Math Unit about Data Handling

Dear Parents,
Our class has begun to investigate Data Handling. Data Handling allows us to make a summary of what we
know about the world and to make inferences about what we do not know.

The children will deepen their conceptual understanding of:

 Collecting information to make sense of the world around us.
 Organizing objects and events helps us to solve problems.
 Information can be expressed as organised and structured data.
 Objects and events can be organised in different ways.

Vocabulary
We would like your help in explaining (using simple words) the ideas and vocabulary listed below to your child
(in their mother tongue if it is not English).
 Most / More than: Which group had the most? Which group has more than 3?
 Least / Less than - Which group had the least? Which group has less than 5?
 Same - Are there the same number of objects in each group?
 Similar – How are they similar?
 Different - How are they different?
 Common – Which is the most common way to travel to school? (The one most people do)
 Popular – Which one is the most popular? (The one most people chose)
 Column – Which column in the graph shows the most popular way to travel to school?
 Compare – Can you compare the number of children who travel by car with the number who travel
by bus?
 Data - What does the data tell us about travelling to school?
 Graph – pictograph, bar graph, pie graph
 Chart – t-chart, venn diagram, carroll diagram

Some suggestions on how you can help out at home:

 Ask your child when they are tidying up their toys to sort them into different boxes or baskets. Ask
them why they have grouped them that way. Next time see if they can sort the same things in a
different way. Ask them questions like: Why do we sort things? How does it help us?
 Play the “20 Questions” game. You think of something Eg. A tree. Your child tries to guess what you
are thinking by asking questions like - Is it a living thing? Is it an animal? Does it move? Is it big?
Try to get them asking questions that categorize things. Not questions like Is it a cat? Is it a car?
 Play “Guess Who?” and “Cluedo” or other games that involve the need to ask questions.
 Check out the math resources available through your child’s class blog.

Watch your child’s understanding of the world around them grow. Most importantly, have fun!

Sincerely,
The Year One Team