Skip to main content

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

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Does Not Belong?

 Hi All,   "What Does Not Belong" is such a great little concept and can be applied to so many different areas of math as well as other content areas. Great little game when you are waiting, like for buses to be called or for the day to begin. Also a great game for long car or bus rides where if there are no written numbers or pictures you really have to do the mental math. Present a group of numbers. Start with maybe six. Say, 10     56     17     122     4     98 Ask the players to identify which number does not belong and have them explain why. We want players to look at the characteristics of the numbers and compare them to try to find the selection criteria or "rule" so they can determine which does not belong. For example, we have a mix of 1, 2, and 3 digit numbers, so it's not the "rule" is not the number of digits. We have five even numbers and only one odd number. That's it! 17 does not belong,...
2 comments
Read more

EGG BOX SHAKE! IT'S WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE.

Hi All, Shake it up! Egg Box Shake is noisy and fun! That's a big plus right there for most kids. Students like to create and keep their own math tools, and this is a great opportunity to do that as well. And, teachers can adapt the game to fit any level or mathematical operation. Win. Win. Win. Egg Box Shake originated as a coin identification and addition game for grades 1 – 3. I had students bring in an egg carton from home and then provided them with play money or coin stamps, ink pads, and card stock. They stamped out pictures of the coins onto card stock, front and back images, and then cut out the pictures. Students glued these pictures into the bottom of the twelve sections of the egg carton. Each player would get two beads, beans, chips, marbles, or any other small manipulative. They put these into the box and closed it. They then shook the box. When they stopped they opened it and saw where the beads had landed. Players added those two coins o...
1 comment
Read more

What's in a Name? A lot of Math!

Hi All, Welcome back! With school starting one way or another in various parts of the country, I figured it was time again to bring back the math blog. No matter what's going on or how it's going on, I'm hoping this content will still be useful to you.  So, let's talk about names! When classes start, one of the first things both teachers and students must learn about each other are their names. A child's name is a very powerful and important thing. It's also a great springboard to learning. Kids are always interested in their own names. "Names Add Up" is an easy activity for K-2 (though older kids like it as well) that combines counting, addition, and money, as well as vowel and consonant identification. You'll need a pile of pennies and nickels. Explain to children that for this activity vowels will be worth a nickel and consonants will be worth a penny. Have children take the coins that correspond to the letters in their first names and...
Post a Comment
Read more