Here's a great activity suggested by economics teacher Katherine Fay aimed at drawing out analysis of charts.

The example here has been called 'Four Corners' as it presents a chart and then space for students to answer the following questions about that chart:

• What is it?
• What caused it?
• Do they need to do anything about it?
• How can they ‘solve’ it?

Katherine runs the activity as either a lesson starter or plenary and asks students to complete the activity in small groups.  The individual sheets are printed on A3 (if you have that facility) to allow students to write their suggestions on the sheet before they report their thoughts back to the rest of the class.

On the version we are giving you here, there are 5 charts presented on a Powerpoint.  This Powerpoint acts as both a teaching tool (the first 6 slides are what the teacher would use to present the activity) and a set of worksheets (slides 7-11 are those that get printed for the teams).

The resource is completely editable, of course, so you can change the questions if you wish and certainly change the charts to whatever you think is appropriate.

You can give all charts to all groups as an extended activity, individual charts to individual groups if you want them doing something differently or you have an opportunity to differentiate if you think necessary.

Four Corners Activity downloadable from here.