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What's a graph?

National Teaching Standards:

NCTM Standards for Pre-K-2-Algebra; Measurement; Data Analysis; Problem Solving; Connections; Representation Science Standards - Science as Inquiry


This activity demonstrates how information can be collected and drawn as mathematical tables called graphs.

NOTE: Educators/Parents should consider reading the entire text to their children, if necessary, as they assist them with the activity.


K - construction paper squares representing several different hair colors, markers, tape, worksheet Gr. 1: crayons (red, yellow, green), apples (red, yellow, green), 4 containers, string, scissors, blank white paper, worksheet Gr. 2:crayons, Skittles®, worksheet

NOTE: All worksheets are located at the end of this activity.

Activity for Students in Kindergarten


  1. No two children are exactly alike although twins come as close to being exactly alike as nature allows.
  2. Compare your hair color with that of your friends.
  3. What color hair do most of your friends have? How many friends have this hair color?
  4. Write down the hair color and number of friends that have it.
  5. Repeat this activity for all other hair colors.
  6. There is a special way that this kind of information can be drawn so that everyone can understand what it means.
  7. This special drawing is called a graph.
  8. Get the number of colored squares that equals the number of friends who have a certain hair color.
  9. Tape these squares to a sheet of paper so that the squares stack up in a row.
  10. Repeat this process with all other hair colors.
  11. You should be able to easily tell which hair color most of your friends have as well as which hair color a few of your friends have.
  12. Count the number of squares in each stack. Write the number in the top block of each stack.
  13. You have created a simple graph. A graph is a way of easily understanding a collection of information.
  14. Complete Worksheet A.
Activity for Students in Grade ONE
NOTE: Conduct the Kindergarten Activity before you begin this listed Activity.

  1. Look at a bag that contains many apples that are red, yellow, and green. Guess how many apples of each color are in the bag.
  2. Count each color as you remove the apples from the bag.
  3. Use crayons to draw apples for each color onto blank white paper. The drawings should be kept small. Draw an apple for each apple you counted. Color each apple a solid color with your crayons.
  4. Cut out each apple drawn on the paper.
  5. Place all apple cutouts of the same color into stacks on your table.
    EXAMPLE
  6. Complete Worksheet B - Part 1.
  7. Place a string on your table that connects the top of each stack.
  8. Complete Worksheet B - Part 2.
Activity for Students in Grade TWO
NOTE: Conduct the Kindergarten and Grade One Activities before you begin this listed Activity.

  1. Get a bag of Skittles® to use with this Activity.
  2. Open the bag and separate the candy into separate groups by color.
  3. Complete Worksheet C - Part 1.
  4. A special graph that can be created from your information is called a PIE Graph.
  5. Complete Worksheet C - Part 2 - to create a Pie Graph.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS
  1. Create different types of graphs that represent types of animals and/or foods.
  2. Create graphs equal to heights of family members and/or friends.
WORKSHEET A
  1. Draw stacked blocks on this Worksheet so that the blocks in the drawing look like what you taped to your table.
    EXAMPLE
  2. Write the correct number below each stack. (See example in Question 1.)
  3. Write numbers for each block beside each stack. (See example in Question 1.)
WORKSHEET B - Part 1
  1. Draw a number of blocks on this Worksheet that equals the number of apples for each color.
    EXAMPLE
  2. Label the bottom of each stack by its color. (See example in Question 1.)
  3. Label the left side of each stack with numbers equal to each block. (See example in Question 1.)
  4. Congratulations! You have created a BAR graph!
WORKSHEET B - Part 2
  1. Draw a straight line that connects the top of each stack drawn in Part 1 of this Worksheet.
    EXAMPLE
  2. If you could make the blocks "disappear" from the drawing, you would only see the string on your graph.
  3. Congratulations! You have created a LINE graph!
WORKSHEET C - Part 1
  1. Draw circles in stacks that show how many Skittles® candy pieces you counted for each color.
    EXAMPLE
  2. Label the bottom of each stack with its correct color. (See example in Question 1.)
  3. Write the correct number beside each circle. (See example in Question 1.)
WORKSHEET C - Part 2
  1. The drawings below represent pies cut into pieces.
  2. Color the same pieces of pie that are equal to each color that was drawn in Part 1 of this Worksheet.
    EXAMPLE
  3. Congratulations! You have created a PIE graph!
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