Lesson Aim
Students watch a video about how graphs can mislead or manipulate audiences. The lesson develops language for data literacy, visual persuasion, distorted scales, cherry-picking and critical interpretation.
Before watching
- Why do people often trust graphs?
- Where do you see graphs in everyday life?
- How could a graph tell a misleading story?
Prep Part 1
Drag the correct sentence ending into each gap.
Sentence endings
students should connect it to the lesson topic.it makes a difference look bigger or smaller than it really is.correctly related in size or amountmaking something seem bigger or more important than it isgiving the wrong impressionWatch Part 1
Watch from 0:07 to about 2:12. Focus on exaggerated claims, the Chevy truck graph, distorted scales and the unemployment graph.
Open Part 1 on YouTubeComprehension 1
Choose an answer to get instant green/red feedback.
1. Why do graphs often feel persuasive?
2. What was misleading about the Chevy truck graph?
3. Why are distorted scales especially misleading in bar graphs?
4. What was wrong with the unemployment chart?
Vocabulary from Part 1
Graphs can mislead and manipulate the .
The Chevy graph distorted the .
The difference was barely .
The unemployment graph used an inconsistent x-.
Options
superstitionaxisscaleviewerdetectablePrep Part 2
Drag the correct sentence ending into each gap.
Sentence endings
serious disturbance to natural systemsselecting only the data that supports a particular impressionimportant information needed to understand the situationthey choose only the information that supports their preferred story.students should connect it to the lesson topic.Watch Part 2
Watch from about 2:12 to the end. Focus on cherry-picking, missing context, Super Bowl viewing, ocean temperatures and how to analyse a graph.
Open Part 2 on YouTubeComprehension 2
Choose an answer to get instant green/red feedback.
1. What is cherry-picking?
2. What was missing from the Super Bowl graph?
3. Why can a half-degree rise in ocean temperature matter?
4. What should you check when looking at a graph?
Vocabulary from Part 2
Cherry-picking can exclude the impact of a major .
The Super Bowl graph did not account for population .
Temperature variation was more .
Graphs can help us grasp complex .
Options
prophetsignificantdatagrowtheventVocabulary Review
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| distort the scale | change the axis range to exaggerate or minimise a difference | The Chevy graph distorted the scale. |
| cherry-picking | selecting only data that supports a chosen impression | The timeline was cherry-picked. |
| relevant data | information needed for a fair interpretation | Leaving out relevant data can mislead readers. |
| misleading impression | a false or incomplete idea created by presentation | The Super Bowl graph gave a misleading impression. |
| full significance | the wider meaning or importance of the data | A graph is weak if you do not understand the full significance. |
Phrasal Verbs and Expressions from the Video
Many people do not bat at exaggerated claims.
There are things to look when reading graphs.
If you take a closer , the numbers tell a different story.
The graph leaves .
The final question is what story the picture is trying to .
Options
out fortellon woodout relevant dataan eyelookUse the Same Phrasal Verbs to Form Questions
1. Why do people often not bat at exaggerated claims?
2. What should we look in a political graph?
3. What can you notice if you take a closer at the axis?
4. What happens when a graph leaves ?
5. What story is this graph trying to ?
Options
lookout relevant dataout foran eyeawaytellCollocations from the Video
cold, hard
distorted
bar
relevant
misleading
ecological
Options
graphsscalenumbersdisruptionhabitimpressiondataB2/C1 Grammar: Describing Graphs, Trends and Cause/Result
The video explains how visual information can mislead, so this section asks students to describe graphs accurately using trend language, cautious interpretation and cause/result language.
Grammar Section 1: Describe the Trends
Look at the graph and complete the sentences. You will get instant green/red feedback.
1. From 2009 to around 2021, both lines generally .
2. Around 2020, the orange line showed a sharp .
3. After that, it appeared to quickly.
4. After the ChatGPT release marker, the S&P 500 line seems to .
5. The job openings line appears to after 2022.
Options
declinerecoverrise sharplyfallrosedistortGrammar Section 2: Cause and Result
Choose the best sentence. Be careful: the graph may suggest a relationship, but it does not prove causation.
1. Which sentence describes the graph most carefully?
2. Which sentence uses cause/result language correctly?
3. Which phrase is best for avoiding overclaiming?
Grammar Section 3: Speaking Task
Work in pairs. Describe the graph for one minute using at least four phrases from the table.
| Trend language | Cause/result language | Cautious interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| rose steadily fell sharply declined gradually levelled off fluctuated | may have led to could have contributed to as a result therefore because of this | appears to show may suggest does not necessarily prove we need more context the scale may exaggerate |
Thought-Provoking Questions
1. Why do people trust graphs more than written claims?
2. Is a misleading graph always dishonest, or can it be careless?
3. Should advertisers be punished for distorted graphs?
4. What graph-reading skills should schools teach?
5. How can political campaigns use data honestly?
6. What is more dangerous: a false claim or a true graph presented misleadingly?
7. How can readers avoid being swayed by lines and curves?
Role Play
| Questioning the graph | Explaining the issue | Requesting context |
|---|---|---|
| Can we check the scale? What time period is being shown? What data is missing? | The y-axis makes the difference look larger. The graph may be cherry-picked. This leaves out relevant context. | We need the full range of data. Can we compare it with population growth? What story is this graph trying to tell? |
Context
Student A
You are the marketing manager. Explain why the graph is effective and why you want to use it.
Student B
You are the data analyst. Politely explain the problem with the graph and suggest a fairer version.
Role play task: Discuss the graph for five minutes. By the end, agree on a graph that is persuasive but honest.
Thank You
You have completed the ESL CONNECT video lesson.