NCERT Maths Mela, Class 4, textbook pages 203–208

How to teach Class 4 Maths Chapter 14, Data Handling, at home

Surveys, tables and bar graphs, taught with things you already have at home: a 10-minute activity, a game for the week, a 5-day plan and the mistakes to watch for.

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NCERT Class 4 Maths Chapter 14 Data Handling: what it teaches

Your child learns to ask a good survey question, records answers with tally marks, organises them in a table and draws a bar graph, then answers questions from it.

Why it matters later. Surveys and bar graphs are used across subjects and grow into more complex graphs and averages later.

See it: this chapter in pictures

✗ Which subjects do you like?many answers each✓ Which subject do you like most?one answer each
A good survey question has one answer per person.
subjectchildrenMaths12Language8Arts7Sports9
Turn tallies into a table of totals.
MathsLanguageArtsSports
Equal-width bars make fair comparisons.

You need

  • squared paper
  • a question to ask family and friends
  • coloured pencils

Tonight’s 10 minutes

  1. Help your child write one clear question: “Which subject do you like most?” (one answer only).
  2. Record answers with tally marks, then make a table of totals.
  3. Draw a bar graph on squared paper: one square per answer.
  4. Ask: most, least, how many more, and one surprising fact.

Words to use

  • survey
  • question
  • tally
  • table
  • bar graph
  • most
  • least
  • how many more

Watch for

  • Asking a question that allows many answers. Change “Which subjects do you like?” to “Which subject do you like most?”
  • Bars of uneven width or spacing. Use squared paper and keep every bar the same width.

What it sounds like at home

A short example of the conversation. Your words will differ; the questions are what matter.

YouWhich question is better for our survey?

Your child“Which subject do you like most?”

YouWhy?

Your childEveryone gives only one answer.

YouWhich bar is tallest?

Your childMaths, 12 children.

A game for this week: Class survey

  1. Choose a question with one answer each.
  2. Collect answers from family and neighbours.
  3. Tally and draw a bar graph.
  4. Present three facts from the graph.

A 5-day plan, 10 minutes a day

  1. Day 1Write a good survey question.
  2. Day 2Collect answers with tallies.
  3. Day 3Make a table.
  4. Day 4Draw a bar graph.
  5. Day 5Present findings.

Everyday moments to practise

  • Family vote on a trip place.
  • Favourite sports in the building.
  • Weather over a week.
  • Class attendance charts.

Quick check

Ask these at the end of the week. Tap to see the answer.

Why is “Which subject do you like most?” a better survey question?

Each person gives only one answer, so totals can be compared.

A bar is 8 squares tall. How many people?

8 (if each square is one person).

Tallies |||| ||| show?

8.

Ready for the next chapter when your child…

  • Writes a clear survey question.
  • Makes a table and bar graph.
  • Answers questions from a graph.

Activities, wording and illustrations are Mathify Kids’ own, following the topics of NCERT’s Maths Mela (Class 4). See the full Class 4 parent guide for every chapter.

Questions parents ask

What is data handling in Class 4?

Asking a survey question, recording answers, making tables and bar graphs, and reading them.

What makes a good survey question?

One clear answer per person, so totals can be compared.

How do I draw a bar graph?

Use squared paper, equal bar widths and one square per answer or a clear scale.