Looking for an engaging way to explore data collection with your students? The Data Collector: Trucks & Machines Game provides a hands-on, movement-based opportunity for learners to gather, record, and interpret data using tally marks. With a colourful truck and machine theme, this interactive game will get students excited about Statistics while supporting foundational skills in data handling.

Designed for 2–4 players, Data Collector: Trucks & Machines Game encourages turn-taking, observational thinking, and recording accuracy. As students move around the game board, they land on different trucks and machines and record their findings using tally marks on individual recording slips. This simple yet powerful process helps build fluency with tallying while laying the groundwork for more advanced data concepts.

With both high and low-colour options provided, this resource is easy to differentiate and classroom-friendly for repeated use. Whether used during rotations, small group maths, or as a fun consolidation activity, Data Collector: Trucks & Machines Game turns data collection into a meaningful and memorable experience.

Key Learning Outcomes

• ✅ Practise collecting and recording data using tally marks
• ✅ Build fluency in observing and classifying visual data
• ✅ Interpret and compare simple data sets in a group setting

What’s Included

• 1 themed game board – high-colour and low-colour versions
• Recording slips for tallying trucks and machines
• Clear, step-by-step teacher instructions

Materials Needed

• Printed game board (A4 or A3 recommended)
• 1 die and playing pieces (1 per player)
• Recording slips – printed or laminated
• Pencils or whiteboard markers
• Optional: write and wipe sleeves for reusable slips

How to Use

1. Print and prepare the game board, recording slips, and playing pieces for each group.
2. Introduce or revise tally marks with students before beginning the game.
3. Students take turns rolling the die and moving around the board.
4. Each time they land on a truck or machine, they record it using a tally mark on their slip.
5. Play continues until a set number of rounds or a timer ends the game.
6. Afterward, students compare their data and reflect on the results as a group.

Ideas for Classroom Use

• 💡 Use in maths rotations during a data and graphing unit
• 💡 Have students convert their tally data into pictographs or column graphs
• 💡 Combine group data for a class-wide analysis or bar chart activity

Top Teacher Tips

• 💛 Print game boards on thick cardstock and laminate for long-term use
• 💛 Enlarge boards to A3 for greater visibility and engagement
• 💛 Store slips in labelled envelopes or folders for easy reuse
• 💛 Challenge fast finishers to create their own themed game boards