This week in science, fifth graders played with graphs! We learned about frequency charts and collecting data. To make some of our own data, we engaged in some community clean-up – students were challenged to see how many pieces of trash they could collect out of the backyard in 4 minutes once a day. We will use this data to create some different graphs when we get back from break.
Students also learned how to make graphs with pencil and paper and with GoogleSheets. They really enjoyed playing around on GoogleSheets and experimenting with the different types of graphs it can make. This lead to some really great discussions about which kinds of graphs are useful for which purposes. Tracking things that change over time make for good line graphs. Tracking opinions or preference (like which season is your favorite) make for better bar graphs.