Lesson 117: Class survey project

🧮 MATH (40 Lessons) • 🟠 E. Problem Solving & Projects

← Back to Level 1

Objective

I can plan a simple class survey, collect answers with tally marks, and show the results in a quick chart. I can tell which choice has the most votes and which has the least.

Materials

Mini-lesson — What is a class survey?

A survey is when we ask many people the same question to find out what they like or think.

1. Choose a clear question

  • Ask something simple, like "What is your favourite fruit?"
  • Give 2–4 choices, like apple, banana, orange, or grapes.

2. Use tally marks to record answers

  • Each time someone picks a choice, draw one tally mark ( | ).
  • After 4 tallies, the 5th tally goes across ( //// ).
  • At the end you count the tallies to see the total votes.

3. Make a simple chart

  • You can draw a picture chart (one small picture for each vote).
  • Or draw a bar-style chart (a bar that gets taller when there are more votes).
  • Label the bottom with the choices and the side with numbers.

4. Read your data

  • Which choice has the most tallies? That is the favourite.
  • Which choice has the least tallies?
  • Are any choices the same?

A class survey turns ideas (what people like) into numbers and pictures that are easy to read.

Picture strip: Sample survey and chart.

Guided Practice — Run a tiny survey

You are going to run a tiny survey with people around you. Then you will use the tracing pad to write and draw your results.

  1. Pick your question: Choose one simple question, such as "Which fruit do you like best?" or "Which game do you like best?"
  2. Choose 3 or 4 answers: For fruit you might use apple, banana, orange, grapes. Write the choices in a list.
  3. Ask 5–10 people: Go to each classmate or family member and ask your question. For each answer, draw a tally mark in your list.
  4. Count the tallies: For each choice, count the tallies and write the total number of votes.
  5. Make a quick chart: On your paper, draw three or four bars (or rows of small pictures) to show how many votes each choice has.
  6. Use the tracing pad: Choose two words that match what you did (for example, survey and tally) and trace them on the tracing pad.
  7. Write one sentence: Under your chart, write a short sentence like "Banana has the most votes" or "Apple and orange are the same".
Tracing Pad
Tracing snapshot for print
Tip: After you trace words like survey and graph, draw a tiny bar chart or picture chart under them to match your real data.

Practice 1 — Planning your survey question

Choose a clear question and good answer choices for your class survey.

  1. Write your own survey question in your notebook, such as "Which sport do you like best?"
  2. Under your question, list 3 or 4 choices. Make sure each choice is different.
  3. Check that everyone can understand the question and the choices.

You can use this table as a guide:

Step Example
Question What is your favourite fruit?
Choices apple, banana, orange, grapes

Practice 2 — Collecting data with tallies

Use your survey question to ask at least 5 people and record their answers.

  1. Draw a table like this in your notebook:
Choice Tally Total votes
Choice 1
Choice 2
Choice 3
Choice 4 (optional)
  1. Ask your survey question. For each answer, add one tally mark in the tally column.
  2. When you finish, count the tallies for each choice and write the total in the last column.

Practice 3 — Making and reading a chart

Turn your tallies into a simple chart and answer questions about it.

  1. On a clean page, draw a bar-style chart or a picture chart that uses your totals.
  2. Label the bottom with your choices. Label the side with numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, …).
  3. Colour each bar or picture row in a different colour so it is easy to read.
  4. Under the chart, answer these questions in full sentences:
    • Which choice has the most votes?
    • Which choice has the least votes?
    • Are any choices the same?

Quick Check — Class survey and data

Answer each question about surveys, tally marks, and simple charts. You may look back at the mini-lesson and your notes.

1) What is a survey?

A survey is when you ask many people the same question to collect data.

2) What do we use tally marks for?

Each tally mark shows one vote so we can count them easily.

3) How many tally marks are in a full group?

Four tallies plus one across makes a group of five.

4) In a fruit survey, which of these is a good question?

It clearly asks about fruit and can have simple choices.

5) Which list shows good survey choices for favourite drink?

These are clear drink choices that people can pick from.

6) A bar on your chart is very tall. What does that mean?

A taller bar shows more votes for that choice.

7) On a chart, what do the labels on the bottom usually show?

The bottom labels name the choices like apple, banana, orange.

8) On a chart, what do the numbers on the side usually show?

The side numbers help us count how many votes the bar or pictures show.

9) If "banana" has 7 votes and "apple" has 4 votes, which has more votes?

7 is more than 4, so banana has more votes.

10) If "orange" has 2 votes and "grapes" has 6 votes, which has the least votes?

2 is less than 6, so orange has the least votes.

11) If two bars on your chart are the same height, what does that mean?

Same height means the same number of votes.

12) Why do we plan our survey question before we start asking people?

A clear question helps people give answers we can count.

13) What should you do after you finish collecting all your tallies?

We count tallies to find the total votes and use them in a chart.

14) Which sentence is a good way to share your results?

It tells what the data shows about the class.

15) Why is a class survey a kind of math project?

Surveys use counting and graphs to turn real-life information into math.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

Next time I will practise…

← Lesson 116 Lesson 118 →