Analyze data in bar charts | Students Compute like Computers to Solve Real Problems (Lesson 3 of 7) | K-2

Instructions

Materials Needed:

1. Students will each require a computer
2. Interactive Google Slides Activity (google slide 5)
3. Teacher review of how to make interactive activities in google slides
4. Students will need a separate mini-lesson on how to manipulate objects in google slides.
5. You can increase the rigor in this lesson by using larger numbers with more place values or add more categories of marble colors

Step 1: Define key terms.

1. Numerical – made up of numbers only
2. Situation – an event
3. Data – information that is usually made up of numbers only (numerical)
4. Bar Graph – a picture that represents our numerical data
5. Visualize – turn numerical information into a bar graph!
6. Analyze/interpret – read information and understand what it’s telling you!

Step 2: Own It – “What is this bar chart telling you?”

• Show students google slide #5
• Have students independently enter the number on top of each bar in the bar graph
• Think-Pair-share
  • How many blue marbles does the teacher have?  How do you know?
  • How many green marbles does the teacher have?  How do you know?
  • Which marble color does the teacher have the most of?  How do you know?
  • Which marble does the teacher have the least of?  How do you know?
• Exemplar answers:
  • 3 blue marbles, because the bar stops at the number 3 line
  • 3 green marbles, because the bar stops at the number 2
  • The teacher has more purple marbles than any other, because it’s the tallest and stops at the biggest number
  • The marbles the teacher has the least of is red marbles, because it’s the shortest bar and stops at the smallest number.

Step 3: Introduce the Essential Question that students will work to answer over the course of the week’s lessons split into 5 parts.

• Say: “This week, scholars, we will continue to answer the question, ‘What steps do computers take to analyze numerical information and find problems that we can solve?'”
• Say: “Today, we will learn the third step computers take: analyze and interpret data that is visualized in bar charts!  In other words, we will READ bar charts!”

Step 3: Review key Terms and Define New Terms

1. Numerical – made up of numbers only
2. Situation – an event
3. Data – information that is usually made up of numbers only (numerical)
4. Bar Graph – a picture that represents our numerical data
5. Visualize – turn data into bar graphs
6. analyze/interpret – to read and understand what information is telling you

Step 4: Have students fill in the numerical values of different bar charts and have students answer comprehension questions

• Create 4-5 more interactive bar charts like in slide 5 with different values (how to make interactive activities)
  • Quick way:
    • Click on slide 5 –> Toolbar –> Slide –> Edit Master –> Right click on layout for slide 5 –> Duplicate Layout
    • In duplicated master slide: modify it according to your needs
    • repeat 3-4 more times to create a set for each student
• Have students practice through these activities independently or in pairs
  • You can circulate through class to ensure they are following instructions
  • If you’re using NearPod, you can see their work immediately on their screen

Step 5: Stamp and summarize what students did today in class

• Say: “Today, we took the third step computers make to analyze information and find problems that we can solve:
  • We analyzed and interpreted data that is visualized in bar charts!
  • In other words, we will READ bar charts to ensure we knew what visual data was telling us!”
• Say: “In the next lesson, we will take the next step!  We will ‘read’ 2 related bar graphs and see if we can find problems that we need to solve!”