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The Pictograph block displays an interactive pictograph (picture graph) where pictures represent quantities. Use it to demonstrate data representation, comparison, and early graphing concepts. This is a display block for teaching and demonstration. learners can view the pictograph and understand how pictures represent data.
For assessable pictograph activities where learners build graphs, use the Pictograph Question block instead.

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When to use Pictograph blocks

Pictograph blocks work well for:
  • Demonstrating how to read pictographs
  • Showing data from surveys or observations
  • Teaching that pictures can represent quantities
  • Introducing graphing concepts to young learners
  • Comparing quantities visually

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Settings

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Layout settings

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Layout
select
default:"horizontal"
The orientation of the pictograph:
  • Horizontal: Categories displayed in rows
  • Vertical: Categories displayed in columns

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Image settings

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Image fit
select
default:"cover"
How images are displayed within items: cover (fills the space, may crop) or contain (shows entire image).
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Image size
select
default:"md"
The size of images: small, medium, or large.
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Image padding
select
default:"none"
Padding around images in the pictograph.

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Configuring the pictograph

A pictograph has two components:
  • Items: The picture symbols that represent data (e.g., apples, stars)
  • Buckets: The categories being compared (e.g., “Monday”, “Tuesday”)
Each item can have a value (e.g., each apple = 2) and you control how many appear in each bucket.

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Tips for teachers and parents

Best practices:
  • Start with pictographs where each picture = 1 before introducing scaled pictographs
  • Use familiar, relatable images that connect to the data topic
  • Keep the number of categories manageable (2–4 for beginners)
  • Include a key showing what each picture represents
  • Use alongside explanatory text to guide interpretation
  • Progress to Pictograph Question blocks once learners can read pictographs