Put Your Heart Into It

Sherry Wilson
Bogue Sound Elementary
May 10, 2000

Curriculum Areas NC Standard Course of Study:

Math
  4.01 Gather, organize and display information as a group activity
  4.04 Create concrete, pictorial, and symbolic graphs using prepared grid

Technology:
1.1 Identify use of technology at home and at school. (SI)
1.2 Discuss ownership of computer created work. (SI)
2.2 Locate and use letters, numbers, and special keys on a keyboard. (KU/WP/DTP)
3.1 Group items by different attributes using manipulatives and /or software. (SS)
3.2 Gather, organize, and display data.  (SS)

Description:  Students sort (Valentine) candies according to kind.  Data is inserted into a spreadsheet.  Data is displayed in various graphic formats.

Approximate Time Required: 1 hour

Teachers' Lesson Goals/Objectives:

Students will learn to :

• sort materials according to a predetermined variable
• create a spreadsheet using the data
• display information in various graphic formats
• determine best format for displaying collected data

Materials/Resources Needed:

Various kinds of Valentine candies

Technology Resources Needed

Computer
Color Printer
Spreadsheet software

Pre Activities:

Class will complete a simple spreadsheet.
 

Activities:

1. The teacher will tell the students they are going to learn about graphs.
2. The teacher will tell the students they are going to sort and graph Valentine candies.
3. Students will be divided into teams of 2 or 3.
4. Selected students will serve as team leaders.
5. Each team will be given an assortment of Valentine candies.
6. Each team will sort their candies according to kind.
7. Each team will count the number of candies in each group.
8. Each team will create a spreadsheet using collected data.
9. Each team will create bar, circle, and line graphs using spreadsheet.
10. Teams will share graphs.
11. Class will discuss each kind of graph used.
12. Class will decide which kind of graph most adequately supports this lesson.

Additional comments from the Author of this Lesson:

This lesson was written for a 1st grade class using Valentine candies, but could be adapted for all grade levels,
by changing the materials to the sorted and the criteria for sorting.

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