Charts and data
Grade 2 · Math
Explore numbers, spot patterns and explain how you worked it out.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Pictograms and tally charts
Each star stands for 2 votes: how many votes is that? Read pictograms and tally charts in this
Play Pictograms and tally chartsCounting tally marks
A gate of five and 2 more marks makes 7. Match tally marks to their totals in this
Play Counting tally marks
Learning about charts and data
These Grade 2 Math games practice Pictograms and tally charts, Counting tally marks. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Use counters, a drawing or a number line before moving to a mental method. Ask your child to explain a choice, then change one number and try the method again.
Ask: “How could you show the same answer another way?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Pictograms and tally charts
In this game each question describes a pictogram or tally chart. Children read the key, multiply or count on to find the total, and compare two rows to answer questions such as 'how many more?'. Reading the key first is the habit that matters most.
Try an example: Each ★ stands for 2 votes. Bananas has 3 ★. How many votes?
Count in 2s: 2, 4, 6.
Show the answer
6 votes
What to look out for
Counting symbols and forgetting the key, so 3 stars is called 3. Point at the key and say what one symbol is worth before counting.
Counting tally marks
In this game each card describes a tally, such as two gates of five and three single marks, and children match it to its total. Counting the gates in 5s first and then the single marks is quicker and more reliable than counting every mark.
Try an example: Tally: 1 gate of five and 3 single marks
5, then 6, 7, 8.
Show the answer
8
What to look out for
Counting a gate as 4 because only four marks stand up. Draw a gate slowly and count each mark aloud, including the one that crosses.
Practice away from the screen
- Make a pictogram of the family's favorite fruits, with one sticker for each person.
- Keep a tally of how many times someone says a chosen word at dinner.
Curriculum connections
Pictograms and tally charts
Supports part of Common Core 2.MD.D.10: picture graphs with a single-unit scale. Keys of 2, 5 and 10 go a little beyond it. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 2.MD.D.10. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Counting tally marks
Supports part of Common Core 2.MD.D.10: tally marks are a common way to record data for picture and bar graphs. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 2.MD.D.10. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with charts and data?
Start with Pictograms and tally charts. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. These games provide focused practice. Grade suggestions do not replace your school’s curriculum, and any Common Core connection applies only to the skill described.