Sorting data and picture graphs: teacher notes Statistics and probability: Statistics 65-74, 75-84, 85-94

Sorting data and picture graphs: teacher notes

The ACER Maths team have taken the original PAT Teaching Resources Centre teaching activity, Sorting data and picture graphs (Statistics and Probability, 85-94, 75-84, 65-74) and have adapted it so that it can be used for remote learning.

You may use the resources we have provided directly with your own students, or you could use them as a model to create your own remote learning resources. You could furthermore adapt other PAT Teaching Resource Centre concept builders in the same way.

This activity can be used as an introduction to sorting data and picture graphs for students who have not learnt these concepts before or as revision before commencing a unit on data. You will notice that there is text written in plain font and italics throughout the scripts. The plain font is the verbal script for the video recording. The text in italics describes the actions that accompany the verbal script.

Accompanying components for this teaching activity:

 Sorting Data and Picture Graphs Student Worksheet

 About 20 small items, differently coloured, to use for sorting. For example, beads, buttons, small cars or building blocks such as LEGO.

 A4 paper and coloured pencils.

Students will also need:

 Colourful items to use for sorting. For example beads, buttons, small cars or building blocks such as LEGO.

 A4 paper and coloured pencils.

Script for Sorting Data and Picture Graphs Video 1

Today we are going to learn about sorting data and making picture graphs. This first activity will focus on sorting data. In numeracy, we use the word data to describe information or things we are counting and sorting.

When we talk about sorting data we mean putting things into groups based on something they have in common. This is called categorising. When we put things into a group according to how they look, for example, we can call that group a category. Let me show you how it works.

Put about 20 pieces of LEGO onto the floor or a table.

I have got some building bricks here. There are lots of different colours. I would like to know how many of each colour I have so I am going to sort the bricks into groups, or categories, according to their colour.

I am going to start with the red bricks. This group will be the red category. Sort one by one and put them into a group to one side that is still visible to the camera.

Okay, that’s all the red bricks. Now I am going to sort all the yellow bricks. This will be the yellow category. Sort one by one and put them into a group to one side that is still visible to the camera.

What’s left? Blue and green. I’m going to move the blue ones over here into the blue category and the green ones over here into the green category. Move the bricks into groups so there are four distinct groups based on colours.

Now that I have sorted my data into categories based on colour I can easily see how many bricks I have of each colour. In the red category I have 4 bricks. In the yellow category I have 6 bricks, in the green category I have 3 bricks and in the blue category I have 5 bricks. Hmm, I can see that I have different shaped bricks. I would like to know how many different shapes I have, so I’m going to start again and this time I’m going to make a category for each of the different shapes I can see.

Move all the bricks back into one pile.

I’m going to begin with a category for the rectangular bricks. Sort one by one and put them into a group to one side that is still visible to the camera.

Next, I’m going to make a category for the square bricks. Sort one by one and put them into a group to one side that is still visible to the camera.

Let’s see, what do I have left now? Ha! They’re all legs! This can be the legs category. Dum-de-dum-de-dum! Walk the legs into a group.

When I look at my data now I can see that I have three different shape categories. There are 8 in the rectangle category, 6 in the square category and 4 in the legs category.

I have organised some other data into different categories too.

Here are some cars categorised by colour. Point to each group. Orange, green, blue and red. Here are some beads categorised by type. Point to each group. Round, letter, star, sparkles, and heart.

And some cutlery categorised also by type.Point to each group. Soup spoon, fork, teaspoon and knife.

Now it’s your turn. What can you find in your house to sort? Do you have some beads or building bricks you can use? How about the washing!? Can you help out by sorting the washing by type or who it belongs to? Gosh that would be a lot of fun!

Walk around your house to find about 20 things. This will be your data. Then sort your data into groups like colour, shape or size. Come up with a category name for each of the groups. When you have finished, take a photo so you can use this information in the next activity. Then ask an adult to help you make a video of you explaining the way you sorted your data. Don’t forget to tell your teacher the names for each of your categories. Keep your photo handy so you can use it for the activity in video 2.

Once you have sent your video to your teacher, watch Picture Graphs Video 2.

Script for Sorting Data and Picture Graphs Video 2

Now that we know how to sort data, we can make a picture graph.

Picture graphs help us to show data using pictures and symbols. They are used to make it easy for people to see and understand data.

We are going to use the data that you sorted in the last activity and show it in a picture graph. To do this you need one or two pieces of A4 paper, some coloured pencils and the photo of your sorted data from the last activity.

To start with, let’s get our piece of paper ready. I’m going to show you how to fold your piece of paper so that it has some lines on it. We are going to use the lines to help us make our picture graph neat and easy to read.

Put your piece of paper on a table with the short end closest to you, like this. Fold the paper in half by bringing one of the bottom corners up to the corner above it and pressing the middle to make a little crease. Do the same on the other side. Then press down along the middle of the paper so that you make a fold from one side to the other. Your paper should look like this.

Keep the long side closest to you. Fold the paper in half again by bringing one of the bottom corners up to the corner above it and pressing the middle to make a little crease. Do the same on the other side. Then press down along the middle of the paper so that you make a fold from one side to the other. Your paper should look like this.

Open your page out and you should see four long rectangles like this. Hold up your paper. We can call these rectangles ‘columns’. Put your paper to the side for a minute.

Now let’s think about the data you sorted. Have a look at this data. This sort has four categories.

Show the picture of the car sort.

Now, have a look at this sort. This sort has five categories. Show picture of the bead sort.

How many categories have you sorted your data into? Do you have four categories? Do you have more than four categories?

If you have more than four categories, fold another piece of paper just like we did before. We need to have one column for each of our categories. For example, for my bead sort I need to fold another piece of paper and use one column.

Once your folded paper is ready, we can start to work on your picture graph.

Turn your paper so that the long side is closest to you like this. Now we need to write the category names at the bottom of each column. Write the labels in the columns. This is what it looks like for my four-category sort.

Remember, if you have more than four categories, use as many columns as you need on your second folded sheet of paper for your extra categories.

Once I have my labels in place I need to draw pictures above the labels to show how many things are in each category. Now, these should just be very quick drawings. They don’t need lots of detail. I will show you how I do mine. I’m going to draw a simple red car. Draw first simple picture of a car. I have drawn a red car above the red label.

Do you see how I made my picture quite simple? I just used one colour and tried to make it the shape of a car. The reason these pictures should be simple is because I need to draw the same picture for each of my things in the red category. If I make the picture too detailed it will take too long to draw lots of them.

When I look at this category in my sort I can see I have three more cars in there. Point to the car drawing. So I need to draw this same picture of the red car three more times. Here I go! Draw the picture three more times. Put a finger space between each picture.

What do you think? Not bad eh!? Can you see how I made sure the pictures stayed between my folds and I put a finger space between each picture? This is really important for keeping the information on my picture graph organised.

I’m going to do the next category now. This category is blue so I’m going to use a blue pencil to draw blue cars, to show that they are in different categories from the red cars. I am going to try to line my blue cars up with my red cars and make sure I stay between the folds for my blue column. Draw blue cars in. Did you see how I used my finger to help line up my blue cars with my red cars? Okay, let’s check I have the right number of blue cars. Count the blue cars on the picture and then the blue cars on the on the picture graph. Yes, I’ve got all my blue cars.

I’m going to do the same thing with my orange and green cars now. My next category is orange so I’m going to use the same car picture and draw it with an orange pencil. Draw the first orange car.

Now I’m going to use my finger to line up my second orange car with the second blue car. Stay between the folds and trying to make the car the same size. Draw car. Yes!

Right, my last category is green. Here we go! Starting with the first car, make sure it’s about the same size as all the others. Using the same car shape. Now I use my finger to line the second car up. Using my finger again to line the other cars up and checking that my car is about the same size and shape as the others. Great! One last quick check that I’ve included all my cars. Whisper count as you check.

Yes, I have all my cars on my picture graph. Let’s take a look at the finished picture graph now. We have our category labels at the bottom. Point to category labels. Red, blue, orange and green. Check! We have our car pictures lined up in each category so we can easily see how many cars are in each category. Count the number of cars in each category, pointing as you count. Check! The last thing I need to do is add a title. I will call this graph ‘Cars’. Check! Now it’s your turn. Start by writing your category names at the bottom of each column on your folded paper. Don’t worry if you’re not sure about your spelling. Just have a go! Then you need to draw a picture to show the number of things you had in each category. Remember to make all of your pictures about the same size and use the folds and your fingers to help you space them out.

Lastly add a title to your picture graph. Using the name of whatever you sorted is a great idea for a title. For example, I used the word ‘Cars’ for my title.

When you have finished your picture graph, take a photo of it and send it to your teacher along with your sort photo from the first activity. Well done!

Feedback and task extension

When considering students’ completed work, here are some things to look out for:

Additional extension activities have been provided. This can be used as a challenge activity for some or all students.

You could also move on to the following Teaching Resources Centre activities, which may all be found in Statistics and Probability: Statistics 105–114 .

 Collecting and organising data  Interpreting simple data tables  Interpreting simple graphs

The ideas explored in this activity are also found in the following annotated questions and example annotated questions:

 Interpret a picture graph (example)

 Identify categories (example)

 Interpret a simple table of data (example)

 Sort shapes into groups (example)

 Amount from a picture graph (example)

 Interpret a picture graph to solve a numerical problem (example)

 Start Foundation, Q23

 Mid Foundation, Q3

 Mid Foundation, Q11

 Mid Year 1, Q5

 Mid Year 1, Q6

Australian Curriculum reference: Statistics and Probability: Represent data with objects and drawings where one object or drawing represents one data value. Describe the displays

(ACMSP263), Collect, check and classify data (ACMSP049) and Create displays of data using lists, table and picture graphs and interpret them (ACMSP050).