Years 3 & 4: Data and Statistics
This list consists of activities, games and videos designed to support the new curriculum programme of study in Years 3 and 4. Containing tips on using the resources and suggestions for further use, it covers:
Year 3: Interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables, solve one-step and two-step questions (for example, ‘How many more?’ and ‘How many fewer?’) using information presented in scaled bar charts and pictograms and tables.
Year 4: Interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate graphical methods, including bar charts and time graphs, solve comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in bar charts, pictograms, tables and other graphs.
Visit the primary mathematics webpage to access all lists.
Data Handling
This video shows three ideas for use in class when teaching data handling. Creating a human bar graph is a great way of helping children learn about the scales on a bar graph and what they represent.
Collecting data for a purpose helps show children one way in which maths is used in the real world. Have fun measuring and recording results from the long jump, high jump and target practice, then represent and analyse the data using Venn diagrams and graphs.
Another idea asks children to use a ‘Tardis’ in their classroom to estimate when 30 seconds have elapsed. After collecting the data, they produce a graph on the interactive whiteboard.
Starting Data Handling
A collection of 40 activity sheets which could be used in class to process, represent and interpret data using block graphs, pictograms and frequency tables. Aimed at Curriculum levels 1-3, there are opportunities for using them with the whole class or to support children with work in data handling.
Analysing and Interpreting Data
Two packs of games, investigations, worksheets and practical activities. The first pack asks children to interpret and answer questions on rainfall over a year. There is also a sheet which asks children to measure and collect data on hand span within a class. This idea could be adapted to measure and record forearm length within a class/across the school when learning about growth of humans in science.
Handling Data: African Animal Maths (Age 7 to 11)
Look at the practical application of data handling and analysis in this activity which explores measurement data for a range of species found in the African savannah. Children use data to fill in a table, and then construct and interpret bar charts for a range of different measurements (height, length, weight).
This is a great opportunity to link science and mathematics.
Handling Data
Designed for teachers to develop professionally and gain confidence in the teaching of mathematics, new teachers and those looking for a refresher will benefit greatly from Part A. Page 16 starts looking at pictograms and bar charts as a way of representing discrete data, Page 29 looks at line graphs as a way of representing trends over time such as temperature change and rainfall.
The difference between the terms discrete and continuous data is often misunderstood by children with some trying to show a change over time using a bar chart. The worked examples in this booklet help to clarify the different charts used to represent data. Page 34 looks at histograms and how they are used to represent continuous data.
The booklet highlights some common misconceptions children may have and how to overcome these as well as examples for teachers to work through to gain confidence in this area of mathematics.
NRICH: Handling Data KS2
A collection of activities which allow children to investiagte problems centred around data handling.