A 3rd-grade lesson where students become data investigators, learning to read, analyze, and describe information from picture graphs and line plots using real-world scenarios.
Scan Case File #01 (Ice Cream Shop) and Case File #02 (Pencil Case). Locate the titles, scale, and keys first.
02
Decode the Math
Write down your arithmetic strategies in the workspace boxes. Make sure to double check your skip-counting!
03
Write Your Clues
Describe the graphs using full sentence stems. Point out the trends and what they reveal to the business owners!
Good luck detectives, the cases are in your hands!
SLIDE 5/5
Graph Detectives Teacher Companion Page 1 of 2
Teacher Protocol CASE ID: #TG-301-KEY
EVALUATION & DEBRIEF GUIDE
Worksheet Analysis, Discussion Frames, and Solution Rubric
Independent Agent Practice & Challenge (20 mins)
Distribute the 3-page student worksheet. Page 3 represents a challenge mission (Case File 03: Field Day Long Jump) where students must analyze fractional scale lines and formulate their own descriptive math sentences without scaffolded stems.
Master Solution Key & Rubric
📄 CASE FILE #1 SOLUTION: SWEET TREAT GRAPH (Page 1)
Q1 Total Combined:
Strawberry (4) + Vanilla (6) = 10 scoops. Work must show addition.
Q2 Difference:
Chocolate (9) - Strawberry (4) = 5 more scoops. Must note subtraction strategy.
Q3 Summary Clue:
Strawberry is least popular. Order fewer strawberry and more Mint Chip (10) / Chocolate (9).
📄 CASE FILE #2 SOLUTION: PENCIL LINE PLOT (Page 2)
Q1 Total Count:
Count all Xs: 18 pencils total. \(2+3+5+3+4+1=18\).
Q2 Most vs Least:
Most = 5in (5). Least = 6½in (1). Difference = 4 pencils (\(5-1\)).
Q3 Longer than 5in:
Sum of values at 5½in, 6in, 6½in: \(3+4+1 = \) 8 pencils. (Excludes 5in).
🏆 CASE FILE #3 SOLUTION: LONG JUMP CHALLENGE (Page 3)
Q1 Empty Scale:
0 students jumped 3½ ft. This value has no Xs; it represents zero frequency.
Q2 Subtracting:
4½ ft (6) - 5 ft (4) = 2 more students jumped 4½ ft than 5 ft.
Q3 Student Clue:
Example statement: "The most common jump distance was 4½ feet because it had 6 students."
Active Facilitation Check
If a student is stuck on the blank Page 3 Clue, direct them back to Slide 4 sentence starters. Instruct them to pick two columns to subtract or find the most common height.
