GRAPHING IN THE LIBRARY!

I began 3rd Quarter by reading another math themed book to the students during one of their library visits. This time, I read the book called The Great Graph Contest by Loreen Leedy. The book explores creating graphs and how graphs allow us to see the results of a collection of data at a glance, thus allowing for interpretation of the data.

After the story, students had an opportunity to create a class bar graph. Using post-its, the younger students voted for and graphed their favorite Chickadee book character. We discussed how to make a graph and outlined one together on a white board. The students enjoyed seeing the graph 'grow' as each student posted their vote on the graph. Then the graph was analyzed and interpreted as part of a class discussion. Students observed which character received the most and least votes, if there were equal amounts/ties, the data total, and weather students preferred fictional or non-fictional characters and why that might be. With 3rd grade, we were able to discuss which numbers/characters represented the mode, mean and median.

After a lesson on genres, the older students created a class graph of their favorite fiction genre and a graph of their favorite non-fiction genre. Students analyzed and interpreted the graph as part of a class discussion observing that certain genres were more popular than others and why. Students also learned about themselves as readers and what types of books their classmates are interested in. This will help them see what they tend to gravitate to and motivate them to branch out and read other genres...being 'creative' in the library!
Graphing in the library was fun!

Enjoy the pics,
Mrs. D