Grade 3 : Scaled Picture Graphs

[Alexander]

Give the scale or determine the scale?
At the end of the year, should students be able to determine their own scaled value when drawing a scaled picture graph? I think they should be able to. I used category amounts which are products of the Grade 3 students’ multiplication facts. They would list the multiplication facts and identify the fact that has a similar factor in it (i.e., begin ideas of common factor without formal introduction.)
e.g., 15 stars in the western sky, 25 stars in the northern sky, 20 stars in the southern sky.
15;  3x5
25;  5x5
20; 2×10, 4x5
They all have a factor 5, use a scale “<\star picture> = 5 stars”. Furthermore, the paired factor tells us how many pictures to draw, 3, 5, and 4 pictures, respectively.
They only reason I bring this up is because I’ve been seeing examples where lessons provided the key value to the student (e.g., 15, 25, 20; star = 5). These lessons became a task of “divide and draw.” Although someone might use this as an introduction, it didn’t seem like that would be the end-of-year goal.
Initial question repeated… At the end of the year, should students be able to determine their own scaled value when drawing a scaled picture graph?

[Bill McCallum]

Good question, but the standards don’t answer it. This is really a question for hte curriculum writer. I’d be inclined to agree with your implementation here, but another interpretation would not violate the standard.

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