Day of Data: Orcas

Paddle your way into Kiki’s world through a self-paced, online Excel activity that introduces beginning concepts for data-driven research using linked data types.

Age: 11-14 years old

Length: 50 minutes

Lesson highlights:

• Access information in Excel using data types and data cards.
• Compare and contrast taxonomic data to explore differences and similarities of organisms.
• Use data cards to access geographic data related to orca sighting locations.

Learning standards:

• NGSS MS-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
• ISTE 5b. Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.

Make a splash using data to investigate with a self-paced, online Excel activity that introduces beginning concepts for investigating a phenomenon using data.

Age: 11-14 years old

Length: 50 minutes

Lesson highlights:

1. Investigate data to describe feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
2. Explore multiple sources of data to explain how toxins can influence the health of populations in an ecosystem.
3. Analyze multiple acoustic data to provide evidence for the effects of sound pollution on a population.

Learning standards:

• NGSS MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
• NGSS MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
• ISTE 5b. Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.

• Relevance. Data Science is one of the fastest growing professions (Bureau of Labor Statistics), every industry needs data analytics – including business in all sectors, healthcare, education, and every form of social programming. Inspiring the advance of NextGen’s data analytics skills is to stimulate reasoning, discourse, and decision-making, ultimately creating a smarter world for us all.
• Equity for All. Multimodal, dynamic, scaffolded instructions support learners at multiple readiness levels and from diverse backgrounds.
• Accessibility. Designed to open doors to student participation in the data science revolution, these lessons are supported on any internet-enabled device. Use a larger screen (laptop or desktop) for the best experience.
• Aligned to Standards. All activities are aligned to key Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards.