Show a simple class tally and one fruit icon as pupils settle. Take two or three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Keep it quick — this is just to plant the idea that one picture can stand for one pupil.

Row of 4: count the pictures aloud, one two three four; one picture means one pupil.

Row of 7: count to seven; ask why this row is longer.

Empty row: count is zero, no pictures; stress it still needs its label, as pupils often drop it.

Two rows side by side (row of 4, row of 7): run a finger along the start line, both rows begin level here. This is the make-or-break idea for fair comparison, the longer row only means more when both start level.

This round is for talking it through together — pupils take turns at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.

The activity opens with a sensible default break-time game dataset (Tag 5, Skipping 3, Football 7) so you can run it straight away. If your class's own vote is ready, you can replace these counts with the real numbers — that is the better path, but the default is a complete fallback if real data isn't to hand.

Have a pupil place the symbols for one category, then ask the class: does the count of pictures match the number that voted? Rotate pupils across the categories. Watch for rows not starting level — nudge each new row back to the start line.

These are the practice questions — pupils take turns at the board, read each chart, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.

For each challenge a pupil builds the answer row with pictures on the board; press Check together and let the class confirm. Use the callout did you check both rows start at the same line before comparing? on the difference question, where pupils most often misjudge a longer-but-fewer row.