AFTER YOU VISIT THE GARDEN…
Lesson Ideas for Grade 2
Lesson objective:
Students will compare the results of their findings with their predictions,
and record the results of their investigation by creating a bar
graph.
Materials:
- Chart paper from Activity #3
- Chart paper
- Graph paper for each student
Exploration:
- Have students share what they observed at the Japanese Gardens.
- Ask students to refer to their tally cards.
Beginning with the first color prediction, have students share their
results (for example, one student may claim to have tallied 20 koi
with white spots). Record these on the board (not on the chart paper).
- Allow students to observe the list of results
on the board. Ask them to identify any patterns they might see (any
numbers that repeat, or “mode”, or any that stand out
as different from the rest). Help students determine a logical average
based on the findings for that observed color. Write this number
on the chart, next to the students’ predictions from the day
before.
- Follow the above directions for the remaining
color predictions.
- Ask students to compare their predictions
to their observations.
Activity:
- Explain to students that we are going to create a bar graph of
the results of their koi observations.
- Help students construct their own bar graphs
on graph paper by demonstrating on a large piece of butcher paper
or chart paper.
- First, set up the axes. Ask students to
volunteer what information should be included on each axis (colors
along the horizontal axis, and numbers along the vertical axis).
Help students count by fives or tens to save space on the vertical
axis.
- Demonstrate how to draw a bar representing
the number of fish with each color (for example, a bar may be drawn
for 18 koi with white spots). Have students duplicate this, and
then complete the rest of the bars on their own.
- Allow early finishers to help other students.
- Place the bar graphs next to students’ life-cycle worksheets
in the classroom.
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