MATERIALS: bag, colour cubes, color tiles, paper folded in three sections
Place a total of ten cubes of three different colours in a bag, e.g. one yellow, one red, and eight blue. Pass the bag around the circle and have the children estimate the number of cubes without looking inside the bag. Have one child count the cubes. Place the cubes back in the bag and ask the children to predict what colour of cube they would get if they pulled one out of the bag without looking. Have the children each pull one cube from the bag and return the cube to the bag each time.
Have the children do the experiment themselves using ten cubes of three colors in the bag. Have a child take one cube from the bag while another child records the color by placing a color tile in the appropriate row on the folded paper to make a concrete graph. Repeat ten times, replacing the cube in the bag each time.
Ask:
How many times did you take a cube out of the bag?
How many times did you take out a green cube? Yellow?
Red?
How many green cubes do you think are in the bag? Yellow?
Red?
Have the children discuss any other observation about
the graph. Then have them empty the bag and count to check the number of
cubes of each color.
EXTENSION:
Vary the activity by using only two colours of cubes,
or changing the number of each colour. Ask, “If there are the same
number of each color in the bag, what do you think the graph will look
like?” Have the children try the experiment to check.
OUTCOMES:
G1: predict whether an event can never occur, must always
occur, or simply might occur sometimes
From: Interactions, Unit 2: Making Sense
of Data, pp. 80-81
MATERIALS: apples, knife, paper apple shapes, glue
Display several kinds of apples and ask, “about how many seeds are in an apple? Do you think all apples have the same number?” Cut an apple in half crosswise and remove the seeds. Glue the seeds on a paper apple shape and have the children count them. Ask, “are there more or fewer than you thought?”
Have each child choose an apple and predict the number of seeds in it. Record the predictions. Ask, “Which number of seeds do you think most of the apples will have?” Cut the apples open crosswise. Have the children remove the seeds and glue them onto paper apple shapes (the apples can be used to make apple sauce or apple crisp.) Encourage the children to count the seeds on the apple shapes and compare the numbers. Ask, “Did some types of apples have more seeds than others?
EXTENSION:
Students can sort the apple shapes according to the number
of seeds and discuss the sorting. Have the children arrange the apple
shapes on a floor graphing mat or bulletin board to make a concrete graph.
Invite the children to describe the graph. As an alternative, make a pictorial
display with the apple shapes.
OUTCOMES:
F1: collect and organize data
F2: interpret and create concrete and picture graphs
F3: interpret and create pictographs and symbolic
graphs
F4: pose oral questions in relation to conducting
surveys and/or interpreting data
* Adapted from: Interactions, Unit 2: Making
Sense of Data, pp. 80-81
MATERIALS: The Wheels on the Bus by Maryann Kovalski, grid paper, floor graphing mat, piece of paper with name
If possible, introduce this activity by singing the song and sharing the book The Wheels on the Bus. Encourage the children to talk about their own experiences on buses. Ask, “How did you get to school?” Discuss all the modes of transportation used by the children (e.g. walk, bicycle, bus, car). Invite each child to take a position on the graphing floor mat in the column for the mode of transportation he or she used today. Have children mark their spot with a piece of paper with their name on it. As a class, construct a pictograph to represent the information on the graphing mat. Encourage the children to comment on and interpret the graph. Ask, “Do you think the graph would be the same every day?” Ask, “If another class in the school made a graph about how they got to school, do you think it would look like this one?” Discuss. Invite another class to do a graph. If possible, combine the two classes to compare and discuss the graphs.
OUTCOMES:
F1: collect and organize data
F2: interpret and create concrete and picture graphs
F3: interpret and create pictographs and symbolic
graphs
F4: pose oral questions in relation to conducting
surveys and/or interpreting data
* Adapted from: Interactions, Unit
2: Making Sense of Data, p. 88