Courseversity

Lesson

Picture graphs

Primary EducationGrade 2MathematicsCV-PRI-G02-MATH-DAT-U01-L0345–60 min

You will learn

  • Read a key where one picture stands for 2 or 5.
  • Read the number from a row of pictures.
  • Draw a picture graph from tally.
  • Compare rows.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · expert review pending Standards alignment: pending verification. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. A key says what one picture means.
  2. Multiply the number of pictures by the key.
  3. Skip count by the key to find the number.
  4. The longest row shows the most.

Words to know

picture graph
A graph that uses pictures.
key
Says what one picture means.
row
Pictures in a line.
title
The name of the graph.

1. Discover: children and games

A graph uses one picture for 2 children. A row has 5 pictures. How many children is that?

2. Understand: picture graphs with a key

A picture graph shows data with pictures. The key tells us how many each picture stands for. If the key says 1 picture = 2 children, then 5 pictures are 5 × 2 = 10 children, and 3 pictures are 6.

If 1 picture = 5, then 4 pictures = 20. A half picture is half the key: if 1 picture = 10, then a half picture is 5, so 3 and a half pictures are 35.

Always read the title and key first.

Idea 1: The key

A picture graph uses a key. The key says what one picture means. Key: 1 picture = 2. A row of 5 pictures means 5 × 2 = 10.

Idea 2: Skip count

To read a row, skip count by the key. Key 1 = 5 and 4 pictures: 5, 10, 15, 20.

Idea 3: Half a picture

A half picture is half the key. With key 1 = 10, 3 and a half pictures is 30 + 5 = 35.

Why a key? One picture can stand for many, so the graph stays small.

Remember: Read the key, then skip count by the key for each row.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Key 2

Key: 1 picture = 2. A row has 5 pictures. How many?

  1. 5 × 2.

Answer: 10

Example 2 (We do it together): Key 5

Key: 1 picture = 5. A row has 4 pictures. How many?

  1. 5, 10, 15, 20.

Answer: 20

Example 3 (You try): Half picture

Key: 1 picture = 10. A row has 3 and a half pictures. How many?

Show the steps and answer
  1. 3 × 10 = 30.
  2. Half of 10 = 5.

Answer: 35

Did you know?

Real picture graphs use a key because there may be thousands of people to show.

Why this matters

A key helps us show big numbers with few pictures.

4. Explore: make a picture graph

You need paper and crayons.

  1. Use tally results from Lesson 2.
  2. Choose a key: 1 picture = 2.
  3. Draw pictures for each row.
  4. Say which row is longest.
Think about it: what did you notice?

Rows show the data in pictures.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • One picture means ___.
  • The row has ___ pictures.
  • The number is ___.
  • The longest row shows the ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. 1 picture = 2. Row has 5 pictures.

10.

Question 2. 1 picture = 2. Row has 3 pictures.

6.

Question 3. 1 picture = 5. Row has 4.

20.

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. Key 1 = 2, 4 pictures
  2. Key 1 = 5, 3 pictures
  3. Key 1 = 10, 5 pictures
  4. Which row is longest?
  5. What does a key tell us?

Level 2: Grow

  1. Key 1 = 2. A row has 7 pictures. How many?
  2. Key 1 = 5. A row has 5 pictures. How many?
  3. Key 1 = 10. A row has 8 pictures. How many?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Key 1 = 5. Row A has 6 pictures and row B has 4. How many more in A?
  2. Key 1 = 2. A row has 9 pictures. How many?
  3. Ama counts each picture as 1 and says a row of 4 pictures with key 5 is 4. What is wrong?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: everyday mathematics

A graph key says 1 picture = 5 children. A row has 6 pictures. How many children?

Show a sample answer

30 children.

Another one. Tally results: 6 mango and 8 banana. Show them with key 1 picture = 2. How many pictures in each row?

Show a sample answer

3 pictures for mango; 4 pictures for banana

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Counting each picture as 1.
Fix: Use the key to find the value.
Another mistake: Counting each picture as 1.
Fix: Use the key to find the value.
Another mistake: Ignoring half pictures.
Fix: A half picture is half the key.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can read a key where one picture stands for 2 or 5.
  • I can read the number from a row of pictures.
  • I can draw a picture graph from tally.
  • I can compare rows.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. Key: 1 picture = 2. 5 pictures =

2. Key: 1 picture = 2. 3 pictures =

3. Key: 1 picture = 5. 4 pictures =

4. A key tells…

5. The longest row shows…

6. Key: 1 picture = 2. 4 pictures =

7. Key: 1 picture = 5. 3 pictures =

8. Key: 1 picture = 10. 5 pictures =

9. Key: 1 picture = 2. 6 pictures =

10. Key: 1 picture = 5. A row has 6 pictures. How many children?

11. Key: 1 picture = 2. A half picture stands for…

12. Key: 1 picture = 10. One row has 4 pictures and another has 6. How many more in the second?

Challenge 1. Key: 1 picture = 10. A row has 3 and a half pictures. The number is…

Challenge 2. Key: 1 picture = 10. Row A has 3 and a half pictures. Row B has 2 pictures. How many more in row A?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Read the key first.
  • Skip count by the key.
  • Half picture is half the key.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Bar graphs. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. What does a key tell us? [1 mark]
  2. Key 1 = 2. A row has 5 pictures. How many? [2 marks]
  3. Key 1 = 5. A row has 7 pictures. How many? [2 marks]
  4. Key 1 = 10. Row A has 4 pictures and row B has 7. How many more in B? [3 marks]
  5. Ali says a row of 3 pictures with key 1 = 5 is 3. Is he right? Explain. [3 marks]

Total: 11 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. What one picture means [1]
  2. 5 × 2 [1] = 10 [1]
  3. 7 × 5 [1] = 35 [1]
  4. 40 [1]; 70 [1]; 30 more [1]
  5. No [1]. Use the key [1]. 3 × 5 = 15 [1].

Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. Key 1 = 2, 4 pictures
  2. Key 1 = 5, 3 pictures
  3. Key 1 = 10, 5 pictures
  4. What does the key tell us?
  5. Longest row means the ___
  6. Key 1 = 2. 5 pictures = ___.
  7. Key 1 = 5. 4 pictures = ___.
  8. Key 1 = 10. 3 pictures = ___.
  9. What does the key tell us?
  10. The longest row shows the ___.

Homework

Make a picture graph of your family’s fruit choices with a key.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
Key 1 = 2, 4 pictures 8 2
Key 1 = 5, 3 pictures 15 2
Key 1 = 10, 5 pictures 50 2
What does the key tell us? what one picture means 2
Longest row means the ___ most 2
Total 10

Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 8; 2 15; 3 50; 4 what one picture means; 5 most.

Quiz answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 A, 5 B, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 C, Challenge 2 C.

Extra worksheet answers (items 6 onward): 6 10; 7 20; 8 30; 9 What one picture means; 10 most.

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 8; 2 15; 3 50; 4 the row with the most pictures; 5 what one picture means. Level 2: 1 14; 2 25; 3 80. Level 3: 1 10; 2 18; 3 Use the key. 4 × 5 = 20..

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Read a key where one picture stands for 2 or 5 Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Read the number from a row of pictures Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Draw a picture graph from tally Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Compare rows Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Proposed Courseversity thresholds for this page: Bronze = at least 8 of 12 core questions correct; Silver = all 12; Gold = all 12 plus both challenge questions. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Counting each picture as 1. Use the key to find the value.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
  3. Show a simpler example: Use key 1 picture = 1 first, then 2.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child reads picture graphs where one picture stands for more than one. You do not need to be good at mathematics to help.

  • Draw a picture graph with a key of 2.
  • Ask: what does one picture mean?
  • Skip count to read each row.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: read a key where one picture stands for 2 or 5; read the number from a row of pictures; draw a picture graph from tally; compare rows.

Prerequisite knowledge. Lesson 2; skip counting.

Materials. Counters (stones, seeds or bottle tops), paper, pencils, board or chalkboard. Low-resource options: use stones, seeds, sticks, bottle tops or drawings in the sand or on the board instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Gather the counters and draw the example pictures on the board before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Start with the Discover situation and let learners suggest ideas before you teach.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the Understand section with real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words.

Guided activity (10 min). You need paper and crayons. Learners follow the Explore steps in pairs.

Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the independent practice and the worksheet.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What is the key? How many pictures? What is the number?

Teacher explanation notes. Use the concrete, pictorial, abstract order: real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words. Return to real objects whenever a learner needs support.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use real objects and work with a partner; say each step aloud together. Extension. Ask learners to make up their own example and explain it to a partner.

Formative assessment. Listen to learner explanations, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Counting each picture as 1. Use the key to find the value.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 11-mark exam practice scheme, the 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Use key 1 picture = 1 first, then 2. Enrichment. Invite learners to find or create three more examples at home or in the classroom and explain them. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which concepts learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

Alignment is pending verification and no external endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points named in the Courseversity standard: Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Specific standard codes will be added once checked against the official documents.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core 2.MD.D.10 (picture graphs) and 3.MD.B.3; Cambridge Primary Mathematics Stage 2 (data). These sources informed the lesson; no official alignment is claimed.

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