Elementary school students need to learn to use and identify different types of science and math charts. Teachers can use a cookie taste test to teach kids about pie graphs, bar graphs, line graphs, and pictographs.
The chart math and science lesson can be taught as part of an integrated unit based on If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. [HarperCollins, 2000] Teachers can introduce the unit by reading the story to the class. During math or science class teachers can have the kids pretend to be the mouse in the story and try different types of cookies and chart the results.
Elementary Chart and Graph Lesson Plan Objective
Students will identify pie graphs, bar graphs, line graphs, and pictographs.
Elementary Chart and Graph Lesson Materials
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
- 4 types of cookies for each kid
- Small paper cups
- Milk
- Cookie rating slips
- Overhead projector with blank graph overheads
- Blank graph worksheets for each student
Classroom Cookie Taste Test Math and Science Lesson
The elementary teacher reads the story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie to the class during reading class. After the students have read and discussed the book the teacher asks the class what kind of cookie they think is the mouse’s favorite.
The teacher then brings out 4 different types of cookies and tells the class they will be conducting a cookie taste test. She passes out slips of paper with each cookie on it and a spot to rate the cookies from 1 to 10.
The teacher gives each student the first cookie to try and a small cup of milk to go with it. The kids eat the cookie and then rate it from 1 to 10. This procedure is repeated with the rest of the cookies. When all of the cookies have been rated the students circle the cookie with the highest rating. The teacher collects the cookie ratings and tallies the results on the front board.
Teach Elementary Kids About Graphs
After the cookie taste test results are tabulated the teacher explains there are many different ways they can display their results. She explains to the kids that scientists use charts and graphs to show others the results of their experiments.
The teacher shows the students an example of a bar graph and tells the class that they will be making a bar graph to display the results of their cookie taste test. The teacher uses an overhead projector to model how to label the x axis and y axis. She then demonstrates how to graph the cookie results.
After the elementary students have watched the teacher construct a bar graph they make one on their own. The teacher passes out a blank graph and prompts the students to label each axis. She then walks them through how to graph the cookie results on the bar graph.
After the students have correctly graphed the cookie taste test results on a bar graph the teacher explains to the class the definitions of a pie graph, line graph, and pictograph. She follows the same procedure to teach the class how to chart the cookie taste test results using a pie graph, a line graph, and a pictograph.
The class discusses how the same information can be charted in different ways and decides graph they think should be used to represent the cookie taste test results. The students work together to create a classroom bulletin board featuring their chosen graph.
Learning how to chart information on bar graphs, pie graphs, line graphs, and pictographs does not have to be intimidating for elementary school students. Teachers can incorporate graph lessons into an integrated unit featuring the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. Kids can conduct a cookie taste test to practice graphing with a purpose.
For more Mouse themed lesson plan ideas read the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Lesson, the If You Take a Mouse to the Movies Reading Lesson, and the If You Take a Mouse to School Lesson Plan.
Megan Sheakoski - Megan Sheakoski is a teacher, mom and writer whose ideas have been featured in college text books, graduate courses, on websites and on ...
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