How to Create Picture Graphs and Line Plots

Khan Academy

This educational math video demonstrates how to visualize data using two common methods: picture graphs and line plots. Through a series of four interactive exercises, the narrator guides viewers on how to translate raw data sets—ranging from fairy wands to penguin heights—into clear visual representations. The video uses a digital whiteboard interface to model the process of reading data tables and placing corresponding symbols or dots on a graph. The key themes explored are data representation, counting, and attention to detail. The video explicitly teaches that one symbol in a picture graph can represent a specific unit (e.g., one wand) and that multiple data points with the same value require stacking dots in a line plot. It emphasizes the concept of frequency—showing "how many" of a specific measurement exist within a set. For educators, this video serves as an excellent modeling tool for 2nd and 3rd-grade math curriculums focusing on measurement and data. It provides clear, step-by-step examples of transferring information from text/lists to graphs, helping students bridge the gap between abstract numbers and visual data analysis. The friendly, paced narration makes it suitable for introducing these concepts or for reinforcing them during independent practice.