Grade by Grade
D. Data · Data Literacy and Probability

Creating an Infographic

D1.4 D1.3 A1About 50 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can plan an infographic that tells a clear story about a data set.
  • I can choose tables, histograms and broken-line graphs that fit the parts of my story.
  • I can add key numbers, a headline, short text and a source.
  • I can use feedback to improve my infographic.

Words to know

infographic
A poster or page that uses graphs, tables, key numbers, pictures and a little text to tell a story about data quickly.
headline
A short, catchy title that tells the main message.
key number
One important number, shown large, like a median or a total.
audience
The people who will look at your infographic.

Remember from Grade 5

You made infographics with relative-frequency tables and stacked-bar graphs, a headline and a source. This year, your infographics can also use histograms and broken-line graphs, and key numbers like the median and range.

A story told with data

An infographic tells a data story at a glance. A reader should understand the main message in about 10 seconds.

A good infographic has:

  1. A headline that states the story.
  2. A few key numbers, shown large.
  3. The right display for each part of the story: a table for exact counts, a histogram for how numerical data is spread out, a broken-line graph for a change over time, a bar graph for comparing categories.
  4. Short text: a few words or one sentence per part, not paragraphs.
  5. A source.
  6. A clean layout with space, so it doesn't feel crowded.
Room 6 Loves the Snow!75 minmedian timeoutsideMinutes outsideSource: Room 6 survey, January1 Headline that tells the story2 A key number, shown big3 The right display4 Short text, not paragraphs5 A source6 Space, so it is not crowded
The parts of a good infographic. A reader should get the main message from the headline and the key number in about 10 seconds.
Room 6 Loves Snow Days!How 30 Grade 6 students played outside in JanuaryMedian time outside75 minon one SaturdayRange: 170 minFavourite snow activitySledding12Skating8Snow forts6Skiing4Total30Minutes outside on Saturday05100306090120150180StudentsSnow depth in the schoolyard (cm)0204010Week 118Week 225Week 332Week 4Source: Room 6 survey and measurements, January
A sample infographic. Key number: median time outside 75 minutes, range 170 minutes. Table: sledding 12, skating 8, snow forts 6, skiing 4 (total 30). Histogram of minutes outside: 2, 5, 9, 7, 4 and 3 students in the intervals from 0 to 180 minutes. Broken-line graph of snow depth: 10, 18, 25 and 32 cm in weeks 1 to 4.

Why these choices?

  • The median (75 min) is the key number because a few students stayed out a very long time. The median isn't pulled up by them the way the mean would be.
  • The table shows exact counts for the favourite activities (categories).
  • The histogram shows how the 30 times are spread out. Most students were outside between 30 and 120 minutes.
  • The broken-line graph shows the snow getting deeper each week: a change over time.
  • All the parts support one story: Room 6 students love playing in the snow.
Worked example

Example 1: Write a headline

Data: a histogram shows that most Grade 6 students sleep 9 to 10 hours on school nights, and the median is 9.5 hours. Write a headline and a one-sentence caption.

  1. A headline states the main message in a few words.
  2. Weak: "Sleep Data" (it doesn't tell the story).
  3. Better: "Most of Us Sleep 9 to 10 Hours".
  4. Caption: use a key number. "Our median sleep time on school nights is 9.5 hours."

Headline: "Most of Us Sleep 9 to 10 Hours". Caption: "Our median sleep time on school nights is 9.5 hours."

Worked example

Example 2: Pick the right display

Zara is making an infographic called "Our School Garden". She has:

  • the heights of 40 tomato plants on one day
  • the height of one sunflower measured every week for 10 weeks
  • the number of each kind of vegetable planted (beans, carrots, squash, corn)

Which display should she use for each?

  1. 40 tomato heights: lots of continuous data; show the spread → histogram.
  2. Sunflower every week: continuous data changing over time → broken-line graph.
  3. Number of each vegetable: categories with exact counts → table (or a bar graph).

Histogram, broken-line graph, and table (or bar graph).

Feedback makes it better

Professional designers always show drafts to others. Ask a family member: "What is the main message of my infographic?" If they can't tell you in a few seconds, your headline or layout needs work. Thank them for the feedback, then revise. Feeling proud of a final version you improved is a great feeling!

Just for fun

An infographic with 900 words isn't an infographic. It's an info-novel. Keep it short!

Hands-on activity

Make your own infographic

You need: a large sheet of paper (or a computer with a drawing or slides program), a ruler, pencil crayons, and data from an earlier lesson (leaf lengths, shadow lengths, airplane flights or ruler drops).

  1. Decide your story in one sentence. Write a headline.
  2. Choose one or two key numbers (median, mean, range or a total) to show large.
  3. Choose at least two displays: a table, a histogram or a broken-line graph, whichever fits your data.
  4. Add one short sentence for each display, simple pictures or icons, and a source.
  5. Sketch a draft, get feedback, then make a final version.

What to look for: a clear headline, correct graphs with labels and scales, key numbers that match the data, a source, and not too many words.

Your turn

1

Sample infographic: how many students chose sledding? What fraction of the class is that?

2

Sample infographic: how many students were outside for 90 minutes or more?

3

Sample infographic: how much deeper was the snow in Week 4 than in Week 1?

4

Why does the sample infographic show the median instead of the mean as the key number?

5

Write a different headline for the sample infographic.

6

Which display would you add to show how the class's outdoor time changed from Week 1 to Week 4?

More practice: warm-up

1

What is a headline?

2

Why should an infographic have a source?

3

Which display shows a change over time?

4

Which display shows how numerical data is spread out in intervals?

5

True or false: an infographic should have lots of long paragraphs.

More practice: on your own

1

Improve this headline: "Data About Recess".

2

Liam's infographic has 6 graphs, 4 paragraphs and no headline. Give him helpful feedback.

3

Choose a key number for: "Times to walk to school: 4, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 35 minutes." Explain.

4

An infographic about daily temperatures for a month wants to show (a) how temperatures changed and (b) how many days were in each temperature range. Which two displays?

5

Why should all the parts of an infographic connect to one story?

Challenge

1

Plan an infographic about your family's water use in one week. Name the headline, one key number, and two displays, and say what each display shows.

2

The sample infographic says the range is 170 minutes. The shortest time was 5 minutes. What was the longest time? Does that fit the histogram?

3

A friend's infographic headline says "Everyone in Room 6 Loves Sledding", but the table shows 12 of 30 students chose sledding. Explain the problem and suggest a fair headline.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

What is the main purpose of an infographic?

2.

Which headline is best?

3.

For how the temperature changed each day of a week, which display fits best?

4.

For the heights of 60 students, which display fits best?

5.

Which of these does not belong on a good infographic?

6.

Sample infographic: what is the total of the favourite-activity table?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson teaches: creating an infographic that tells a story about a data set, using tables, histograms and broken-line graphs, key numbers such as the median and range, short text and a source (D1.4, D1.3). Seeking and using feedback, and taking pride in revised work, are Strand A skills (A1).

How to help at home:

  • Look at infographics online or in magazines together. Ask: "What's the main message? How long did it take you to find it?"
  • Be the test reader: tell your child what you think the main message is, and let them revise if it isn't what they meant.
  • Encourage fewer, clearer parts rather than a crowded page.

Common difficulties:

  • Headlines that name the topic but not the finding ("Sleep Data").
  • Choosing displays that don't fit the data (broken-line for categories).
  • Key numbers that don't match the graphs.
  • Forgetting the source.