Reading bar charts with scales: what children learn
Year 3 pupils interpret and present data in bar charts, pictograms and tables. Their bar charts use scales that go up in 2s, 5s or 10s rather than 1s.
In this game children read the value of a bar from its scale, including bars that stop halfway between two marked numbers. Working out what each gap on the scale stands for is the key skill.
This topic covers the Year 3 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Statistics): pupils should be taught to “interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables”. Year 3 pupils are usually aged 7–8.
For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is 3.MD.B.3, which is taught in Grade 3.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Read the scale. Look at the numbers on the side of the chart. Do they go up in 2s, 5s or 10s?
- Find the top of the bar. Follow the top of the bar across to the scale with a ruler or your finger.
- Halfway values. If the bar stops halfway between 10 and 12, it shows the number halfway between them: 11.
- Check it makes sense. A bar a little taller than the 30 line must show a little more than 30.
Worked examples
Example 1: The scale goes up in 2s. The bar stops halfway between 6 and 8.
Working: Halfway between 6 and 8 is 7.
Answer: 7
Example 2: The scale goes up in 10s. The bar stops halfway between 30 and 40.
Working: Halfway between 30 and 40 is 35.
Answer: 35
Example 3: The scale goes up in 5s. The bar stops on 25.
Working: The bar is level with the 25 line.
Answer: 25
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Assuming every scale goes up in 1s. Read two marked numbers next to each other and find the difference before reading any bar.
- Reading the number below the bar instead of the halfway value. Find the number halfway between the two marks on a number line first.
- Reading the bar's length from the wrong starting point. Always start at zero at the bottom of the scale.
Activities to try at home
- Look at bar charts in leaflets or on food packets and ask what the scale goes up in.
- Make a bar chart of the family's favourite colours, with a scale in 2s.
- Ask: if this bar were halfway between 20 and 30, what would it show?
Ideas for the classroom
- Draw the same data with scales in 1s, 2s and 5s and compare how the charts look.
- Pupils survey the class and choose a sensible scale for their bar chart.
- Cover the numbers on a scale except two and ask pupils to fill in the rest.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why do bar charts use scales in 2s, 5s or 10s?
Bigger steps keep the chart a sensible size when the numbers are large. Year 3 pupils learn to read and choose these scales.
Are pictograms still taught in Year 3?
Yes. Year 3 pupils use bar charts, pictograms and tables, and answer questions using all three.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Press 1, 2, 3 or 4 to choose an answer.