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Session 5 Study Guide: Pictures That Tell Stories

Data Science for Young Minds — Grade 3

Key Topics

TopicDetails
What a bar chart isWhat a bar chart is: bars showing amounts for each category
Parts of a bar chartParts of a bar chart: title, axes, labels, bars
When to use bar chartsWhen to use bar charts: comparing categories
ActivityActivity: build a bar chart from your frequency table
What a pictograph isWhat a pictograph is: using pictures to show amounts
What a key isWhat a key is: each picture = a certain number
When pictographs work well and when theyWhen pictographs work well and when they do not
ActivityActivity: create a pictograph using stickers or stamps
What a dot plot isWhat a dot plot is: dots stacked above a number line
When to use dot plotsWhen to use dot plots: showing distribution of numbers
How dot plots reveal clusters, gaps, andHow dot plots reveal clusters, gaps, and outliers
Reading a dot plotReading a dot plot: what does the shape tell you?
Bar charts for comparing categoriesBar charts for comparing categories
Pictographs for simple, visual displaysPictographs for simple, visual displays
Dot plots for showing number distributioDot plots for showing number distributions
How to decideHow to decide: what question are you trying to answer?

Lesson Summaries

Lesson 1: Building Bar Charts

Learn what bar charts are, when to use them, and build one by hand with your real survey data.

Lesson 2: Making Pictographs

Create pictographs where pictures represent data. Learn why a clear key is essential.

Lesson 3: Dot Plots and Line Plots

Learn to create dot plots that show how data is distributed along a number line.

Lesson 4: Choosing the Right Graph

Different data needs different graphs. Learn to pick the one that tells your story best.

Review Questions

  1. What is a bar chart?
  2. What are the parts of a bar chart?
  3. When should you use a bar chart?
  4. Can you build a bar chart without a computer?
  5. What is a pictograph?
  6. Why do pictographs need a key?
  7. When do pictographs work well?
  8. When do pictographs NOT work well?
  9. What is a dot plot?
  10. What patterns can you see in a dot plot?
  11. When should you use a dot plot?
  12. What is an outlier?
  13. How do you choose the right type of graph?
  14. Can you use the wrong type of graph?
  15. Can the same data be shown with different graphs?
  16. What makes a graph 'good'?