Natural Sciences and Technology
Grade 6
Term 2: Matter and Materials
Dissolving
Topic 4
Dissolving
Making and using graphs
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
What is the purpose of graphs?
In science, graphs are used to:
• show information visually (using
pictures);
• show the results of scientific
investigations;
• help people put data into categories;
• help people compare data;
• summarise and display information in
an easy way for people to understand.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Three different types of graphs
• Pictographs can show
information in a picture form;
• Bar graphs can be used to:
– compare data;
– show how something changes over time;
• Line graphs can show how
something changes over time.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Example of a pictograph
Number of learners in class this week
6 children
5 children
4 children
3 children
2 children
1 child
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Friday
Example of a bar graph
Number of learners in class this week
6 children
5 children
4 children
3 children
2 children
1 child
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Friday
Example of a line graph
Number of learners in class this week
6 children
5 children
4 children
3 children
2 children
1 child
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Friday
Different parts of a graph
1. Title
Every graph must
have a title which
explains what is
in the graph
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Different parts of graphs
2. Y-Axis
• Every graph has a y-axis
• The y-axis runs vertically
(up and down)
• The y-axis usually has
numbers for things being
counted
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Different parts of graphs
3. X-Axis
• Every graph has an x-axis
• The x-axis runs
horizontally (flat)
• The x-axis usually
represents time periods
or names of things being
compared
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Different parts of graphs
4. Legend
• Most graphs have a
legend
• Just like a map it
helps the reader
understand what
they are looking at.
• The legend tells what
each line (or shaded
area or point)
represents
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4
Summary of the parts of a graph
1. Title
•
Every graph must have a title which explains what is in the graph
2. Y-Axis
•
•
•
Every graph has a y-axis
The y-axis runs vertically (up and down)
The y-axis usually has numbers for things being counted
3. X-Axis
•
•
•
Every graph has an x-axis
The y-axis runs horizontally (flat)
The y-axis usually represents time periods or names of things being
compared
4. Legend
•
•
•
Most graphs have a legend
Just like a map it helps the reader understand what they are looking at.
The legend tells what each line (or shaded area or point) represents
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 2, Topic 4