Class: Primary 6
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 9
Age: 11 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: General Mathematics
Curriculum Theme: Data Handling / Statistics
Previous Lesson: Measures of Central Tendency: Data Collection, Tally Marks and Practice.
Topic: POPULATION
Subject Matter: Meaning of population, preparing and interpreting pictograms, interpreting bar graphs, comparing population of boys and girls using charts, representing given data with pictograms and bar graphs

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain:

Define population.
Interpret given pictograms to extract information.
Interpret given bar graphs to extract information.
Compare populations of different groups using charts.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the use of charts in representing data.
Show interest in understanding population statistics.

Psychomotor Domain:

Prepare pictograms from given data.
Represent given data with bar graphs.

Work collaboratively to interpret data presented in charts.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
Primary Mathematics for Primary 6
Workbook for Primary Mathematics Primary 6

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Textbook
Workbook
Charts showing examples of pictograms and bar graphs
Mathematical set

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding how to interpret and create charts helps pupils make sense of numerical information in their daily lives. This lesson enables them to compare different quantities and understand data presented in a visual way, which is a useful skill for understanding reports and news.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can count numbers, perform basic arithmetic operations, and understand simple comparisons of quantities.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

POPULATION DATA REPRESENTATION

Meaning of Population

Population refers to the total number of people living in a particular area, such as a town, village, school, or country. It can also refer to the total number of items or objects in a group.

Pictograms

A pictogram is a way of representing data using pictures or symbols. Each picture or symbol represents a certain number of items, as indicated by a key.

How to Prepare a Pictogram:

Collect the data to be represented.
Choose a simple picture or symbol that relates to the data.
Decide on a suitable key, which states what each symbol represents (e.g., 1 symbol = 5 pupils).
Draw the correct number of symbols for each category based on the key.
Give the pictogram a clear title.

Example 1 (Preparation): Represent the number of pupils in two classes: Primary 6A = 10 pupils, Primary 6B = 15 pupils.
Key: Pupil Icon = 5 pupils

Primary 6A: (10 pupils / 5 pupils per icon = 2 icons)
Primary 6B: (15 pupils / 5 pupils per icon = 3 icons)

How to Interpret a Pictogram:

Read the title of the pictogram to understand what it shows.
Look for the key to know what value each symbol represents.
Count the number of symbols for each category.
Multiply the count of symbols by the value of the key to find the actual quantity.

Example 2 (Interpretation): A pictogram shows “Number of Fruits Sold”. If apples have 4 symbols, and the Key is 1 symbol = 3 fruits. How many apples were sold?

Number of apples = 4 symbols × 3 fruits/symbol = 12 apples.

Bar Graphs

A bar graph uses bars of different heights or lengths to represent data. The height or length of each bar shows the quantity or value for a particular category.

How to Prepare a Bar Graph:

Draw two axes: a horizontal axis (x-axis) and a vertical axis (y-axis).
Label the horizontal axis with the categories (e.g., Boys, Girls, Classes).
Label the vertical axis with numerical values (e.g., Number of Pupils).
Choose an appropriate scale for the vertical axis (e.g., 1 unit = 5 pupils).
Draw rectangular bars of equal width for each category. The height of each bar should correspond to its value on the vertical axis.
Ensure there is equal space between the bars.
Give the bar graph a clear title.

Example 1 (Preparation): Represent the number of books read by two pupils: Ali = 15 books, Ngozi = 20 books.
(Pupils draw a bar graph with “Pupil Name” on x-axis and “Number of Books” on y-axis, with a suitable scale like 1 unit = 5 books).

How to Interpret a Bar Graph:

Read the title of the bar graph.
Look at the labels on both the horizontal and vertical axes to understand what the graph is representing.
Read the height of each bar against the scale on the vertical axis to find the value for each category.
Compare the heights of different bars to make comparisons between categories.

Example 2 (Interpretation): A bar graph shows “Pupils’ Favorite Colours”. If the bar for “Blue” reaches 25 and the bar for “Red” reaches 15.
How many more pupils prefer Blue than Red?

Difference = 25 pupils (Blue) – 15 pupils (Red) = 10 pupils.

Comparing Population of Boys and Girls using Charts

To compare the population of boys and girls using charts:

For Pictograms: Count the number of symbols for boys and girls separately. The category with more symbols has a larger population.
For Bar Graphs: Look at the height of the bars for boys and girls. The bar that is taller represents a larger population.

Example: A chart shows 25 boys and 30 girls in a class.
By comparing the number of symbols in a pictogram or the height of bars in a bar graph, it can be seen that there are more girls than boys. The difference is 30 – 25 = 5 girls.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to recall any ways they have seen numbers or quantities represented using pictures or bars. The teacher then introduces the topic “Population Data Representation” and explains that they will learn how to understand and create these visual representations.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively to the introduction.
Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the concept of representing data visually.

Step 2: Meaning of Population

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines “population” in simple terms, giving examples related to the school or community. The teacher writes the definition on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, take notes, and ask questions for clarification.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the meaning of population.

Step 3: Pictograms – Interpretation and Preparation

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a pictogram is and shows a chart of a simple pictogram. The teacher demonstrates how to interpret it by reading the key and counting symbols. Then, the teacher explains the steps to prepare a pictogram and guides pupils through Example 1 (Preparation) from the board summary.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the chart, listen to the explanation, answer questions on interpreting the pictogram, and attempt to prepare a simple pictogram as guided.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to interpret and prepare pictograms.

Step 4: Bar Graphs – Interpretation and Preparation

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a bar graph is and shows a chart of a simple bar graph. The teacher demonstrates how to interpret it by reading the axes and bar heights. The teacher then explains the steps to prepare a bar graph and guides pupils through Example 1 (Preparation) from the board summary.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the chart, listen to the explanation, respond to questions on interpreting the bar graph, and follow the steps to prepare a simple bar graph.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to interpret and prepare bar graphs.

Step 5: Comparing Population of Boys and Girls using Charts

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Application/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses the examples of pictograms and bar graphs already discussed or new simple data (e.g., number of boys vs. girls in a class) to demonstrate how to compare populations visually using both types of charts. The teacher asks questions like “Which group has more?” and “By how many?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the comparisons, answer the teacher’s questions, and discuss their observations.
Learning Point: Pupils understand how to compare populations using pictograms and bar graphs.

Step 6: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

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

What is population?
What is a pictogram?
State two steps involved in preparing a bar graph.
If a pictogram shows 5 symbols for boys and 3 symbols for girls, and the key is 1 symbol = 4 pupils, how many more boys are there than girls?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 7: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization/Assignment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, reinforcing the importance of pictograms and bar graphs in everyday life. The teacher assigns homework: Pupils should find a simple set of data (e.g., number of siblings in their family) and represent it using either a pictogram or a bar graph.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy down the homework assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and apply it to a new task.

Home Task: Solve three new exercises on POPULATION. Show each step and check each answer.

Lesson Keywords

Population – The total number of people or items in a specific area or group.
Pictogram – A chart that uses pictures or symbols to represent data.
Bar Graph – A chart that uses bars of different heights or lengths to represent data.
Key – A part of a pictogram that explains what each symbol stands for.
Axes – The horizontal and vertical lines used to structure a graph.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, the teacher can provide more complex data sets for chart creation or ask them to create a combined chart showing multiple categories. For pupils needing more support, the teacher will provide pre-drawn chart outlines or simpler data sets, offering one-on-one guidance during the activity sections.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure you have clear, large examples of pictograms and bar graphs ready for demonstration. Encourage pupils to use rulers and pencils for neatness when drawing charts. Emphasize the importance of the ‘key’ in pictograms and ‘labels/scale’ in bar graphs, as these are common areas of error. Allow pupils to work in pairs or small groups during chart preparation to foster collaborative learning.