- Definition
A stacked-bar graph is like a regular bar graph, but each bar is divided into different colored sections to show how parts of a whole compare to each other.
A bar might show the total number of students who play sports, with the bar stacked to show how many play soccer versus how many play basketball.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A stacked-bar graph is like a tower of Lego bricks, where each bar is a tower and the different colored bricks show the parts that make up the total height.
Ask your child: What story does this whole bar tell, and what do the different colored parts add?
Common mix-up: Kids may only look at the size of the top section. The key is to see that the whole stack represents the total amount, and each section is a part of that whole.
Examples
- A bar showing a class's fundraising goal, with one color for money raised and another for money still needed.
- Bars comparing book genres in two classes, where each bar is stacked to show fiction vs. non-fiction.
stacked-bar graph is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
