Make a Sports Tally

MATERIALS:

• Chart paper or posterboard for tally

SUGGESTED GROUPING:

• Whole class and cooperative groups

INTRODUCE the activity by telling children that they'll collect and display information about which sports people like best. Work with children to list some examples of sports on the chalkboard.

GIVE children a chart with four or five columns. Have them write or dictate the name of a sport at the top of each column.

HAVE children in each group ask people which of the sports on the tally sheet they like best. Ask them to make a mark under each appropriate sport on the tally sheet.

WHEN the charts are completed, invite children to point to the chart to indicate which sport people liked best, second best, and least.

YOU may wish to have groups come together to make one large tally sheet. As you combine the numbers, introduce the concept of counting using four vertical slash (tally) marks, the fifth slash goes horizontally through all four lines, making it easy to recognize groups of five. (MATH)