How to Make an Accurate Pie Chart by Hand
Combine geometry with proportional math to make a pie chart of your own data.
Arden Ashley-Wurtmann, MSEd
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(394)
What's included
1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
While students in elementary and middle school typically learn to accumulate survey data and make bar graphs, pie charts are often overlooked. They are more challenging to make accurately because they require that students understand ratios, proportions and some geometry. In this one-time class, learners will make their own pie chart, using their own data! Before beginning this course, learners should have: 1. Experience with fractions 2. A basic understanding of ratios and solving proportions (typically taught in Pre-Algebra) 3. Experience with using a protractor to measure angles
Other Details
Supply List
Learners will need some data. In the class, I will be using the colors found in a "Share Size" bag of M&Ms for my data. Students are welcome to do the same or similar, or they can bring data from a survey or science project they have completed. Data will need to be categorical in nature -- for example, a pie chart is not a good way to represent "Seedling Growth Over Time" but it is a great way to represent "Types of Trees Found in a 1 Acre Plot of a Forest" (in which the "categories" are the names of the tree species and students' data would be the number of each type of tree found). Students should have approximately 5-8 categories in their data. A one-page data sheet will be provided and it includes a circle for making the pie chart. Learners can also elect to use a compass to draw a circle on another piece of paper, but they will need to be sure that the center of the circle is clearly and accurately marked. Other required materials are: a protractor, a calculator, a pencil and eraser, a ruler or other device for marking straight lines and a notebook or scratch paper. Learners will also need coloring materials -- markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc -- and they will need at least as many easily-differentiated colors as they have categories of their data.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2020
4.9
394reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I love combining Algebra and Geometry together and showing students how to apply their knowledge. These days, so often it is the computers that make pie charts and I want to show learners that they can do it themselves! Even if they ultimately make their final product with a computer, I believe they should know how the computer calculates and creates the output. Plus, it's fun! Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$14
per classMeets once
45 min
Completed by 12 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
1-5 learners per class
