Graphs and Data Teaching Resources
Teach graphing this school year with printable worksheets, fun graphing activities and games, task cards and more teacher-created resources for primary school maths!
This collection of editable teacher-created resources is aligned with the Australian curriculum. It has been carefully reviewed by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure every single digital or printable resource is ready to use in the classroom. That means you can save hours on lesson planning with activities ready to print or use digitally!
Are you looking to learn more about teaching students to use graphs, or just on the hunt for fresh ideas and activities to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look graphing on this level and some key vocabulary!
What Is Graphing? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Graphing starts in the early years in many schools around Australia with simple pictographs. But how do you explain what graphing is to the youngest students? This kid-friendly definition may help.
Graphing is a way to show information using pictures and symbols. It's sort of like drawing a picture that helps you understand numbers and facts.
For example, we could use graphs to show how many kids in our class like different colours or how many toys in the toy bin are cars.
Graphing Vocabulary for Primary Teachers
Looking for a guide to some of the graphing vocabulary your students will encounter — and you will have to define? Here's a comprehensive look, along with some simple definitions!
- Data —Information that is collected and analysed
- Axis — The horizontal and vertical lines that make up a graph.
- X-axis — The horizontal axis on a graph
- Y-axis — The vertical axis on a graph
- Bar — A rectangular shape we use to represent data on a bar graph
- Scale — The units used to measure data on a graph
- Pictogram/pictograph — A graph that uses pictures to represent data
- Legend/key — A chart that explains the symbols used on a graph (students may recognise this from their map skills lessons)
- Line of best fit — A straight line on a graph that represents the overall trend in a set of data
- Line plot — A graph that shows the frequency of data values on a number line
- Tally — A mark used to represent data on a tally chart
- Pie chart — A graph that shows the proportion of each data value to the whole, represented as a circle that looks like a pie
- Line graph — A graph that shows the relationship between two variables using a line
- Data point — An individual value on a graph
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Types of Graphs Posters
This colourful and easy-to-digest visual display shows students the varying data displays they will encounter in their primary maths lessons.
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Blank Graph Template Pack
Construct your own graphs with a printable set of Blank Graph Templates.
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Lollies Data Collection Instructional Slide Deck
Explore this sweet-themed data collection teaching presentation to teach students the basics of acquiring and recording data.
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Christmas Worksheet - Search and Find
Practise counting with your students to get them in the mood for the holidays with this fun Christmas search, count, and find activity.
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Picture Graph Templates
A set of blank picture graph templates for students to represent data.
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Data Maths Investigation - Should I Buy It?
A mathematics investigation involving data collection and representation, embedded in a real-world context.
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Chance and Data Maths Investigation - Roll Me a Six!
A mathematics investigation involving chance and data, embedded in a real-world context.
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Sports Day Dilemma - Metric Conversions Maths Task
Engage students with a real-world application of measurement conversions with Sports Day Dilemma, a metric conversion maths task!
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Baking Dot Plot Analysis Teaching Slides
Explore the sweet side of graphs and data with this bakery-themed dot plot resource, supporting your students' abilities to interpret dot plots!
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Line Plot Project: Bakery Menu Design
Make learning about maths as sweet as your students' favourite treats with this project based learning line plots exercise!
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Data Collection Investigation Project
Assign this data collection project to enable students to master the skills of acquiring and recording data.
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Spin, Tally, Graph and Interpret Data Task Card Activity
Guide your students to collect data, make tally marks, create a column graph and analyse data with this maths activity.
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Interpreting Line Graphs Interactive Resource
Use this digital activity to teach students about interpreting real-life data represented as a line graph showing how measurements change over a period of time.
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Interpreting Line Graphs Worksheet Pack
Use this set of 4 Grade 5 worksheets to help students practise interpreting real-life data represented as a line graph.
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Reading Pictographs - Worksheets
Use this double-sided worksheet to enable students to practise reading and interpreting pictographs.
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Graph It! Worksheet (Many-to-One Graphs)
Draw a scaled picture graph and bar graph to represent data with this worksheet.
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Analysing Graphs – Single-Unit Bar Graphs and Pictographs – Task Cards
Use data analysis skills to analyse bar graphs and pictographs with this set of task cards.
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Interactive Maths Review – Activities for Years 5, 6 and 7
Review important maths concepts covered in years 5, 6 and 7 with a student-led interactive activity.
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Column Graphs – Teaching Presentation
Learn all the features and how to construct a column graph with this 25-page teaching presentation.
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Data Maths Investigation – Line Up the Coins
A mathematics investigation about data, embedded in a real-world context.
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Search and Find – Valentine's Day
A fun search and find activity for Valentine's Day.
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Data Maths Investigation - Which Reward?
A mathematics investigation involving data collection and representation, embedded in a real-world context.
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Data Representation and Interpretation Worksheets - Year 3
8 data representation and interpretation worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Features of a Graph
A poster showing the main features of a graph.
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Data Representation and Interpretation Worksheets - Year 5
8 data representation and interpretation worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Data Representation and Interpretation Worksheets - Year 6
8 data representation and interpretation worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Cartesian Planes and Graphing – Vocabulary Cards
Introduce cartesian planes to your students with this set of 18 vocabulary cards.
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Line Plots / Dot Plots - Year 5 Assessment
Assess student understanding of reading and creating dot plots/line plots with a printable assessment for Year 5.
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Line Plot Bakery Interactive Activity
Assign this bakery-themed interactive activity to your students to build their understanding of analyisng and creating line plots.
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Creating Line Plots (With Whole Numbers, Fractions and Decimals) Worksheets
Help your students master data representation with this series of leveled worksheets for creating line plots.
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Data Collection Worksheet Set
Use this set of differentiated graphs worksheets to assess your students’ understanding of how data is collected, organised and presented.
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Creating Graphs Interactive Activity
Share this interactive activity with your students to help them practise using digital tools to create graphs from raw data.