Key Stage 2 geography · Geographical skills and fieldwork

KS2 fieldwork: presenting findings with maps and graphs

Collecting data is only half of fieldwork. In Key Stage 2, children learn to present what they found using sketch maps, plans, graphs and digital technologies so that other people can understand it, and to say what the evidence shows. Choosing the right way to show results is a skill that links geography, maths and computing.

Fieldwork: presenting findings, explained

Different kinds of data suit different kinds of presentation. A sketch map is a quick, hand-drawn map that is not to scale. It shows the main features of a place and where they are in relation to each other, with labels, a title, a north arrow and a key. A plan is more exact: it is a bird’s-eye view drawn to scale, with measured distances and shapes, such as a plan of the playground. Children learn that a sketch map is for showing relationships fast and a plan is for showing exact size and position.

Graphs turn numbers into pictures. A pictogram uses small symbols to stand for a number of items, and a tally chart can be turned into a bar chart, where the height of each bar shows how many. Bar charts suit categories such as types of building or kinds of vehicle. Line graphs suit change over time, such as the temperature measured every hour through the day. Children learn to give each graph a title, label both axes, choose an even scale and draw it neatly, and the same skills appear in maths lessons.

Digital technology gives more choices. Children photograph features and add labels, enter data into a spreadsheet to make a chart automatically, plot places on a digital map, use a data logger to record temperature or sound, or present their findings on screen. These tools save time, but children are taught to check the result against their data, because a computer will happily draw a graph from a typing mistake. Schools choose which tools to use according to their equipment.

The final step is explaining what the data shows. Children write or say a conclusion that goes back to the original question, refers to the evidence (“47 vehicles were counted at 3.30 pm compared with 21 at lunchtime”) and notes anything that might have affected the results, such as bad weather or a small sample. They also use maps, atlases and digital maps to locate the place they studied and to describe its features in context. This is often the part of fieldwork where children find their voice, because they are the only people who collected this evidence.

Words your child will hear

Sketch map: A simple hand-drawn map, not to scale, that shows the main features of a place and where they are.
Plan: A drawing of a place as seen from above, drawn to scale, such as a plan of a classroom.
Bar chart: A graph that uses bars of different heights to compare amounts in different categories.
Line graph: A graph that joins points with a line, used to show how something changes over time.
Axis: One of the two lines of a graph that carry the labels and the scale.
Spreadsheet: A computer table of rows and columns that can be used to store data and draw graphs.
Conclusion: A statement that answers the enquiry question using the evidence collected.

What the National Curriculum says

In Key Stage 2, pupils should be taught to:

Use fieldwork to observe, measure record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies
Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: turning a land-use survey into a bar chart

A class surveyed 24 buildings on one street and counted 12 houses, 6 shops, 3 cafés, 2 offices and 1 church. How can they present the results and what conclusion can they draw?

Check the data. 12 + 6 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 24, which matches the number of buildings surveyed, so the counts are complete.
Choose the type of graph. The data is in separate categories, so a bar chart is a good choice. A line graph would be wrong because the types of building do not follow each other in order.
Set up the axes. Put the types of building along the bottom axis. Number the side axis from 0 to 12 in equal steps of 1 so that the biggest value, 12, fits and the small values of 1, 2 and 3 are easy to read. Label both axes and give the graph a title such as “Buildings on Mill Street”.
Draw the bars. Make every bar the same width, with a small gap between them, and the correct height: 12, 6, 3, 2 and 1. Colour them neatly and keep a ruler handy.
Add a sketch map. Draw the street, mark each building with a simple symbol, add a key, a north arrow and a title, and see whether shops are grouped together in one part of the street.
Write the conclusion. Go back to the question, quote numbers from the chart and use the sketch map to say where the different buildings are.

Half of the 24 buildings on the street (12) are houses, and the shops (6) and cafés (3) together make up another nine. So the street is mainly residential, but 9 of the 24 buildings are shops and cafés serving people nearby, and the sketch map shows whether they are grouped in one part of the street. The class could survey another street to compare.

Common mistakes and how to help

A sketch map has to be neat and exact

Children worry that their drawing is not good enough, so they spend all their time on detail. A sketch map is meant to be quick and show the main features.

What helps: Tell them to use simple shapes and labels. Add the title, north arrow and key, and leave detail to a plan.

Uneven scales on a graph do not matter

Children squeeze or stretch the numbers on an axis to fit the paper, so the bars give a false picture.

What helps: Draw the axis with a ruler and equal steps, such as 0, 2, 4, 6. Check that the first and last values fit.

Any graph will do

Children often pick a favourite type, such as a pie chart or a line graph, whether it fits the data or not.

What helps: Ask “Is this about categories or change over time?” Use bars for categories and a line for change over time.

Describing the graph instead of answering the question

A child may write “the tallest bar is houses” and stop. A description is a start, but a conclusion has to answer the enquiry question and use evidence.

What helps: Ask “So what does that tell us?” and encourage a sentence that begins with the question and finishes with a number from the data.

How to help at home

Draw a sketch map of the garden or park. Sketch your garden, street or a local park from memory or while standing in it. Add a title, a north arrow and a key, then check with a family member whether they can follow it.
Plan a room to scale. Measure a room with a tape or a ruler, choose a scale such as one square for each 50 centimetres, and draw the furniture on squared paper. This shows how a plan differs from a sketch.
Turn a family count into a chart. Count something simple, such as the colours of cars passing a window or the kinds of birds you see in the garden, and draw a bar chart. Talk about what the chart tells you.
Make a weather graph. Record the temperature at the same time each day for a week and draw a line graph. Notice the pattern and ask your child what might explain the high and low points.

Builds on

Key Stage 1: World maps, atlases and globes
Key Stage 1: Compass directions and routes
Key Stage 1: Aerial photographs and landmarks
Key Stage 1: Simple maps, symbols and keys
Key Stage 1: Fieldwork in the school grounds

Leads on to

Key Stage 3: Globes, maps and atlases
Key Stage 3: OS maps: grid references, scale and contours
Key Stage 3: Thematic maps and satellite images
Key Stage 3: Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Key Stage 3: Fieldwork in contrasting locations