Study guide: Pictures Become Useful Records
Make a pretend record with four blocks choices and two drawing choices. Supply a symbol key, count both groups and write one supported claim.
Ideas to explain in your own words
- Data is recorded information. A picture card can stand for one choice. If each child chooses one activity, one card for that child keeps the record fair. Two cards from the same child would count that child twice. We use pretend choices here; nobody needs to give their own information.
- A picture key tells what a symbol means. Without a key, the same drawing could mean different things. In this lesson one sun means sunny and one cloud means cloudy; these are classroom labels, not a weather forecast. Read the key before reading a record. A key can include written words or spoken labels.
- A tally of picture cards tells how many recorded choices appear. Count each card once. If the key says one card is one choice, three cards mean three choices. The total describes this record; it does not tell us what everyone everywhere likes. A computer can store counts, but the meaning comes from the key.
- A small data record can answer a small question. If the pretend record has three reading cards and two drawing cards, reading appears more often in this record. It does not prove that every child prefers reading. A missing card also does not tell us what its owner would have chosen.
Useful vocabulary
- data
- Information recorded for a purpose.
- key
- A guide to what each symbol means.
- duplicate
- An extra record of the same choice.
Watch your reasoning
- More cards do not always mean more people when a choice has been duplicated.
- Do not guess a symbol meaning from its color when the key gives a different meaning.
- Count cards rather than the number of different pictures.
- Do not turn a few recorded choices into a claim about all children.
A worked review example
A pretend learner chooses blocks and one blocks card is saved. Classify the record. The supported answer is One recorded choice. Match one card to one stated choice and check that no choice is counted twice. More cards do not always mean more people when a choice has been duplicated. Pretend record: reading 3, drawing 2. Compare the recorded counts. The supported answer is Reading appears more. Name what is shown in the supplied record and keep the claim about that record. Do not turn a few recorded choices into a claim about all children. The supplied facts, rather than an assumed real-world detail, determine this paper case. Compare the recorded action or value with the stated rule before choosing an answer.
Make a practice plan
- Draw or tell one computing idea from each of the four lessons. Give one example of using each idea.
- Use the example to explain one mistake to avoid.
- Try the unit review before opening the explanations.
- Try the new task on paper or say your answer. Then compare your steps with the example answer.