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BAD Graphs

 Hi All,

Kids love to find other people's mistakes. (Not always that keen on finding their own of course.) Here's a chance for them to find some mistakes while learning some things about graphs.

This activity focuses on learning about graphs and the parts of a graph that are important, but are sometimes neglected. When kids make their own graphs the most common omissions are: the title (what is this a graph of?), labeling the x and y axis (what do numbers and bars means?), and the units (how much of what?).

A great way to remind kids of the importance of these elements is to have them try to deal with graphs that don't have them ie; BAD graphs. 

I give students a worksheet on which I have created four BAD graphs. They are BAD graphs because I leave off important elements like the title. Along with this students are also given a 4 item question sheet which they are to try to answer using the BAD graphs. I put the BAD graphs on the board or display. They look like this:

 


I play it straight and ask them to do their best work. They quickly realize it is impossible. Questions and complaints emerge and I then ask why is it impossible? What do you need to know? We proceed to correct the BAD graphs one graph at a time.

As students tell me what is missing from each graph I fill in those missing components on the board until the questions can be answered correctly. So the graphs when complete and correct will look like this. 


 

We discuss how important it was to have those easy to overlook elements like titles and how without them we don't even know what we are looking at. Graphs, after all, a way to communicate and share information. A very efficient and effective way when done right.

I then give them a sheet with some data about a lemonade stand sale and ask them to apply what they have learned and make a GOOD graph. 


These are fun to make up yourself too. Enjoy! Here's are links to the reproducibles.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MDu7uGiFQamdFnQuTWFWX36gBwdynym6/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cQM7Akv9pLKBB4k16AaGF74DyfWMhlRr/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q3CazxAWmmbeBISYXtMG6LhsfeWDc5Wc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GuMFB7Pn2I1aRa6Q0h_lCWZHHryis67R/view?usp=sharing

Best,

Bob

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