lesson

Collect and organise answers

Read with an adult. You can say, point, draw or write your answer.

1 · Learn

A tally mark records one item or answer. Draw four upright marks. For the fifth, draw one line across those four. That crossed group means five, not six. Start a new group for the next answer.

Keep each category separate. A table helps you see the counts together. Our pretend survey has apples 4, pears 2 and bananas 3. These are counts of choices, not prices or the size of the fruit.

Apples: 4Pears: 2Bananas: 3
Key words and supplied examples.

2 · Worked example

I add 4 + 2 + 3 to find nine choices altogether. Apples have two more choices than pears. I order the categories from fewest choices to most: pears, bananas, apples.

3 · Your turn

How many choices were bananas? How many more choices were apples than bananas? Show six answers as tally marks.

Check your answer

Bananas had 3. Apples had 1 more than bananas. Six tallies are one crossed group of five and one extra upright mark.

4 · Apply your learning

Collect a small non-private class or family survey with permission. Make categories, tally each answer once and total them. Sort the categories from fewest answers to most.

Adult guidance and safety

Use practical objects before symbols. Read the task aloud when needed and ask the child to explain, not just name an answer. Revisit with different examples; one successful answer is not proof of fluency.

Open your writing and drawing pad

Write, draw or show your working. Use a mouse, pen or finger. This pad is not a submitted answer.

Not saved to your account. Download your drawing as PNG and your typed notes as TXT before leaving or refreshing. They are separate files. Do not enter private information.

Open a picture saved on this device to draw on it again. Opening replaces the drawing, but Undo can restore it. PNG only, up to 4 MB and 4096 × 4096 pixels. The picture stays in this browser; it is not uploaded. Paper lines in a saved picture become part of that picture.

Drawing is unavailable. Use the typed working area below.

Your pad is empty.

Open a UTF-8 TXT file from this device, up to 40 KB and 10,000 characters. It stays in this browser. Opening can be undone until you type again. Downloads keep a new copy; they do not change the file you opened.

Typed notes are not submitted answers.

Practice this lesson

Lesson resources

Browse the available practice activities and worksheets for this lesson.

Open course resources

Your progress

Ready to continue?