Year 1 Science: Recording what we find
Part of the Year 1 Science being a scientist chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Recording what we find
When we find things out, we record the results. Writing them down helps us remember them and compare them. A tally chart uses marks: four lines and one line across them make a group of five. A table lists the results in rows. A pictogram uses one picture for each thing we count. A bar chart shows the numbers as bars, so we can compare them quickly.
Key ideas
- Count each thing once.
- Tally marks come in groups of five.
- A table lists results in rows.
- A bar chart makes it easy to compare the numbers.
Method. Count the groups of five first. Then count the extra lines and add them.
- Count the groups of five. Each group with a line across is five.1 group of 5 = 5
- Count the extra lines. Lines that are not in a full group count as one each.2 extra lines
- Add them together. The total is how many there are altogether.5 + 2 = 7
- Write the answer. 7
Check. Count every mark one at a time: you get 7 again. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups of five quickly, then count the rest. Do not count the lines one by one.
| Fruit | Children |
|---|---|
| Apples | 4 |
| Bananas | 6 |
| Pears | 2 |
Method. Look at each number in the table or chart. The most is the biggest number.
- Read each number. Read every row, so you do not miss one.Apples: 4, Bananas: 6, Pears: 2
- Find the most. Biggest is the answer we want.6 is the most
- Write the answer. Bananas
Check. Compare 6 with each of the other numbers. ✓
Watch out. Read the numbers, not the size of the picture.
Method. Look at each number in the table or chart. The most is the biggest number.
- Read each number. Read every row, so you do not miss one.dog: 5, cat: 3, rabbit: 2, fish: 4
- Find the most. Biggest is the answer we want.5 is the most
- Write the answer. dog
Check. Compare 5 with each of the other numbers. ✓
Watch out. Read the numbers, not the size of the picture.
Watch out
Watch out: tally marks come in groups of five. Make the fifth mark a line across the other four. Do not write five lines in a row, because they are hard to count.
Try it at home (with a grown-up). Ask four people in your family which fruit they like best: apple, banana or pear. Make a tally chart on paper, with one mark for each answer. Then count the marks in fives: five, ten, fifteen.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Make the tally chart together. Let your child put in the marks and count them in fives. Ask: “Which fruit has the most marks?”
Exercise 1E Recording and reading tally charts, tables and pictograms
Method. Count the groups of five first. Then count the extra lines and add them.
- Count the groups of five. Each group with a line across is five.no full group of 5
- Count the extra lines. Lines that are not in a full group count as one each.4 extra lines
- Add them together. The total is how many there are altogether.0 + 4 = 4
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Count every mark one at a time: you get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups of five quickly, then count the rest. Do not count the lines one by one.
Method. Count the groups of five first. Then count the extra lines and add them.
- Count the groups of five. Each group with a line across is five.1 group of 5 = 5
- Count the extra lines. Lines that are not in a full group count as one each.3 extra lines
- Add them together. The total is how many there are altogether.5 + 3 = 8
- Write the answer. 8
Check. Count every mark one at a time: you get 8 again. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups of five quickly, then count the rest. Do not count the lines one by one.
Method. Count the groups of five first. Then count the extra lines and add them.
- Count the groups of five. Each group with a line across is five.1 group of 5 = 5
- Count the extra lines. Lines that are not in a full group count as one each.1 extra line
- Add them together. The total is how many there are altogether.5 + 1 = 6
- Write the answer. 6
Check. Count every mark one at a time: you get 6 again. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups of five quickly, then count the rest. Do not count the lines one by one.
| Fruit | Children |
|---|---|
| Apples | 4 |
| Bananas | 6 |
| Pears | 2 |
Method. Find the row for apples.
- Find the row. Look for the word Apples in the first column.Apples
- Read the number. The number next to it is the count for apples.Apples: 4
- Write the answer. 4
Check. The bananas have 6, which is bigger than 4. ✓
Watch out. Read the number on the same row as the fruit.
| Fruit | Children |
|---|---|
| Apples | 4 |
| Bananas | 6 |
| Pears | 2 |
Method. Look at each number in the table or chart. The fewest is the smallest number.
- Read each number. Read every row, so you do not miss one.Apples: 4, Bananas: 6, Pears: 2
- Find the fewest. Smallest is the answer we want.2 is the fewest
- Write the answer. Pears
Check. Compare 2 with each of the other numbers. ✓
Watch out. Read the numbers, not the size of the picture.
Method. Find the bar for cats.
- Find the cat bar. Look for the label cat under the bars.cat
- Read the number at the top. The number above the bar is how many.cat: 3
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Count the cats in the chart: there are 3. ✓
Watch out. Read the number at the top of the bar, not the height of the picture.
Method. Look at each number in the table or chart. The fewest is the smallest number.
- Read each number. Read every row, so you do not miss one.dog: 5, cat: 3, rabbit: 2, fish: 4
- Find the fewest. Smallest is the answer we want.2 is the fewest
- Write the answer. rabbit
Check. Compare 2 with each of the other numbers. ✓
Watch out. Read the numbers, not the size of the picture.
Method. Take the smaller count away from the bigger count to find how many more.
- Read the two counts. Find the number for each one.bananas: 6, apples: 4
- Take away the smaller count. The difference is how many more.6 − 4 = 2
- Write the answer. 2 more children for bananas than apples.
Check. Count on from 4 to 6: the steps are 2. ✓
Watch out. Take the smaller number from the bigger one, not the other way round.
| Fruit | Children |
|---|---|
| Apples | 4 |
| Bananas | 6 |
| Pears | 2 |
Method. Add the counts together to find how many there are in all.
- Read each count. Each row has its own count.apples: 4, bananas: 6, pears: 2
- Add them together. The total is all of them added up.4 + 6 + 2 = 12
- Write the answer. 12 children
Check. Add them in a different order to check: you still get 12. ✓
Watch out. Make sure you add every row, and that no row is missed.
Method. Take the smaller count away from the bigger count to find how many more.
- Read the two counts. Find the number for each one.dogs: 5, rabbits: 2
- Take away the smaller count. The difference is how many more.5 − 2 = 3
- Write the answer. 3 more pets for dogs than rabbits.
Check. Count on from 2 to 5: the steps are 3. ✓
Watch out. Take the smaller number from the bigger one, not the other way round.
Method. Think about what you can do with a written record that you cannot do with a memory.
- Think about the record. Writing results down means they stay the same.written results
- Think about comparing. We can see which number is bigger, at a glance.compare at a glance
- Write the answer. So we can see them clearly, compare them, and remember them.
Check. A chart keeps the results safe and easy to read. ✓
Watch out. Writing it down helps you check your work later.
Method. Plan how to count the cars safely, then decide what to record.
- Plan the count. Count from a window with a grown-up, so it is safe.from a window
- Choose what to record. Make a tally chart with one row for each colour.tally: one row per colour
- Compare the totals. The colour with the most marks is the most common.Tally chart: the colour with the most marks
Check. Count the marks in each row, in fives. ✓
Watch out. Never stand near a road to count. Watch from inside a window.