Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes
Tally charts and frequency tables
Statistics and probability
CCSS 3.MD.B.3England: Y3 StatisticsEngland: Y4 Statistics
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Tally charts and frequency tables.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Bar graphs: compare and total
Leads to: Read two-way tables
Materials: Squared paper for charts, Class survey data, Sticky notes for a live chart, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Bar graphs: compare and total). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
Hook · 5 min
- Take a quick class survey (favorite fruit, travel to school) and ask what the results tell us.
- Share the objective: Tally charts and frequency tables. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: A tally shows 4 complete five-bar gates and 0 more single marks. What number does it show?
- Step 1: 4 × 5 + 0 = 20
- Answer: 20
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- A tally shows 1 complete five-bar gate and 3 more single marks. What number does it show? → 8Prompt: Each gate is 5 (four marks crossed by a fifth).
- A tally shows 4 complete five-bar gates and 1 more single mark. What number does it show? → 21Prompt: Each gate is 5 (four marks crossed by a fifth).
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- A tally shows 4 complete five-bar gates and 3 more single marks. What number does it show? → 23Prompt: Each gate is 5 (four marks crossed by a fifth).
- A tally shows 1 complete five-bar gate and 3 more single marks. What number does it show? → 8Prompt: Each gate is 5 (four marks crossed by a fifth).
Watch out for
- Forgetting to put data in order before finding the median.
- Reading a bar's height wrongly when the scale goes up in 2s or 5s.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Bar graphs: compare and total.
- Use concrete materials: squared paper for charts.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Read two-way tables.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder