• Enriching data handling
• Meaningful Statistics

Two NRICH articles that describe a number of activities and explains the rationale behind them.

Activity set A

You could carry out a human bar graph activity. Think of a scenario such as favourite sports. Give each child a Post-it note and ask them to draw them

playing their favourite sport onto it – no words, just pictures. Next ask them, in small groups, to stick the Post-it notes on the board to make a bar chart. As they do this, listen to what they say. Someone might wonder what one of the drawings is and this can lead into a discussion about the importance of labels. You could then ask some of the children to write labels for the different sports and add them to the board to form a horizontal axis. Once all the Post-it notes are on the board, discuss the scale size of the vertical axis. If you decide to go up in steps of two, double up the Post-it notes for all the sports and then ask some children to write the appropriate numbers and add these to the bar chart. When you have done that discuss why a title would be useful and add this. The children could then draw the bar chart on paper and write some statements about the information it shows.

You could display a pictogram similar to the one below. Ask the children to work out what the scenario for the pictogram could be and to tell you what it shows.

You could then give the children some plain paper and ask them to make a pictogram to show which of the food choices from the pictogram in the picture the class would make or they could do their own survey, make a tally and then a table before constructing their pictogram. They should consider how many children each symbol will represent.

You could ask the children to work with a partner and make a list of 6 pieces of information that the pictogram gives them. Encourage them to include statements that involve addition and subtraction, e.g. 3 more children prefer roast dinner than casserole, 58 children took part in the survey, 17 children voted for vegetable lasagne and chicken pie. They then share these with another pair and add any new statements the other pair made to their list.

You could show some of the existing data from the Data Handling ITP and ask the children to analyse them.

You could use this pet graph and ask the children to make up and answer questions from it. Encourage them to make up questions that involve addition and subtraction.

Activity set B

There are several activities on the Nrich website which ask the children to solve problems within the context of statistics. Why not try these with your children:

• Match the Matches could be used at the start of a series of lessons on data handling, or as an assessment opportunity at the end of the unit. It will get children talking meaningfully about mathematics, presenting and justifying arguments.
• It’s a Tie allows children to simulate a probability experiment, to be involved, be creative, and construct their own meanings and explanations for the results they come up with.
• More Carroll Diagrams gives children a way of sorting numbers according to different properties and also forces them to consider more than one aspect at once. It also provides opportunities for children to explain their placing of the numbers, using appropriate language.
• Venn Diagrams provides an opportunity for children to become familiar with Venn diagrams, whilst reinforcing knowledge of number properties. Placing numbers in a Venn diagram requires children think of more than one property of a number at the same time and this problem will encourage them to explain their reasons for placing the numbers.

Examples of what children should be able to do, in relation to each (boxed) Programme of Study statement

interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables

• Process, present and interpret data to pose and answer questions. They use all representations such as Venn and Carroll diagrams, bar charts, pictograms. They collect data quickly onto a class tally chart. Children recognise that a tally involves grouping in fives and that this helps them to count the frequencies quickly and accurately. They produce a simple pictogram and/or bar chart, where a symbol represents 2 units.
• Children sort and classify objects, numbers or shapes according to two criteria, and display this work on Venn and Carroll diagrams.

solve one-step and two-step questions such as ‘How many more?’ and ‘How many fewer?’ using information presented in scaled bar charts and pictograms and tables

• Collect, represent and interpret data in order to answer a question that is relevant to them, for example:
  • What new addition to the school play equipment would you like?
  • Which class race shall we choose for sports day?
• They decide on the information they need to collect and collect it efficiently. They collate the information on a tally chart or frequency table, then use this to make simple frequency diagrams such as bar charts, using ICT where appropriate. They discuss the outcomes, responding to questions such as:
  • Which items had fewer than five votes?
  • Would the table be the same if we asked Year 6?
  • How might the table change if everyone had two votes?
• Children present their conclusions to others, identifying key points that should be included. They make suggestions as to how this data could be used; for example, they may decide that they need to investigate the price of different equipment or discuss what they need to do to prepare for their chosen race.

• The video ‘Data Handling’ three different data handling activities carried out by children from Years 3 and 4. The first is about their favourite school meals into a human bar graph. The second is based around the Olympics and the third is to do with collecting data related to time.