Introduction to Venn diagrams

Students will learn how to use a Venn diagram to categorize data. This activity is done as an introduction to Venn diagrams.

A lesson plan for grade 5 Mathematics

By Melissa Bancroft

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Learning outcomes

Students will learn how to categorize data with a Venn diagram.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 Minutes

Materials/resources

• Two hula hoops (if you wish to extend the activity, you may even try it with three hula hoops)
• Large, open area for students to sit as a group and view the Venn diagram
• One shoe from each student in the classroom
• Markerboard (or chalkboard) with dry-erase markers (or chalk)

Pre-activities

Understanding of data collection (this activity should be completed within the context of a larger unit on data collection, data analysis, graphing, etc.)

Activities

1. The teacher will gather students in a large, open area where all students can sit in a circle. This would ideally be in a central area of the classroom.
2. The teacher will ask the students to remove one shoe, and place it in the middle of their circle.
3. Guided by the teacher, students will brainstorm physical characteristics of the shoes (examples may include colors, types of shoes, materials the shoes are made from, etc.). The teacher will record student responses in a list on the markerboard (or chalkboard).
4. When students have exhausted the possibilities with their brainstorming session, the teacher will prompt the students to categorize the shoes into two different categories (example: leather shoes and cloth shoes, athletic shoes and dress shoes).
5. The teacher will designate one hula hoop for one category of shoe, and the other hoop for the other category of shoe. The teacher will instruct the students to place their own shoe into the category to which it belongs.
6. Invariably, one or more shoes can go into either category (maybe it has both cloth and leather on it, for example). The teacher should ask the students what they should do about this. Guide the students’ discussion to the idea of overlapping the circles so as to create a “both” category. This will create the Venn diagram. Students will place shoes which have characteristics of both categories into this “middle ground” area.
7. The teacher should draw, on the markerboard, the Venn diagram (two overlapping circles) and continue the lesson with more abstract applications of the Venn diagram. As this lesson is on a very concrete level, it is an excellent way to introduce the Venn diagram.

Assessment

The teacher will observe each student as he/she places his/her own shoe into a category. Students should place their shoes into the correct category according to the criteria determined by the class.