Fruit Survey Discovery

Overview

Duration: 51 minutes
Class size: 19 students
Level: Year 6
Curriculum Area: Mathematics and Statistics
Curriculum Strand: Statistical Investigation
NZ Curriculum Level: Level 3

At Level 3 of the New Zealand Curriculum, students should be able to carry out investigations using the statistical enquiry cycle: posing and answering questions, gathering and sorting data, displaying findings, and discussing what the data shows. This lesson will guide students through the process using a topic of personal relevance — their favourite fruit — to contextualise data collection, organisation, interpretation, and presentation through bar graphs.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Pose and answer simple statistical questions
• Gather and sort data into categories
• Display data using a bar graph (with coloured paper strips as visual display)
• Discuss the results of their survey

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Success Criteria

Students will:

• Participate in a group data collection survey
• Organise survey results accurately
• Construct a bar graph that includes appropriate labels and a title
• Reflect on graph outcomes and what they show

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Materials Required

• Whiteboard and vivid markers
• Survey slips (small paper squares)
• Large display sheet (e.g., A2 size or chart paper)
• Coloured paper strips (6–7 different colours, cut into uniform sizes, e.g., 2cm x 10cm)
• Blue tack or glue sticks
• Rulers and pencils for graph labelling
• Sticky labels or name tags for fruit names
• Timer or clock visible to students

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Vocabulary Focus

• Data
• Survey
• Category
• Bar graph
• Axis
• Label
• Tally
• Frequency

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Purpose (5 mins)

Teacher Talk

• "Today we are going to become data detectives! We’ll find out which fruit our class likes the most – and then turn our results into a colourful bar graph that we’ll proudly display."
• "This is part of being statisticians — people who study information to find out cool facts!”
• Engage students with a quick visual warm-up: hold up images of 6 fruits and get a cheer for each.

2. Survey Set-up (8 mins)

Activity: Favourite Fruit Quick Poll

• Each student receives a small slip where they write their name and choose one fruit from a displayed list (e.g., banana, apple, grapes, watermelon, orange, kiwi, pear).
• Use a tally chart on the board that students add to as they place their responses in the class “fruit jar” (real jar or box optional).

Teacher Note: Use mātauranga Māori integration by acknowledging fruits native to Oceania (e.g., kōwhaiwhai patterns on fruit labels, reference to fruits grown in Aotearoa).

3. Data Collating (8 mins)

Group Discussion and Organisation

• Class works together to count tally marks and confirm total votes per fruit.
• Record final tally on a new chart on the board.
• Ask questions like:
  • "Which fruit was the most popular?"
  • "Were there any votes the same?"

4. Bar Graph Construction (20 mins)

Hands-On Activity: Paper Strip Graphing

• Each fruit is assigned a specific colour paper strip.
• Students work in pairs to build a vertical bar for each fruit: one strip = one vote.
• Glue or tack strips on a large display graph, forming vertical bars for each fruit.
• Add axis labels:
  • X-axis = Fruit names
  • Y-axis = Number of votes
  • Title = “Room 6’s Favourite Fruits”

Teacher Circulates: Check for accuracy and guide students in correct graph positioning.

5. Sharing Observations (6 mins)

Gallery Walk & Discussion

• Students walk up to the graph and make observations.
• Ask guiding questions:
  • "Why do you think banana got so many votes?"
  • "Did anyone's favourite not win? Does that surprise you?"
  • "If we surveyed another class, do you think results would change?"

6. Wrap-Up and Reflection (4 mins)

Whole-Class Reflection

• "Today we asked a question, collected data, and made something beautiful out of it!"
• Introduce the idea that graphs are used in real life for all sorts of discoveries—sports stats, weather, and business!

Exit Activity:
Each student writes one sentence answer on a sticky note:

• “One thing I learned about graphs today is…”
• Place these on the front board before leaving.

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Extension Ideas

• Create individual bar graphs in maths books using ruler and pencils.
• Link to literacy by writing a paragraph explaining the survey results.
• Incorporate digital technology to recreate the bar graph using tablet apps.

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Differentiation

For Diverse Learners

• Provide scaffolds like pre-labelled axes or partially completed graphs
• ELL support: visuals for vocabulary, fruit images alongside names
• Early finishers: Challenge them to ask “What if” questions (e.g. “What if we surveyed teachers?”)

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Connections to Other Areas

• Health and Physical Education: Discuss healthy food choices
• English: Oral communication in interpreting graph results, writing survey questions
• The Arts: Exploring colour and layout as visual design

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative Assessment

• Observe students as they tally, construct and interpret the graph
• Use sticky note exit slips to evaluate understanding
• Collect anecdotal notes on collaboration and mathematical vocabulary use

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Teacher Reflection Notes (Post-Lesson)

Consider:

• How confidently did students transition through the statistical enquiry cycle?
• Were students able to interpret and explain the graph accurately?
• How could this lesson be extended for deeper statistical reasoning?

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Whakataukī for Guidance:

Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu
(Adorn the bird with feathers so it may fly.)
Let’s give our learners the tools, and they will soar — just like our colourful fruit graph today.