Collecting and Recording Age and Height Data for Primary 1

Class: Primary One
Term: Third Term
Week: 9
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: General Mathematics
Curriculum Theme: Mensuration and Geometry
Focal competence: Collecting simple data e.g. their age and heights
Key competencies/values: Communication; Respect
Skills:

• Basic data collection

Previous Lesson: Identifying squares, rectangles and circles
Topic: Data Collection
Subject Matter: Collecting, recording simple age/height data

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define data as collected information.
• Identify different ways to collect simple data.
• Interpret simple recorded data to find the most and least common responses.

Affective Domain

• Show respect for their classmates’ personal information (age and height) during data collection.
• Participate actively and cooperatively in group data collection activities.

Psychomotor Domain

• Collect data on their classmates’ ages and heights.
• Record simple data using tally marks or simple lists.
• Group class data by age and height.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Primary Mathematics for Nigerian Schools, Book 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Tally sheet
• Picture cards (e.g., cards with numbers for age, or pictures for height comparison)
• Chart paper
• Markers or crayons
• Writing materials (pencils, notebooks)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces pupils to the fundamental skill of data collection and interpretation, which is essential for understanding the world around them. It helps them organize information in a meaningful way and develop early analytical thinking. Understanding how to collect and record simple data lays a foundation for more complex statistical concepts in the future.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should be able to count numbers up to 20, compare sizes (e.g., taller/shorter), and recognize basic numbers.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Data Collection

Meaning of Data

Data is information that we collect about something. It can be about people, things, or events. For example, we can collect data about how old our friends are or how tall they are.

Collecting Simple Data (Age and Height)

1. We choose a simple question to ask, like “How old are you?” or “Are you tall or short?”
2. We ask our friends the question and listen to their answers.
3. We can collect data by counting answers or by observing things like height.

Recording Simple Data

After collecting data, we need to write it down so we don’t forget it. We can record data using:

1. Tally Marks: We use a straight line ( | ) for each answer. When we have four lines, the fifth one crosses them ( |||| ).
2. Simple List: We can write down the answers in a list.
3. Pictures: We can draw simple pictures to represent each answer.

Interpreting Simple Data

After recording data, we can look at it to find out interesting things:

1. Most Common Response: This is the answer that has the most tally marks or appears most often.
2. Least Common Response: This is the answer that has the fewest tally marks or appears least often.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation, Group Work, Practical Activity.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them simple questions like, “How many boys are in our class?” or “How many girls are wearing red shoes today?” The teacher explains that counting these things is like collecting information.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions by counting and raising their hands. They listen to the introduction.

Learning Point: Prior knowledge activation

Step 2: Meaning of Data

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Concept Introduction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that the information we collect is called “data.” Using simple language, the teacher defines data as “information we gather about something.” The teacher gives examples like collecting information about their favourite fruits or ages.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and repeat the word “data.” They give examples of information they can collect.

Learning Point: Meaning of data

Step 3: Collecting Simple Data (Age)

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides the pupils to choose a simple question: “How old are you?” The teacher asks each pupil their age and demonstrates how to collect the responses by noting them down or counting. The teacher can use a chart paper to list ages.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils state their ages clearly. They observe how the teacher collects their responses.

Learning Point: Collecting age data

Step 4: Recording Age Data

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Practical Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces tally marks as a way to record data. The teacher demonstrates on the board how to use tally marks for each age collected in Step 3. For example, if three pupils are 6 years old, the teacher draws ||| next to ‘6 years’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration and practice drawing tally marks in their notebooks as guided.

Learning Point: Recording age data

Step 5: Collecting and Recording Height Data

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Observation/Group Work

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to collect simple height data. For example, the teacher can ask pupils to stand up and identify who is “taller” or “shorter” than a specific object or classmate. The teacher then guides them to record this simple height data (e.g., ‘tall’ or ‘short’ group) using tally marks on chart paper.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in comparing heights and help record the data with tally marks.

Learning Point: Collecting height data

Step 6: Interpreting Simple Data

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Analysis

Teacher’s Activity: Using the recorded age and height data on the chart paper, the teacher asks questions like: “Which age has the most pupils?” or “Which height group (tall/short) has the fewest pupils?” The teacher explains “most common” and “least common.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the tally marks and answer the teacher’s questions, identifying the most and least common responses.

Learning Point: Interpreting simple data

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is data?
2. How can we collect data about our friends’ ages?
3. How can we record the number of pupils who are 6 years old using tally marks?
4. If 5 pupils are tall and 3 are short, which group has the most pupils?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Data collection skills

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning of data, collecting, recording, and interpreting simple data into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson summary

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarizes that data is information and we can collect, record, and understand it. The teacher encourages pupils to observe and collect simple data in their daily lives.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Data collection summary

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Ask your family members these questions and record their answers in your notebook using tally marks or a simple list:

1. How many people in your house like rice?
2. How many people in your house prefer garri?

Lesson Keywords

• Data – Information collected about something.
• Collect – To gather information.
• Record – To write down or mark information.
• Age – How old someone is.
• Height – How tall someone is.
• Tally marks – Lines used to count and record data.
• Most common – The thing that appears the most times.
• Least common – The thing that appears the fewest times.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, focus on collecting and recording only age data using simple tally marks. Provide pre-drawn charts. For faster learners, challenge them to collect data on a third category (e.g., favourite colour) or to draw simple bar charts to represent the data collected.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: Primary 1 data collection age height

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, prepare chart paper with headings for “Age” and “Height” (or “Tall/Short”) and space for tally marks. Have extra paper and pencils ready for pupils. Begin by engaging pupils with familiar counting activities to ease into the concept of data. Clearly demonstrate how to make tally marks. During data collection, ensure all pupils participate and feel comfortable sharing their information, emphasizing respect. Guide pupils step-by-step through recording and interpreting the data, asking simple questions to check understanding. Pupils should copy the Board Summary notes after the main teaching and evaluation, typically during Step 8. Provide individual support to pupils struggling with tally marks or interpretation, and encourage faster learners to think of other simple data they could collect.