Lesson Buffet

In this activity, children will be collecting data and representing this as a pictograph.

Introduction

Sit children in a circle and ask them to close their eyes and hold their hands out. Give each child a coloured counter. Now tell children to open their eyes and without talking, sit themselves into groups of students with the same coloured counter.
Draw a tally on the board to summarise information about the number of students with a particular coloured counter. Explain that what we have just done is 'Collected data', where the information in the table is called 'data'. Explain that we can collect data for different things as well. Ask children to again, without talking, move themselves into groups with other students whose names start with the same letter. Again summarise this data on a tally. Ask children what other things they could collect data for.

Activity

Children will receive 2 small piece of blank squares. On one square, students will write the month of their birthday. On the second square students will colour in their favourite colour and their name. As students complete their squares they may come to the front and stick these on the appropriate position on two sets of axes prepared earlier, titled 'GRADE's Birthdays' and 'GRADE's Favourite Colours'. These can be displayed in the classroom throughout the year.

Conclusion

Bring children together to collect the data to share some statements about the pictograph. E.g. Blue is the most popular colour.
Give children time to think of their own statements and share these with the grade.