Name: Date:

Student Exploration: Graphing Skills

Vocabulary: bar graph, line graph, negative relationship, pie chart, positive relationship, scale, scatter plot,
variable

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. Four kinds of graphs are shown in this Gizmo. Circle the kinds you have seen before.
space below or click on the graphs to select EDIT to use the drawing tool.
✏️ Hand draw in the

2. Where have you seen graphs used?

3. Why do you think graphs are useful?

Gizmo Warm-up: Using the Graphing Skills Gizmo

1. The Graphing Skills Gizmo starts with a bar graph on the

right and a data set on the left. Practice using the Gizmo by
doing the following:
● Write a title.
● Label the vertical and horizontal axes.
● Change the scale of the vertical axis.
● Drag the bars up and down.

2. Use the Graph type dropdown list to select other kinds of

graphs. Practice with each type of graph:
● On the Line graph drag the points up and down.
● On the Pie chart change the size of each slice by
dragging the edges.
● On the Scatter plot drag points from the data table to the graph

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 Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● On the Challenge menu, select Create graph.
Bar graphs ● On the Graph type menu, select Bar graph.
● If necessary, click New until Animal speed data appears.

Goal: Build a bar graph based on a data table.

1. Create graph: A bar graph is useful for comparing things, such as how fast animals can run.
● Write a title for the graph. (Look at the title of the data table for a suggestion.)
● Label the horizontal axis and the vertical axis.
● Pick what you think is the best choice for a vertical axis scale.
● Drag each bar to match the data in the table. Do your best to estimate heights.

2. Check your work: Click Check to see how well you did.

A. What was your accuracy score? (Over 90 is excellent.)

B. What vertical scale did you choose? (In other words, how
much does each horizontal line on the graph represent?)

3. Revise: Click Show value on mouseover. Move the cursor over each bar to see its value. Adjust each bar
and click Check until the accuracy score is 100. To show your work, click the camera ( ) icon to take a
snapshot. Right-click the image, and click Copy Image. Paste the screenshot in the space below.
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4. Interpret: Which of these animals is fastest? Slowest?

5. Apply: Click New and make the next bar graph. Adjust the scale if needed and don’t forget to make a title
and label each axis. Click Check to see your accuracy.

A. What country has the highest life expectancy?

The lowest?

B. Does anything about the graph surprise you?

6. Challenge yourself: Hold a contest with your classmates. Turn off the Show value on mouseover
checkbox and click New. Who can create the most accurate bar graph?

SKIP ME!!!

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 Activity B: Get the Gizmo ready:

Line graphs and ● Under Graph type select Line graph.

pie charts ● If necessary, click New until Temperature data appears.

Goal: Build a line graph and a pie chart.

Line graphs

1. Create graph: Line graphs are often used to show how something changes over time. Write a title and label
the axes. Adjust the vertical scale if needed. Create the line graph by dragging the points up and down.

2. Check your work: Click Check. What was your accuracy score?

📷
3. Revise: Turn on Show values on mouseover and adjust the graph until your score is 100. Take a
screenshot ( ) of your graph and paste it below.

📷
4. Interpret: Which day was hottest? Which day was coolest?

5. Apply: Try additional line graphs until you are comfortable making this type of graph. Discuss the most
interesting graphs with your teacher and classmates.

Pie charts

6. Create graph: Pie charts are used to show proportional data. Under Graph type select Pie chart. Make
sure that Show values and labels is checked. Write a title for the pie chart and drag the pie pieces to
match the data table.

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7. Check your work: Click Check. Revise your pie chart if necessary. When the pie chart is correct, paste a
screenshot ( ) of the chart below.

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8. Interpret: What were the most popular pies?

9. Apply: Try additional pie charts until you are comfortable with this type of graph. For a real challenge, try to
make a pie chart with the Show values and labels checkbox turned off.

10. Extend your thinking: The Gizmo also allows you to create a data table from a graph. Under Challenge
select Create table. Write a title for the table and then fill in each empty box based on the graph. Click
Check to check your accuracy.

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 Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity C:
● Under Challenge select Create graph.
● Under Graph type select Scatter plot.
Scatter plots
● If necessary, click New until Studying and score data
appears.

Goal: Create a scatter plot.

1. Create graph: Scatter plots are used to see if one variable is related to another. Each point on a scatter
plot has two values. For example, if Robert studied for 40 minutes and got a quiz score of 98, Robert’s
point would be placed at (40, 98) on the graph. (You can think of that as “over 40, up 98.”) To make a
scatter plot, do the following:
● Write a title for the graph.
● Label the horizontal axis based on the second column of the data table, and the vertical axis based
on the third column of the data table. Include units in each label.
● Adjust the horizontal and vertical axis scales if needed.
● Drag each point to match the data.

2. Check your work: Click Check. What was your accuracy score?

📷
3. Revise: Turn on Show values on mouseover and adjust the graph until your score is 100. Adjust the axis
scales if necessary. Paste a screenshot ( ) of your graph in the space below.

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4. Interpret: Based on this graph, will studying help you do well on a test? Explain.

5. Extend your thinking: The “Studying vs. Score” scatter plot shows an example of a positive
relationship—as one variable increases, so does the other. The points in this type of scatter plot tend to
go “uphill” from left to right. A negative relationship is the opposite—as one variable increases, the other
variable decreases. These types of scatter plots go “downhill” from left to right.

A. Which graphs in the Gizmo show a positive relationship?

B. Which graphs in the Gizmo show a negative relationship?

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