• Open the spreadsheet to be seen by the entire class, or have individual students open it at their own computers.
• Explain that this workbook has three spreadsheets, each showing different data (earnings from babysitting service, votes for favorite food, heights of basketball team players).
• Next explain that each worksheet has three graphs, showing the data in different ways (line, bar, and circle graphs).
• For each sheet, the students should examine the data to see what is being analyzed.
• Then they should compare the three graphs of that data.
• Next they should ask which graph best represents the data? Why?
• After examining all three spreadsheets, they should answer in general, what are the best uses of the different types of graphs?
• This is a good way to understand the different representations of data and the best use of each.

Standards (Ohio Academic Content Standards):

• Math - Grade 4 - Data Analysis and Probability
  • #4 - Compare different representations of the same data to evaluate how well each representation shows important aspects of the data, and identify appropriate ways to display the data.
• Math - Grade 5 - Data Analysis and Probability
  • #2 - Select and use a graph that is appropriate for the type of data to be displayed; e.g., numerical vs. categorical data, discrete vs. continuous data.
• Math - Grade 6 - Data Analysis and Probability
  • #3 - Compare representations of the same data in different types of graphs, such as a bar graph and circle graph.
• Math - Grade 8 - Data Analysis and Probability
  • #2 - Evaluate different graphical representations of the same data to determine which is the most appropriate representation for an identified purpose; e.g., line graph for change over time, circle graph for part-to-whole comparison, scatterplot for relationship between two variants.