will
be shown to give a location to each of the graph.
Investigate/Explore (suggested time varies from 30-40 minutes)
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Using as a whole group activity, the teacher will open a bag of animal
crackers and empty it onto a paper towel, under the document camera.
(Do not move or arrange the animal crackers in any way.) This can also
be done without the paper towel on the overhead projector if a document
camera is not available.
The students will be asked a series of questions about the pile of animal
crackers. These might include: What kinds of animals are represented
here? Which kind of animal is represented the most often? Are there
more bears than monkeys?
The students should determine that it is very difficult to answer these
questions because the animal crackers are in a pile and hard to see.
The teacher will ask the students if they can think of a way to make it
easier to answer the questions.
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The students should respond that the animal crackers need to be put into
some sort of order. If they do not realize this, the teacher may want to
guide them by asking questions such as, Is it easy to see the different
animals?, How could we see the animals better?, etc.
The students will be randomly divided into groups of 2 or 3 to work
cooperatively.
Each group will receive a tally chart, a small bag of animal crackers
(approx. 2 oz.) and a poster size sheet of graph paper.
Before the students open their bags of animal crackers, they will be asked
to develop at least 2 math questions that they might want answered about
their animal crackers. They should do this before they start to sort and
arrange their animal crackers.
Each group will use the animal crackers to tally the number of each kind of
animal represented in the package.
The groups will work together for a period of time to complete a bar graph
that will display the data that they have collected from the animal crackers.
The teacher will circulate to see that the students are including all parts
(title, scale, and data names) of the graph which were presented and
discussed in a previous lesson. This will allow her to check for
understanding and if they have questions or may need further direction.
As the teacher moves through the groups, she will ask questions of the
students to determine whether they have a clear understanding of the
process and to stimulate further thinking. The questions will be developed
as the teacher is assessing the process.
When the graphs are completed, they will be displayed where all students
are able to view them.
The students will come together for large group discussion.
Summarize/Debrief the Lesson (suggested time varies from 30-40 minutes)
Reflections
 A reporter (who has previously been assigned) from each group will tell
about how their group constructed their graph. They will include the title,
the key or scale, how they constructed the graph, etc. All students will be
encouraged to use appropriate “math talk” as they discuss the graphs and
as they ask and answer questions that relate to them.
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Next, questions will be asked concerning the graphs. The teacher will ask
the first couple of questions and then the students will be able to pose
questions about the graph their group constructed.
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The questions which are asked could include:
 Which animal is represented the most often?
 Which animal is represented the least often?
 Are there any animals that are represented the same number of
times?
 How many more of one type of animal is there than of another
type?
 What is the total number of animals represented in the bag of
animal crackers? How did you get your answer?
 How many more of one kind of animal cracker would you need to
equal a second kind?
 Why was it easy to answer the questions that I have just asked
you?
 What did you do to help interpret the data that you collected?
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As the teacher is asking these questions, she can be assessing for
understanding.
Ask the students how placing the data in a graph helped them to answer
their questions.
Materials: Examples of graphs
Book: Lemonade for Sale by Stuart Murphy
Vocabulary word cards
Examples of each of the vocabulary words
Tally Sheet
Pencil
Bag of animal crackers
Graph paper
Crayons
Document camera
Duration: 2 class periods of 50 minutes each.
Teacher Notes:
 This lesson will be presented after an introduction to graphs has been
presented.
 It is a lesson that would occur in the midst of a unit on graphing.
 As an extension, student may use the following website to create graphs
with their data: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
 If the time needs to split into 2 sessions, you may want to stop after the
tallying process and begin the second session with the graphing part of
the lesson.