Substrand	Data
Purpose	Predicting shapes Interpreting data Reasoning
CSF level suggested	2
Equipment	Familiar classroom graphs Worksheet showing unlabelled block graph

The Task

The teacher asked students the type of information a graph might be used to show. She drew attention to familiar graphs that were on display in the classroom. Students referred to the classroom graphs and volunteered answers (temperature, number of pets owned, favourite foods, what football team you support).

Students were then given an unlabelled block graph. They were to explain what the columns of data might be showing, to place numbers and names on the graph, and to write a description of each column of data. Students were told to think carefully about possible numbers, which might not necessarily be "going in ones".

Look For

• use of appropriate contexts for the graph
• correct placement of numbers and group names on the graph
• accurate use of numbers (may be scaled)
• ability to describe groups numerically and to compare groups

Ned (Year 2) began by confidently counting and recording the numbers for each column, however he had trouble deciding what the graph might be about. With teacher help he referred to a graph in the classroom about family pets. He labelled the top of each column and explained that column A was number of birds, B number of cats, and C and D number of dogs. Suggests Level 2 in the substrand.

Yvette (Year 2) decided the graph was about growth. She related each data column to the height of a person in a family. She put labels along the x axis and placed numbers next to each data column. The numbers were correctly sequenced. Suggests Level 2 in the substrand.

Huda (Year 2) decided the graph was about Preps' knowledge of the letters A, B, C, D. She labelled her graph correctly and scaled the y axis using multiples of two. She explained that four people knew the letter D, ten people knew the letter C, twelve people knew the letter B, and eight people knew the letter A. Suggests Level 3 in the substrand.