Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Doing a Class Survey: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 4
- ForYear 4
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Doing a Class Survey is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children plan a survey question, collect answers with tally marks and record the totals in a table. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children act as researchers. They write a clear question, then ask other people and mark each answer with a tally. The table on the sheet has columns headed Answer, Tally and Total, and there are lines for writing. Children need to ask at least 10 people. At the end they count the tally marks and write the totals.
- Answer
- Tally
- Total
How to plan a good survey
Pick one clear question
Choose a question that means the same thing to everyone. Ask about one thing only, such as a favourite fruit or a favourite playground game.
Decide the choices first
Write the possible answers in the table before you start. Keeping the list short makes the tally marks quick to add up.
Ask each person once
Each person gets one tally mark. This keeps the count fair, so the totals really show what the group thinks.
Count and record
When you have finished asking, count each row of tally marks. Write the number in the Total column and check it by counting again.
Why do surveys matter?
A survey is a way of finding things out by asking people. Shops use surveys to decide what to sell. Schools use them to plan clubs and lunch menus. Families use them to choose a film or a day out. Children meet the idea of collecting information early, and a class survey lets them try it for themselves on a topic they care about.
Tally marks help because they make counting as you go easy. Each answer gets one mark, and marks are drawn in groups of five, so you can count in fives at the end instead of one by one. A table keeps the results tidy and easy to read. Tidy results are the first step towards drawing graphs and explaining what the data shows.
Skills and curriculum link
- Planning a survey question
- Collecting data
- Using tally marks
- Recording totals
- Reading a table
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Maths | Statistics | Year 4 |
What children will be able to do
- I can write a clear question for a survey.
- I can collect answers using tally marks.
- I can write down the totals.
Ideas to help your child
- Clear questionsA good question has only one meaning. Ask your child to read it aloud and say whether someone else could understand it a different way.
- Counting in fivesTally marks are drawn in groups of five. Four upright lines are crossed by a fifth. Practise counting in fives, then add on the extra marks.
- Fair countingEach person answers once. If someone changes their mind, cross out the old mark so that the total stays honest.
- Limited choicesA short list of choices keeps the table neat. Talk about what to do if someone wants an answer that is not on the list.
Key words
- SurveyA way of finding out what people think by asking them the same question.
- QuestionWhat you ask. A good survey question is clear and short.
- TallyA mark you make for each answer. Every fifth mark crosses the four before it.
- TotalHow many there are altogether in one row of the table.
- DataInformation you collect, such as the answers from a survey.
- TableA grid that organises information into rows and columns.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the sheet together. Ask your child to say in their own words what a survey is.
- Help them choose one clear question and write the choices in the table. Then ask at least 10 people and make one tally mark for each answer.
- Count the tally marks and write each total. Check against the notes on page 2 and talk about what the survey shows.
- Come back another day with a new question. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Offer only 3 choices to start with. Write them in the table before asking anyone. Practise drawing groups of five tally marks on scrap paper first. Ask family members at home before moving on to a bigger group.
To stretch confident children
Turn the table into a bar chart on squared paper. Give the chart a title and label each bar. Then write two sentences about what the chart shows, such as which choice was most popular.
Make it a game
Survey friends and family and compare answers. Each player picks a different question. Before asking, guess which choice will be most popular. Count up and see who guessed best.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe question is unclear, so people give answers that do not fit the table.
Try thisRead the question aloud and ask what else it could mean. Reword it so that it asks about one thing only.
Watch forA child makes five separate tally marks instead of grouping them, which makes counting slow.
Try thisShow how four upright lines are crossed by a fifth. Count the groups in fives, then add the leftovers.
Watch forSome people are asked twice, or someone is missed, so the totals do not match the number of people.
Try thisAsk each person once and tick off names on a list. Add up all the totals at the end and check they match the number of people asked.
Talk about it
- What question did you choose, and why?
- Could anyone understand your question in a different way?
- How did tally marks help you count?
- Which answer got the most marks? Does that surprise you?
- What would you change if you did the survey again?
- Who else could you ask to find out more?
Take it off the page
Family favourites
Ask everyone at home to choose a favourite meal from three options. Tally the answers on paper and say which choice was chosen most often.
Playground count
Choose a safe spot and tally how many people walk, scoot or cycle past in a short time. Write the totals in a small table.
Colour survey
Ask friends or family to pick a favourite colour from a list of four. Record the answers and draw a simple picture of the results.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Help them choose a clear question, then let them do the asking. Praise good thinking, not only neat tally marks.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. The task can be done in pairs, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair it with everyday talk. Children can survey family members, relatives or friends online or by phone, then record the answers on paper. It can be repeated for brothers and sisters with a new question.
Where this fits in maths
Before this sheet, children sort and count objects and meet tables. In Year 3 they also work with pictograms and bar charts, reading them and answering questions about them. Tally marks give a quick way to collect information before it is put into a table or chart.
After this sheet, children keep working with bar charts and tables in Year 4, using them to answer comparison questions. They also meet other graphs, such as time graphs. The stretch idea on page 2, drawing a bar chart from the table, links straight to this. In later years the graphs and tables get more detailed.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Why is it important that the question is clear?
- How do tally marks help when counting?
- What does your survey tell you?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Doing a Class Survey for?
It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with a grown-up and fewer choices, and older children can use the stretch idea to draw a bar chart.
- What will children practise?
Children plan a survey question, collect answers with tally marks and record the totals in a table. They also practise counting in fives and explaining what their results show.
- How many people should children ask?
The sheet asks children to ask at least 10 people. They can ask classmates, family or friends. Asking more people gives them more to count and a better picture of what people think.
- What if it feels too hard?
Offer only 3 choices in the table. Practise drawing tally marks on scrap paper first, and survey people at home before asking a bigger group. Work through the first one together.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group, with a new question each time.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children only need a pencil, so it is a simple screen free activity for home or school.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.