Skip to content

Lesson 1: Meet the DSU Squad (DSU = Data Science Unit)

Lesson 1: Meet the DSU Squad (DSU = Data Science Unit)

Objective:

Students will be introduced to the course and each other by collecting data about themselves and making observations. They will also discover the defintion of "data."

Materials:

  1. Information Stations (LMR_U1_L01_A_Information_Stations) - can be hand-drawn or printed using poster paper or other material; placed around classroom

    Advanced preparation required.

    See Class Setup section for additional details.

  2. Markers, stickers, paint stampers, etc. for recording at each station

  3. Where is Data? video clip [see usage permission in References]

  4. Data Cycle poster [pages 1 & 2] (LMR_U1_L01_B_The_Data_Cycle)

Vocabulary:

data science data survey questions The Data Cycle Consider Data (phase) primary data

Essential Concepts:

Essential Concepts:

Data is information gathered through observation or responses. We can collect data about many different things, including ourselves. Looking at collected data helps us notice patterns, similarities, and differences. Data are all around us and used in many aspects of daily life.

Class Setup

  • Advanced preparation required.

    • Prior to class starting, use poster paper, construction paper, or any convenient material available to create 5 Information Stations around the room. The 5 stations should be labeled with the questions provided below.

      • Station 1: What is your favorite class at school?
      • Station 2: Do you participate in extracurricular activities?
      • Station 3: What is your favorite type of candy?
      • Station 4: How old are you?
      • Station 5: How many books did you read over the summer?

    • For your convenience, example poster layouts have been provided in the Information Stations handout (LMR_U1_L01_A). They are available as guides, but can also be used and/or printed directly. Feel free to be creative.

    • At each of the stations, provide a variety of markers, stickers, paint stampers, name tags, or pens/pencils for students to indicate their responses.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:

**Visual & Tactile Choices for Diverse Learners At each station, provide not just markers, but also options like pre-made picture symbols or object choices for students who have difficulty writing or prefer non-verbal responses (ex. placing a #10 token in a “How old are you?” jar instead of writing “10”).


[LMR_U1_L01_A](../MS_Curriculum/2_MS_LMR/MS_LMR_Unit_1/LMR_U1_L01_A.pdf)

Opening

  1. Welcome students to their first day of training! They will become dedicated Data Detectives of an elite squad known as the Data Science Unit (or DSU), where they will learn to become expert investigators.

  2. Ask students if they have ever heard the phrase “data science” or the word “data.” If a student has, allow them to share with the class.

  3. Explain that our very first mission will be to gather some intelligence on our own squad (the rookie recruits) to learn what data is all about.

Concept Development

Part 1: Collecting Data

  1. Explain that the Information Stations placed around the room each ask a question to find out about the students in our class. Questions like this that are used to collect information about people who respond to them are called survey questions.

  2. Explain to students how they will record their response to the question at each station. Make it clear that each student should only include ONE response to each question and needs to include a response at each of the five stations.

  3. Split students evenly into 5 groups and assign each group a starting station number. Send the groups to their first assigned station. Explain how you will signal them to rotate from station to station.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:

Scribe Support for Diverse Learners Offer the option for students to dictate their answers to a peer, teacher, or aide who can record it for them at the station.

  1. Allow all students in each group to answer the question at their first station. Then signal students to rotate to their second station. Continue this process until each student has responded to the questions at all five stations.

  2. Have students return to their seats.

  3. Engage in a whole group discussion about the activity.

    1. What was similar about each station?

    2. What was different?

    3. Did you use the same method to record your answers at each station?

  4. Have some students share out and then steer the discussion more directly with the questions below, writing the full responses on the board.

    1. What are some things that we have in common?

      1. Sample answer: Most people in our class like _____ type of candy.
      2. Sample answer: _____ students participate in extracurricular activities.

    2. Where do we differ the most?

      1. Sample answer: More people like Math class than _____ class.
      2. Sample answer: Some people read a lot of books over the summer (#), and others did not read any.

    3. Are there any observations that seem odd?

      1. Sample answer: 1 student read more than 18 books over the summer.
      2. Sample answer: There were 0 students who said their favorite candy was _____.

  5. After the group discussion, explain to students that they have just collected data about themselves!

Part 2: Building the Definition of Data

  1. Engage students in a Think-Ink-Pair-Share activity. In their detective notebooks, ask students to write down, in their own words, what they think data means. Give them 2 to 3 minutes to write, and then allow 1 to 2 minutes for them to discuss their responses with a partner. Next, allow 2 or 3 students to share what they wrote with the whole class.

STRATEGY:

Think-Ink-Pair-Share (TIPS) - Think: Students individually think about and process a question.
- Ink: Students write down their own initial ideas.
- Pair: Students partner up to discuss their thoughts and listen to each other's ideas.
- Share: The class comes back together to share key ideas from their discussions.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:

Optional Graphic Organizers for Diverse Learners Use a simple Frayer model or a concept map to help students organize their thoughts.

Optional Word Bank for Diverse Learners Provide a word bank with terms like “information,” “facts,” “numbers,” “observations,” “lists,” and “graphs” to help students articulate their definitions of data.

  1. Next, explain that we will be watching a short video clip of everyday people giving their own definitions of data.

  2. Ask students to listen for any similarities and/or differences between their own definitions and the ones mentioned in the video. They should record their observations in their detective notebooks.

  3. Play the Where is Data? video clip. Allow students time to write down what they saw and heard from the video in their notebooks.

  4. Next, ask students how close their definitions were to the ones that the people in the video came up with.

    1. What was similar about the definitions in the video and the definitions from our class?

    2. What was different about the definitions in the video and the definitions from our class?

    3. What surprised you?

  5. In simple terms, explain that data can be defined as "information that is collected and recorded." Have students write this simple definition in their detective notebooks, along with the more detailed one below.

    1. data.gov defines data as "a value or set of values representing a specific concept or concepts. Data become 'information' when analyzed and possibly combined with other data in order to extract meaning, and to provide context."

    2. FUN FACTS!

      1. Interestingly, the term "data" is actually plural. So technically, the video clip should have been titled "What are Data?" instead of "What is Data?".
      2. The singular form of "data" is "datum."

Part 3: Introducing the Data Cycle - The 'Consider Data' Phase

  1. Introduce the concept of The Data Cycle by explaining that, when investigating a case, detectives often follow a specific process. In a statistical investigation, data scientists also follow a specific process, which is referred to as The Data Cycle. Following the Data Cycle helps us to make sure we are being thoughtful and organized throughout an entire investigation

  2. Display a blank image of the Data Cycle (LMR_U1_L01_B, page 1) on the board. Explain that we will be learning about each phase of the Data Cycle throughout this unit, but today we will uncover just one piece of it.


[LMR_U1_L01_B](../MS_Curriculum/2_MS_LMR/MS_LMR_Unit_1/LMR_U1_L01_B.pdf)

  1. Reveal and highlight the Consider Data phase of the Data Cycle (LMR_U1_L01_B, page 2). Explain that, in a criminal investigation, detectives look for and collect evidence and interview witnesses to help them understand the crime. In a statistical investigation, data scientists figure out what data they already have, what data they still need, and what they should do to acquire such data

  2. Ask students to think about and describe how they were engaging with the Consider Data phase of the Data Cycle during the Information Stations activity.

    1. Guide the discussion by having students use the 5W1H strategy. Sample responses are provided below.

    STRATEGY:

    5W1H Method (also known as the Kipling Method) The 5W1H Method is a questioning approach and problem-solving method that helps students determine the background information of a problem.

    Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

    100. **Who?**: Who do you want to collect information about?<br>
*Sample answer: The students in our middle school data science class*<br>

100. **What?**: What information do you already have? What information do you still need?<br>
*Sample answer: At the start of class, we can make observations about our classmates (like their hair color or whether or not they wear glasses), and those would count as information.  After the activity, we should have information about classmates’ favorite class, favorite candy type, etc. The information that we still need will be dependent on what we want to know or what we are investigating*<br>

100. **When?**: When will you collect this information?<br>
*Sample answer: We collected the data during our class time, which is during school hours.*<br>

100. **Where?**: Where will you collect this information?<br>
*Sample answer: We collected the data in our classroom.*<br>

100. **Why?**: Why will you collect this information? What question do you want to answer?<br>
*Sample answer: We wanted to get to know our classmates better, see what we have in common, and determine how we’re different.*<br>

100. **How?**:How will you collect this information?<br>
*Sample answer: We asked survey questions to gather the information.*<br>
    1. Explain that the type of data students collected today is first-hand original information they collected directly. First-hand, original information that a researcher collects directly is called primary data. In other words, the researcher has control over the entire data collection process.

Closing

  1. Engage students in a Quickwrite using the following prompt: “Why is it important for a data detective to Consider Data before they begin an investigation?"

STRATEGY:

Quickwrite A short and informal timed writing activity to quickly capture student thoughts.

  1. End the class by having one or two students share their responses.