Drawing pictographs activity

A pictograph is a graph drawn with pictures. Each piece of information collected is drawn as a picture.

Tips on how to draw a pictograph

• A good pictograph shows the information clearly.
• A good pictograph has a title.
• A good pictograph has pictures showing information.
• A good pictograph has the pictures in a grid.
• A good pictograph has numbers on the grid.
• A good pictograph has pictures which are the same size.
• A good pictograph is followed by a short sentence telling what the pictograph shows.

From the pictograph we can see that three people in our class have gumboots on today. Two people in our class have sneakers on today.

Activity

1. Survey the students in your class to find out what sports they play or how they travelled to school.
2. Each person can draw a picture to show their sport or how they travelled to school. Each person should have the same size piece of paper for their picture.
3. Group the pictures together and show them on a grid.
4. Write numbers beside the pictograph and give your pictograph a title.
5. Write a short sentence telling what your pictograph shows.

Related links

Statistics New Zealand Graphics Guidelines - 2. The process of graphing
Statistics New Zealand Graphics Guidelines - 4. Graphic Standards