Bar Graph Explorers: Reading and Understanding Data!

Math Grades 1st Grade 7:27 Video
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Lesson Description

Let's learn how to read bar graphs and answer questions using the information they show! We'll be like detectives, finding clues in the bars!

Video Resource

Reading Bar Graph for Kids | Measurement and Data | Math for 1st Grade | Kids Academy

Kids Academy

Duration: 7:27
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Bar graphs represent data visually.
  • Each bar shows the quantity of a category.
  • We can read the height of the bar to find the quantity.
  • Addition can be used to combine data from different categories.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify the parts of a bar graph (categories and scale).
  • Students will be able to read and interpret data from a bar graph with up to three categories.
  • Students will be able to answer questions about the data presented in a bar graph using addition.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they've ever seen a chart or graph before. Show them some examples. Explain that today, they'll be learning about a special kind of chart called a bar graph, which helps us see information quickly.
  • Video Viewing (7 mins)
    Play the 'Reading Bar Graph for Kids' video by Kids Academy. Encourage students to pay close attention to how the bar graph is read and how questions are answered.
  • Discussion (5 mins)
    After the video, ask students what they learned about bar graphs. Review the different parts of a bar graph: title, categories, bars, and scale.
  • Interactive Activity: Jane's Pencil Case (10 mins)
    Recreate the 'Jane's Pencil Case' activity from the video. Draw a similar bar graph on the board or use a printable worksheet. Ask questions like: 'How many pencils does Jane have?' 'How many erasers does Jane have?' 'How many pens and rulers does Jane have together?'
  • Create Your Own Graph (10 mins)
    Have students create their own bar graph. Ask them to choose 3-4 of their favorite fruits or colors. Then survey the class and record the number of students who like each fruit or color. Finally, have them create a bar graph to show the results.
  • Wrap-up (3 mins)
    Review what they learned about bar graphs and how to read them. Remind them that bar graphs are useful for understanding information quickly.

Interactive Exercises

  • Classroom Objects Graph
    Count different classroom objects (e.g., pencils, crayons, books) and create a class bar graph together. Ask students questions about the graph, such as which object there are the most of, the least of, and how many more of one object there are than another.
  • Favorite Animal Survey
    Conduct a class survey about favorite animals. Tally the results on the board and then work together to create a bar graph representing the data. Discuss the results and answer questions about the graph.

Discussion Questions

  • What are some things we could show on a bar graph?
  • How does a bar graph help us understand information?
  • What does each part of the bar graph tell us?
  • Why is it important to look at the numbers on the side of the bar graph?

Skills Developed

  • Data interpretation
  • Reading comprehension
  • Addition
  • Graph creation
  • Critical thinking

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What is a bar graph?

Correct Answer: A chart that shows information with bars

Question 2:

What do the bars on a bar graph show us?

Correct Answer: How many of something there are

Question 3:

If a bar goes up to the number 5, how many does that show?

Correct Answer: 5

Question 4:

What are the names of the things on a bar graph called?

Correct Answer: Categories

Question 5:

If a bar graph shows 3 apples and 2 bananas, how many fruits are there in all?

Correct Answer: 5

Question 6:

What do we call the side of the bar graph with numbers?

Correct Answer: Scale

Question 7:

Jane's bar graph shows 4 pencils and 2 pens. How many more pencils than pens does she have?

Correct Answer: 2

Question 8:

If you want to know how many pets your class has, what could you use?

Correct Answer: A bar graph

Question 9:

What should you look at to find out how many things are in each group?

Correct Answer: The bars

Question 10:

A bar graph has cats, dogs, and fish. Which one does it show the most of?

Correct Answer: The tallest bar

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A __________ graph uses bars to show information.

Correct Answer: bar

Question 2:

The side of the bar graph with numbers is called the __________.

Correct Answer: scale

Question 3:

Each bar on a graph tells us how __________ of something there are.

Correct Answer: many

Question 4:

If a bar goes all the way to 7, then there are __________ of that thing.

Correct Answer: 7

Question 5:

The names of the things on a graph are called __________.

Correct Answer: categories

Question 6:

To find how many things there are in all, we can __________ the numbers.

Correct Answer: add

Question 7:

A bar graph helps us see information very __________.

Correct Answer: easily

Question 8:

We can __________ the bars to see how many are in each group.

Correct Answer: read

Question 9:

A tall bar means there are __________ of that thing.

Correct Answer: more

Question 10:

Knowing how to read a bar graph helps us learn about __________.

Correct Answer: math

Educational Standards

CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.C.4:Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another. CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.A.1:Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Teaching Materials

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