Comparing Votes on a Pictograph

• Prompt students to count and then verify that counting led to correct judgments

• Asking children open-ended questions that elicit their solution-methods
• Modeling and using math language

What to Look for in This Clip:

In this activity, a teacher supports students' comparing skills by having the class discuss a pictograph of children's votes for different areas of the classroom.

When one student notices that two choices on the pictograph "win", the teacher encourages several other students to compare both amounts by using the count and then verify strategy. This helps the students determine that the two columns (house and water table) both received equal votes.

Throughout this moment, the teacher also uses several foundational strategies. She emphasizes math language as she introduces and repeats words we use to compare amounts, like "most" and "equal."

She also asks a number of open-ended questions, such as "What do you mean by win?" and "How could we know which one has the most?" to elicit children's problem-solving and solution methods. This shows students that she values their mathematical thinking.

Finally, the teacher supports children's conceptual understanding by helping them see how we can use counting to make an accurate comparison. Her question, "How could we know which one has the most?" guides students to make this connection on their own.