Lesson 9
Interpret Bar Graphs
Lesson Purpose
Lesson Narrative
In previous lessons, students learned how to interpret categorical data represented in picture graphs and other displays. In this lesson, bar graphs are introduced as another way to represent categorical data. Students compare the features of bar graphs to picture graphs and use the unique features of bar graphs to interpret data and answer questions. When students relate the data to the context it represents and carefully interpret the elements of a graph, they reason abstractly and quantitatively and attend to precision (MP2, MP6).
- Action and Expression
Activity 1: Field Trip Choices
Learning Goals
Teacher Facing
- Answer questions based on a bar graph.
- Interpret data represented in a bar graph.
Student Facing
- Let’s interpret data in bar graphs.
Required Preparation
Lesson Timeline
| Warm-up | 10 min |
| Activity 1 | 15 min |
| Activity 2 | 20 min |
| Lesson Synthesis | 10 min |
| Cool-down | 5 min |
Teacher Reflection Questions
The scale of the bar graph will be important as students solve problems based on data. How did you see students using the scale on the bar graph today?
Suggested Centers
- How Close? (1–5), Stage 3: Add to 100 (Addressing)
- Sort and Display (1–3), Stage 1: Any Way (Supporting)