Name: ______________________________________ Date: ________________________

GRAPHING SKILLS LAB

Creating and analyzing bar & line graphs

Vocabulary: bar graph, line graph, x axis, y axis, independent variable, dependent variable

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. Four kinds of graphs are shown in this Gizmo. Circle the kinds you have seen before. (Click
on the “shape” icon at the top, select the circle, draw a circle around your answers).

! ! ! !
Bar graph Line graph Pie chart Scatter plot

2. Other than in science class, when have you seen these graphs used?
i have seen them in math
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it helps organize lots of numbers and

3. Why do you think graphs are useful? ___________________________________________
comlicated work
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Gizmo Warm-up: Using the Graphing Skills Gizmo

1. The Graphing Skills Gizmo starts with a bar graph

on the right and a data set on the left. Practice
using the Gizmo by doing the following:
• Write a title.
• Label the vertical and horizontal axes.
• Change the scale of the vertical axis.
• Drag the bars up and down.

2. Use the Graph type dropdown list to select other

kinds of graphs. Practice with each type of graph:
• On the Bar graph drag the bars up and down.
• On the Line graph drag the points up and down.

2019
 Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A: • On the Challenge menu, select Create graph.
• On the Graph type menu, select Bar graph.
Bar graphs • If necessary, click New until Animal speed data
appears. !

Part 1: Build a bar graph based on a data table. You will be completing a bar graph on
Animal Speeds.

1. Create graph:
• Write a title for the graph. (Look at the title of the data table for a suggestion.)
• Label the horizontal axis and the vertical axis.
• Pick what you think is the best choice for a vertical axis scale.
• Drag each bar to match the data in the table. Do your best to estimate heights.

2. Check your work:

• When you are finished creating your graph, you will check your work for accuracy.
• On the left side of your Gizmo, under the data table, select the gray box titled
“check.”
• If any part of your graph is incorrect, it will be highlighted in red.
• Change or fix any mistakes and select “check” again, until your entire graph is
correct.

Part 2: Complete a data table based on reading a bar graph.

3. On the Challenge menu, select Create table. On the Graph type menu, select Bar graph.
• Now, you will do the opposite. You will be provided with a completed bar graph and
you will need to fill in and complete the data table on the left side.
• Fill in a title for your data table.
• Fill in an appropriate name for each column that describes the x and y variables.
• Fill in the numerical data in the right column of your data table, based on reading the
completed graph.

4. Check your work:

• When you are finished creating your graph, you will check your work for accuracy.
• On the left side of your Gizmo, under the data table, select the gray box titled
“check.”
• If any part of your graph is incorrect, it will be highlighted in red.
• Change or fix any mistakes and select “check” again, until your entire graph is
correct.

2019
 Activity B: Get the Gizmo ready:
• Under Graph type select Line graph.
Line graphs and • If necessary, click New until Temperature data
pie charts
appears. !

Part 1: Build a line graph and a pie chart. You will be creating a line graph on
Temperature Data.

1. Create graph: Line graphs are often used to show how something changes over time. Write
a title and label the axes. Adjust the vertical scale if needed. Create the line graph by
dragging the points up and down, based on the data in your data chart to the left.

2. Check your work:

• When you are finished creating your graph, you will check your work for accuracy.
• On the left side of your Gizmo, under the data table, select the gray box titled
“check.”
• If any part of your graph is incorrect, it will be highlighted in red.
• Change or fix any mistakes and select “check” again, until your entire graph is
correct.

Part 2: Complete a data table based on reading a line graph.

3. On the Challenge menu, select Create table. On the Graph type menu, select Line graph.
• Now, you will do the opposite. You will be provided with a completed bar graph and
you will need to fill in and complete the data table on the left side.
• Fill in a title for your data table.
• Fill in an appropriate name for each column that describes the x and y variables.
• Fill in the numerical data in the right column of your data table, based on reading the
completed graph.

4. Check your work:

• When you are finished creating your graph, you will check your work for accuracy.
• On the left side of your Gizmo, under the data table, select the gray box titled
“check.”
• If any part of your graph is incorrect, it will be highlighted in red.
• Change or fix any mistakes and select “check” again, until your entire graph is
correct.

CONCLUSION: Why are graphs important? _________________________________________

it bacically summerizes a lot of data in to one graph that make sit easy to read
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2019