Junk Food
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Approach: One to one Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Deciding which graph shows the information most clearly
Resources: 2 graphs – A, B
324Kb
Questions/instructions:  
Give student graphs. [Click on graphs to enlarge.]

These graphs both show the same information about children’s favourite junk foods.



 
% responses
2007 ('03)
y4
y8
1. What percentage of children said biscuits were their favourite junk food?    

15% (15)
51 (59)
86 (81)
14% or 16% (14 or 16)
3 (3)
2 (4)
2. Which graph did you use to work that out, graph A or graph B?

A
88 (92)
93 (93)
B
8 (7)
6 (5)
3. Why did you use that graph?
Bar:
explanation showed good understanding of bar graph (e.g. has numbers)
50 (48)
57 (59)
preferred that type of graph/was easier/ seen that type before
19 (21)
14 (11)
both above
13 (14)
20 (20)
4. What junk food did half the children say was their favourite junk food?
 
ice cream
52 (61)
86 (85)
5. Which graph did you use to work that out, graph A or graph B?

B
51 (58)
71 (61)
A
39 (31)
18 (23)
6. Why did you use that graph?
 
easy to see half (pie graph)
46 (51)
75 (70)
50% was half, easy to see (bar graph)
17 (8)
17 (21)
liked that type of graph/was easier/ had seen that type before
23 (16)
16 (17)
it was the first one student looked at and gave answer
2 (0)
4 (2)

Total score:
10–11
22 (31)
45 (36)
8–9
29 (25)
34 (38)
6–7
25 (19)
16 (17)
4–5
16 (17)
5 (8)
0–3
9 (8)
1 (1)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
Students at both years were fairly successful in determining which graphs provided the best information in a given setting. Moderate growth was seen from year 4 to year 8. There were few differences in performance by gender or ethnicity. Year 4 students showed a slight decline in performance from 2003, while year 8 students showed a slight increase. Pasifika students scored lowest at year 4 but highest at year 8.