Picture graphs and bar graphs – Grade 2 math lesson
Lesson 15 of 16 in the Grade 2 math course
US version. US grades, US spelling and dollars ($). · UK Maths Department
A complete 45-minute lesson for grade 2 (ages 7–8) that runs on this page – at school or at home. Every answer is graded right away, with a worked explanation.
- Time
- 45 minutes + 15 min homework
- Grade
- Grade 2 (ages 7–8)
- You need
- Paper, a pencil and this page
- Graded
- Instantly, with explanations
For parents: how to use this lesson
You don't need to know this topic yourself. The lesson explains each step on screen, one tidy step at a time. Every answer is graded straight away with a worked explanation, so you never have to grade anything.
- Read what your child will learn and the big ideas together.
- Press Start the lesson below and sit with your child for the teaching and the worked examples (about 19 minutes).
- Let them do the practice on their own. They choose Getting started, On track or Challenge – start on On track and move up after a few right in a row.
- Finish with the exit ticket and the talk question: “Why do we need a key on a pictogram?”
- Later that day or the next day: the homework (15 minutes), then a practice test.
Watch out for
- Counting pictures instead of using the key. Read the key first: one picture may stand for 2.
- Reading the bar against the wrong line. Use a ruler to read across from the top of the bar.
Tip for home: Count the colors of cars that go past and make a tally chart.
What your child will learn
Learning goal: sort data and read picture graphs and bar graphs.
Success looks like
- I can sort and count data.
- I can read a chart using its key.
- I can answer "how many more" questions.
Key words
- data
- information we collect
- tally
- a mark for each one counted
- key
- tells what each picture is worth
- most popular
- the biggest group
What to have ready
- Paper and a pencil
- This page on a computer, tablet or phone
- For the hands-on part: Do a survey of the family: favorite color or pet. Record it with tally marks, then draw a chart.
The big ideas (for the adult)
Data is information we collect, such as favorite fruits. Sorting puts things into groups.
A picture graph uses pictures; check the key to see what each picture is worth. A bar graph uses bars; read across to the scale.
To answer questions, find the right row or bar, then compare: most, least, how many more.
The lesson, step by step
| Part | Time | How it is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Starter: quick recall | 5 min | Graded by Classfern |
| Teaching input | 10 min | Not assessed, self-checked |
| Worked examples and guided practice | 9 min | Not assessed, graded by Classfern |
| Independent practice | 15 min | Graded by Classfern |
| Closure and exit ticket | 6 min | Graded by Classfern, self-checked |
Starter, "your turn", practice and exit ticket are graded by Classfern. Worked examples and teaching are not assessed. The hands-on task and the reflection are self-assessed. Explanations in talk are judged by the parent and not recorded.
The lesson
It runs here on the page. No sign-up and no names – progress is kept only in this browser.
Homework and practice at home
15 minutes: 8 practice questions, 3 multiple-choice questions and 2 to remember from earlier work, then a short reflection. New questions every time, all graded instantly.
More practice
More Grade 2 math lessons
- Addition facts to 10 and 20
- Adding and subtracting
- The equals sign and missing numbers
- Addition and subtraction word problems
- Multiplication and division
- Skip counting
- One more, one less, ten more and ten less
- Tens and ones
- Number lines
- Comparing, ordering and writing numbers
- Recognizing fractions
- Counting coins
- Telling time
- Measuring length
- Shapes and position
Curriculum
Common Core State Standards 2.MD.D.10: “Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, take-apart, and compare problems using information presented in a bar graph.”
Common Core State Standards 2.MD.D.9: “Generate measurement data by measuring lengths of several objects to the nearest whole unit, or by making repeated measurements of the same object. Show the measurements by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in whole-number units.”
Our lessons and questions are our own. They are not written or endorsed by any government department, testing agency or exam board.